Whether you are a new parent heading back to work and are searching for a new nanny, or you’re already an experienced employer looking to hire a nanny to replace one that has left, working with a qualified nanny agency can save you a lot of time and hassle. Finding the right nanny can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but with the right agency, you can find someone that fits all your family’s specific needs. Here are some helpful tips on how to choose a reputable nanny agency.

Here at HWS HQ we keep track of interesting questions from clients and partners to help keep our finger on the pulse of the industry. This helps us create the content and resources we are so happy to share!

Navigating the world as a child can be exciting, confusing, and overwhelming. Growing up is full of all sorts of ups and downs, but when disaster strikes, it can be something that could be life changing for a child. If you are involved in the life of a child that has experienced something disastrous, there are some specific things you can do to help them get through the situation and help them process their emotions in healthy ways. Here are some tips on helping children cope with a disaster.

Now that your filing is done you may have some questions. Here are some common ones and their answers.

If you’ve just completed your tax return and you have realized that you have claimed too much or too little, it may be time to reevaluate your W-4 form. Here is why the W-4 form is so important: the W-4 is completed by you as the employee and tells your employer how much of your gross earnings need to be deducted from your paycheck for taxes.

If you have a nanny or senior caretaker working in your home, you are officially an employer and should be adhering to rules that apply to household employers. However, there are many mistakes that can be made, either intentionally or not, that could have big consequences. Here are some common mistakes household employers make that can have big consequences and how you can avoid them.

Most employers have some sort of employee handbook or at least a clear cut work agreement. It goes without saying that it is extremely important to have and keep updating your employee handbook.  If you don’t, or yours is out-of-date, then you may want to change that.

If one of your household employees has recently filed for unemployment benefits, you may have received notice from your state and be unsure of what to do. This brings up the question: what does it mean when an employee files an unemployment claim? Here we will break down some of the basics about unemployment claims and explain what’s required of you as the employer.

Nanny and household staffing professionals know that there are federal and state, and sometimes city, laws that govern job application forms, interview questions, and screening processes and more. Most of these laws are intended to protect the applicant from discriminatory hiring and screening practices.

The following is a guest post from professional Nanny, Cate Matijevich. The views in this article are her's alone. 

In our industry, compensation packages vary significantly by area. In all markets, career nannies strive to be at the top of their field in pay and other forms of compensation, some even consider relocating when they outgrow the ability of their market to meet their value. How do these professionals reach the top of their market, and what makes these top-notch nannies so desirable? Below are a few highlights from my “little gold book”, so called because the tips are worth their weight in gold, and calling it anything else just wouldn’t do it justice.