As summer approaches, families are busy planning vacations, summer camps, and activities to keep the kids engaged while school’s out. But what about the weeks that aren’t filled with structured programs — or when your family prefers a day with more flexibility, individual attention, or a break from the large-group setting? For many families, hiring a summer nanny is the perfect way to ensure consistent, personalized care.

Topics: nanny, nanny payroll, summer nanny, nanny work agreement, temporary nanny, agency, hiring a summer nanny, summer childcare

It is time to plan ahead and have an inclement weather policy in place for the upcoming winter weather. Snowy or icy conditions can be unsafe, and safety should always be the top priority when determining if an employee should commute in to work. In the event of a weather emergency, having an inclement weather policy in place ensures everyone knows what to do.

Topics: payroll, nanny agency, senior care, nanny, nanny work agreement, household payroll, senior

Hiring a senior caregiver, a nanny, or a housekeeper who regularly works in your home is a personal decision. It takes time to find the right person to fit your family's unique needs, so once you've found that person, it's essential to get things started on the right foot. Here are three of the most important things to do immediately upon hiring your new domestic employee.

Topics: household employee taxes, household employee, nanny payroll tax, nanny work agreement, nanny tax compliance, caregiver, nanny management

If you’re hiring a nanny, writing a nanny contract is a crucial step in the process of hiring. Although it’s not a legally required document, it’s very beneficial to have a contract in place.

Topics: nanny work agreement, nanny contract

The California Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights (CA DWBR), which went into effect in 2014, along two other pieces of recent legislation obligate California household employers to special responsibilities. Recently the January 1, 2017 sunset provision of the 2014 CA DWBR legislation was repealed - a significant victory for domestic worker rights advocates.

California household employers must first make a determination, based on the nature of the work performed, whether their employee is a domestic service worker or a personal attendant. Duties determine the applicablity of Wage Orders and employee protections in California. It's a bit complicated! 

Topics: domestic employer legal responsibilities, nanny independent contractor, nanny work agreement, california household employment

When you hire a nanny, creating a work agreement for you and your nanny is incredibly important. A written agreement establishes a professional relationship from the get go and it will reduce problems, questions, or other misunderstandings that can arise during employment. Wondering what the essentials of a nanny work agreement are? Here are the fundamentals of what should be included:

1. Compensation: Clearly outline what your nanny will be paid including gross wages (amount paid before taxes), net wages (amount of the actual paycheck), employment taxes (legal tax obligations such as medicare, social security, etc.), and income taxes. In addition, be sure to outline the overtime pay policy, what the exact hourly pay rate is, and establish a pay day schedule that is clearly outlined on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Many states require that the household employer provide a written Pay Rate Notice to the employee at the time of hire.  Overtime pay can be an especially sticky situation so Bob King of Legally Nanny recommends, “Employment agreements should list the regular and overtime rates of pay on a per hour basis. Additionally, the agreements can list when overtime applies under applicable state and federal laws.”
2. Benefits: Most benefits are negotiable, unless they are established by state law. Define paid time off carefully, as well as paid holidays, indicate which paid holidays the nanny gets and which ones are not included. If you are going to provide health insurance or mileage reimbursement, you will need to explain this carefully in the agreement.
3. Confidentiality agreement: This is a big one and is something you should be very clear about with your employee. Carefully consider how you will address the topic of social media postings and publishing photos online. In addition, be sure that there is a portion of the contract dedicated to what is considered confidential information so there is no confusion down the road.
4. Job duties: Details count and clearly outlining what you expect your nanny to do is important. Will you require the nanny to offer help/assistance with homework, do housework, or prepare meals? Will she be required to provide transportation for the children or bring them to medical appointments? Spell out exactly what your requirements are.
5. Separation planning: Termination clauses will help protect both you and the nanny, so it’s important to establish clear ground rules with this. If the nanny wants to quit work, include a clause of notice that she must give, or if you want to have the ability to terminate the nanny at any time, outline an “at will” clause that gives you the ability to terminate the employee for any reason.

If you have never developed a nanny work agreement and feel overwhelmed at the prospect of sitting down and writing one, our team of experienced professionals can help. We’ll walk you through the process and be sure that everything you need is included in there. Contact us today for advice!

Topics: nanny work agreement

Nanny work agreements are an important part of the nanny-employee relationship. As an employer, the nanny work agreement establishes an overall framework for the nanny employment arrangement, as it will establish a professional relationship from the beginning. Here are some key reasons why we love nanny work agreements, and why you should too!

Topics: nanny work agreement

Winter weather is on its way and that means that nanny employers need to plan ahead and have an inclement weather policy in place. Traveling to work in snowy or icy conditions can be unsafe and safety should be a priority for both parties. In the event of a weather emergency, an inclement weather policy should be outlined and understood at the beginning of employment. Here are some tips on how to prepare for situations that may come up unexpectedly.

Topics: nanny work agreement

Finding the perfect nanny can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, which makes it all the more important that you hang on to her once you find her! HomeWork Solutions wants your nanny experience to be as smooth as possible, so we’ve outlined nine of our favorite suggestions to establish a strong relationship with your nanny.

Topics: nanny work agreement

There’s all kinds of advice floating around out there about how to handle a nanny’s wages. Here, we’ve included only the facts on nannies and overtime:

Topics: nanny hourly wage, nanny non-exempt employee, nanny overtime, nanny work agreement, nanny contract