What other household duties do nannies typically perform?

In addition to childcare, a nanny’s household duties may include:

• keeping the children’s areas organized/tidy

• pitching in to the overall cleanliness of the household (light housekeeping)

• loading and unloading the dishwasher

• running errands

• basic meal preparation

• folding/putting away children’s laundry.

Many families who are seeking more of a focus around assisting, errands, cooking, or laundry title their position “nanny/family assistant” to better define the larger scope.

We help you create a job description to attract the ideal candidates.

How long will my search take?

It’s good to begin your search at least four weeks before your ideal start date. The process can be shorter or longer depending on how responsive you are, availability of qualified candidates, and your location. Our average timeline is currently 6-8 weeks.

What can I do to expedite the search process?

Families who communicate clearly and quickly tend to get the fastest results. For example, your feedback during the search process is vital to ensure the candidates we screen and present are exactly what you’re looking for. 

It’s also important to clearly communicate expectations and guidelines in your candidate interviews and employment agreement, create a plan for training, and provide plenty of opportunities for feedback and open communication. 

We guide you the whole way through.

Is there a trial period?

During the interview process, we encourage families to have a paid trial of 1 to 7 days for each candidate.

Why do I have to pay my Nanny legally? none of my friends do.

The candidates we work with are professionals and expect to be legally employed by your family—the same way someone working for a business would expect to be employed.

It’s becoming less and less common for families to pay their nannies illegally (or more politely called “under the table”), as the IRS is taking more note of these infringements. Hiring a nanny illegally can often result in serious tax and legal consequences for families and also withholds vital protections for nannies, including unemployment and workers compensation benefits.

Additionally, nannies who are paid illegally are unable to verify their professional income and often struggle when applying for rental housing, mortgages, student loans, and auto loans.

We are always more than happy to talk to your friends and explain the risks they may be unknowingly taking on for both their family and their employee by neglecting to pay legally.

how do I handle taxes for my employees?

Your family will be the nanny’s employer, so you’re responsible for tax withholding. A nanny cannot be a 1099 independent contractor. 

HomeWork Solutions may be a great option to help you with this.

what benefits do you suggest offering?

We recommend employers put themselves in the shoes of an employee when making these decisions. Specific benefits vary depending on the nanny’s needs and their specific placement. Common benefits include:
● paid vacation and sick time
● holiday pay
● medical, dental, and/or vision insurance coverage or healthcare stipend
● contribution to nanny’s auto insurance plan
● use of car while not working
● gas mileage stipend
● meals while working
● work cell phone
● 401K
● relocation assistance

We are happy to offer guidance.