HWS' Client Care Manager, Mary Crowe, shares the story of a client who paid the nanny cash under the table, and later found himself on the wrong side of his state's unemployment agency.

Mike and Joyce R. hired a nanny when their twins were infants. They agreed with the nanny at the time that they were going to pay her $500 a week off the books. The nanny worked out wonderfully and she stayed with Mike and Joyce for almost three years, and was let go when the twins started a full-time pre-school/daycare situation. The family’s needs had changed, and they found another very part-time nanny to cover the afterschool hours.

Topics: nanny off the books, nanny unemployment insurance, nanny taxes, nanny tax case study

HWS received the following update today from Legally Nanny, a foremost legal expert in household employment law in California and wanted to immediately update California household employers.

Topics: companionship services, california household employment, senior home care, senior home-care workers

The holidays are over, special events and gatherings are behind you, and many nannies face many weeks of winter. Outdoor play can be reduced – or ruled out entirely – due to weather.

Topics: nanny training

New York Governor Cuomo signed legislation December 30, 2014 that repeals the annual notice provisions of the NY Wage Theft Prevention Act (WPTA).

Topics: new york household employment, New York household payroll, wage theft prevention

Payroll changes often happen at the beginning of the calendar year, and nanny tax related changes are no different. The HomeWork Solutions household payroll experts have assembled a short overview of changes a nanny employer, employer of a senior caregiver, or any household employer needs to know.

Topics: nanny health insurance, nanny mileage reimbursement, New York household payroll, Affordable Care Act, california household employment, DC household payroll

New parents often envision that hiring a nanny will be the magic bullet that solves their childcare challenges. Hiring the nanny itself, however, is an activity fraught with worry, stress, and the fear of actually hiring the wrong nanny. Here we offer parents a short list of common mistakes families make when hiring a nanny, and tips to avoid them. Let HWS help you make your experience hiring a nanny simpler and worry free.

Topics: hiring a nanny, interview a nanny

The keys to a nanny's success in the workplace all revolve around attitude. The "secret sauce" all successful professional nannies bring to their workplace includes the following attitudes:

Topics: nanny job satisfaction, nanny

The growing national movement towards aging in place is challenging many families. As noted recently in the New York Times, "Aging in community is important for preserving the quality of life for older adults and providing stability to neighborhoods." 

Topics: elder care, senior home care

April 2015 Update

The survey referenced below is now closed and published. HWS encourages you to review the results.

The INA reports the following:

 

Key findings include:

 

• Average hourly rate USD$18.66, $1/hour increase from 2012
• 49% have had a salary increase in prior 12 months, up from 38% in 2012
• Education and experience correlate with higher hourly wage
• 60% received an annual bonus in 2013, up from 53% in 2011
• INA Credentialed nannies average $19.96 per hour
• 64% are paid legally

Topics: nanny salary, nanny benefits

I recently attended Nannypalooza in Philadelphia where I was asked by a nanny in attendance if I could coach her on how to speak to her employer about being paid on the books. Immediately several other nannies joined the conversation, sharing that this is one of the most difficult conversations to initiate with their employers.

Topics: nanny off the books, nanny job satisfaction, nanny taxes