California Governor Brown signed the California Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, AB 241, into law on September 26, 2013. The regulations become effective January 1, 2014.

This past year, shocking headlines of arrest, strip-search of Indian diplomat overshadow alleged mistreatment of her nanny.

Foreign diplomats and foreign staff members of the United Nations and other "Non-Governmental Organizations" associated with the UN are permitted under US law, as a courtesy, to bring their foreign domestic service workers to work in the United States. These foreign domestic service workers are employed as nannies, maids, housekeepers and senior caregivers. The US State Department imposes strict rules that the foreign diplomat must agree to, contractually, with the domestic worker that governs their employment in the United States as part of the visa application and issuance.

Can you believe another year has flown by already?  And 2014 is right around the corner …

HomeWork Solutions wants to help you stay ahead of the game by summarizing important deadlines and considerations before you get caught up in the holiday festivities.

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”- Voltaire

We all have our own unique ways of showing appreciation for the people around us that make our lives easier or brighten our day in some other way ...  Whether it is your employee, nanny, spouse, boss or even a kind stranger, make sure you show how valuable their positive impact in your life is for you.  If someone challenged you to get out of your comfort zone and meet a goal, especially during the holiday season, remember to appreciate what they have done for you. Get creative with the ways you say “Thank you!”

Although the Holiday Season is usually filled with excitement and celebrations, for some in their “golden” years, this can be one of the toughest times of the year.   The stress that comes with taking part in these special celebrations can be overwhelming for some.  Many people, regardless of age, can experience feelings of sadness, disappointment and depression this time of year which is often referred to as the “Holiday Blues”. This can be due to the extra stress that results when preparing for all of the fun holiday festivities, while still juggling all of the day to day of our busy lives.

Some seniors experience the “Holiday Blues” more intensely, while others are not affected at all ...  Life experience brings many changes with it, and our senior family members often reach a point in their lives when it becomes more difficult to adapt to change. During the Holidays, in particular, some reminisce about better times and the absence of their loved ones.  Some of their spouses or closest friends might even have already passed, and their grown up children have busy lives of their own now …

Timeless holiday songs are once again playing on the radio, that festive spirit can be felt in the air and year end celebratory planning can be found everywhere … This is one of my favorite seasons of all.  It is that special time of year when we take the time to appreciate the wonderful people in our lives, and take a moment to show our appreciation to those special people that make our everyday lives better.  We all start to feel that holiday spirit this time of year!

Many families incorporate this spirit into their household employment relationships as well.  If you have a nanny, senior caregiver or other household employee, now is the time to consider how you might demonstrate your appreciation to your employee ...

Did you know that when you employ a nanny, housekeeper or other household employee who does not reside in your household, you must comply with FLSA overtime regulations?

HomeWork Solutions is proud to announce the publication of the ABC Nanny Guide. Our own Kathleen Webb shares tips, tricks and lessons learned from 25 years of working in the nanny industry, both personally and professionally.

This year, we celebrated our 20^th Anniversary.  We are grateful to all of you – the clients who have placed their trust in HomeWork Solutions over the last two decades, our referral agency partners and colleagues who confidently refer our services to their clients, and we are of course grateful to our wonderful staff, the team that provides service with a smile! This milestone anniversary achievement belongs to all of us, as it is only in working together and constantly striving to not just meet but to exceed the expectations of our clients and partners that we are all successful.

This article uses a factual scenario common to many nanny hires in order to help provide some guidance and clarification to families and nannies when negotiating nanny compensation.

After I had my first child and as my maternity leave days were coming to an end, I realized that I would need to hire a nanny to help me take care of my newborn.  I interviewed a few candidates and fell in love with Sarah; she seemed to really, genuinely care about my baby.  I felt confident with her; she was truly the best fit for my family.  Sarah was offered $500 a week.  She accepted my offer and was hired right away!