Do you have to pay your nanny or senior caregiver overtime? Overtime is a topic that many people are confused about, and we get a lot of questions surrounding it, too. Most  household employees work more than 40-hours a week, a necessity if their employers are going to be free to work their own full time job. Household employees are hourly workers under Federal law, and most caregivers who come and go are entitled to an overtime differential of 1.5 times their regular hourly rate of pay . Even if your employee has agreed to not be paid overtime, you will still need to factor overtime into their weekly rate of pay. Why? It’s the law and you will be held to that standard if there is ever a wage dispute. Here’s an example to help you figure out what is required on your end.

Organizations of all sizes change and adapt for many reasons. Sometimes change is due to growth and opportunity, sometimes it’s not. Either way, change brings stress to employees and how that is managed can make all the difference.

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.