With unemployment at an historic low, employers are finding more difficulty filling open positions. One way to attract top talent is to offer a signing bonus. This strategy can help employers stand out when competing for the top talent, or luring them away from another company. Many companies are finding that signing bonuses are a worthwhile investment.

Hiring the right caregiver for your loved one is a personal, delicate process and even when you think you’ve found the right person, there are a lot of different reasons why it might not work out in the long run. Whether it’s simply not the right match, rules have been violated, or schedules are not aligning properly to make the job work, making the decision to take action and fire a caregiver usually isn’t an easy one. Here are some tips on letting your caregiver go.

Interviews can be difficult for some people.  Maybe it’s because of nerves, or simply because the potential nanny doesn’t have a lot of experience with the interview process. It’s a fact that sometimes the interview just simply doesn’t go well. This case study looks at a common issue: how to help a nanny interview well and secure a position.

With schools out for the summer, parents across the country are setting up other means of childcare. Some parents opt for day camp, others for a nanny or day care center, in most cases though the cost of these options counts towards the Childcare Tax Credit.

Background

A client in Texas , Jane,  hired a home care worker to help her mother around the house, an important hire to help her mom live safely and independently at home. Jane’s mother lives alone and has recently had to give up her driver’s license due to health issues. She needs someone to help her get out to meet her friends, get to doctor appointments and help with groceries and errands. She also has some housekeeping areas she can no longer safely do herself.

Many, many nannies and senior caregivers have a routine work week that exceeds 40 hours a week. Presuming that the employment situation is long term, most families agree to specific paid holidays. Exactly how does a paid holiday impact the weekly overtime calculation?

If an employer withholds federal taxes from an employee (income and/or FICA) they must be remitted to the IRS timely. If not, you can face hefty penalties and the IRS can come after individual people in a corporation.

Nannies and babysitters – a lot of people use these terms interchangeably, but they in fact are quite different. While it is true that both provide similar services – taking care of children in a parent’s absence – there are some important reasons why there are significant differences between a nanny and a babysitter.

Many people look to move to another state in retirement. There are lots of good reasons to do this but make sure to check the tax obligations first. Here are some tips to think about before moving.

Life can be difficult at times and when there are difficult conversations to be had, you may feel at a loss on what to say or how to say it. Whether it’s talking to your kids about a family member being sick, someone losing an important job, or there is a divorce on the horizon, its best to work together with your nanny to help your kids process emotions and come out well at the end of the situation. Here are some tips on how nannies and parents can work together in difficult times.