Neverland Nannies Blogspot

A better Nanny :: Tip #2

2010-09-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Nannies!

Now that you have your resume up to par (or at least you should), the interview process is the next thing you need to master. It is essential that when you meet any prospective families for the first time that you put your "best foot forward", in order to stand out from your competition. Remember, interview day could determine whether or not you secure employment! Consider the following guidelines to give yourself the best chance of having a successful interview:

Be early, not on time. You should always arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your interview time. Do not arrive too early as the employer may be occupied with other engagements. If you are running late or lost, call the employer as soon as possible. Also be sure to leave yourself with plenty of time to get to your interview, to prevent any unforeseeable situations causing a delay in your arrival (you are lost, traffic, etc.)

Bring a clean copy of your resume and references, wrinkle and stain free. You should always provide the employer with a copy for them to keep, regardless of whether or not you've given one to the agency who sent you (if any). Additional copies of Certifications, reference letters, etc. are always great to give to an employer and ideally, should be presented to them in a folder or portfolio.

Dress professionally. Business casual conservative (BCC). Never wear low cut shirts, skirts above the knee or clothing too baggy or too tight. Minimize all jewelry including earrings, rings, bracelets, etc. Be sure to cover all tattoos and body piercings.

Hygiene –we cannot stress this enough. Do not wear too much make up, too much perfume (a mild scent is best) and make sure you are showered and well groomed prior to your interview.

Have a list of 3-4 questions you would also like to ask the employer. Try to the focus on the requirements of job (i.e. the children, their home, their expectations, child rearing philosophies, travel, etc.). Remember that you are also interviewing them to see if this is the right opportunity for you.

Do not over talk the interview. Try not to interrupt but participate in the conversation to show your level of interest.

Refrain from using inappropriate language with the employer, such as “honey” or “sweetheart”; but address them by Ms. _______________________ or Mr. ______________________.

Keep it professional and friendly. Do not get too involved with your personal information (ie. finances, troubles, or any kind of “baggage” you carry).

Stay positive. Try not to go in depth about a bad experience you encountered with one of your previous positions. Keep it as optimistic as possible.

Smile. It keeps the interview positive!

A firm handshake, direct eye contact and thank them kindly for their time.

Have a great weekend and be sure to Check in next week for tip #3!

Disclaimer: Neverland Nannies provides the guidelines listed above for informational purposes only. They are not legal advice. Neverland Nannies assumes no liability for, and makes no representations, warranties or guarantees about the information herein. Please consult an attorney of your choosing for information and guidance about your specific situation.

A Better Nanny :: Tip #1

2010-08-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hi Nannies,

First of all, congratulate yourselves for taking the first step to becoming a better nanny! With the amount of competition, you need to make sure you are standing out from the rest of your competition - which is what I'm going to help you with :)

Tip #1: Your Resume.

Putting a resume together is quite simple and it doesn't need to be fancy, just informative. Parents want to know exactly what it is that you did with previous families. The following is a list of 5 basic steps you will need to take to create an informative resume:

#1. Name, Email Address, Phone Number (your address is optional)

#2. The next Section should be some "Highlights" containing 5-8 key bullet point notes that promote your capabilities/qualifications.

#3. A Detailed, chronological list of RELEVANT employment history, starting with the most recent position. Example:

#4. Additional Qualifications. This section should be similar to the "Highlights section but only in brief terms.

i.e.: swimmer, active, great cook, etc.

#5. Education. Again, it should be put in chronological order, starting with the most recent.

...And when your finished, this is what your resume should look like:

Jane Doe

janedemail@whatever.com

888-123-4567

Highlights:

-Over 8 years of professional child care experience (newborns-13 yrs)

-flexible schedule; able to work additional hours as needed

-Legal, U.S. Citizen

-Speak English Fluently

-Clean Criminal History; fingerprinted -Trustline Registered

-CPR/First Aid Certified

-Valid Passport. Able to travel as needed.

-Valid CA Driver's License and reliable transportation

Employment History

06/2008-Present

The Robinson Family; Santa Monica, CA.

Full-time Nanny

Primary child care provider for two children: newborn (boy), 4 year old (boy).

Drove children to/from school, playdates, etc.; prepared nutritious meals for the children; laundry, running errands (grocery shopping, etc.); occasional travel and frequent overnight stays; light housekeeping, potty training, assisted with letter and number recognition,

Reason for leaving: Family relocated to New York (Letter of Recommendation)

01/2004- 05/2008

The Doe Family; Malibu, CA.

Full-time, live-in Nanny/Housekeeper

Primary child care provider for one child (girl, newborn). Bottle feeding, changer diapers, potty trained, organic cooking, baby laundry, running errands (grocery shopping, etc.); occasional travel and frequent overnight stays; full housekeeping (when not caring for baby),

Reason for leaving: Family laid off due to loss of Job (Letter of Recommendation)

01/2002- 05/2004

The Swiss Family; Calabasas, CA.

Full-time, live-in Nanny

Primary child care...etc., etc.

Additional Qualifications: Healthy lifestyle, can swim, bilingual (English/Mandarin), pet lover, ECE Units, great cook, non-smoker, creative, patient, organized.

Education:

1992-1994: Los Angeles College
Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration

1991-1992: College for Adult Learning
Studied English as a second language

Things to remember:

A resume shows an employer that you took the time to put learn how to put a resume together and they appreciate that, very much.
Do a spell check! There should be no errors/misspelled words
Be detailed about your past positions. It gives them a better sense of who you are and they will trust you more.
If you still can't figure out how to do a resume then you MUST find someone to help you.
Keep it simple. There is no need to get fancy with your resume. Keep it clean, with minimal design

With your resume in place, you will feel more confident going into an interview! Stay tuned for next weeks tip (#2)!

A Better Nanny :: One Up your competition

2010-08-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. In today's workforce the competition has become fiercely stronger than what it once was. I remember a time where 5-6 years of experience was great deal and 10+ years exp. warranted a $25.00+/hr salary. However, these days, applications for each opportunity have tripled making it tough for even the most seasoned child care providers to secure long term work. But rather than get into the "why" of the matter, I thought it would be more helpful to provide some pointers to assist you while trying to secure a new opportunity.

Every month, I will suggest new ways for you to:

Strengthen your resume and interviewing skills
Stand out from your competition
Maximize your potential - Be THE BEST darn nanny you CAN be!

Stay tuned as next week will be the first of many to come.

Movies on the Green. This week :: Nanny McPhee (07/24)

2010-07-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Nannies and families, if you're looking for something locally this weekend with the kids, why not take them to go see Nanny McPhee at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills! Movie is scheduled for this Saturday (07/24) from 7:00pm-10:00pm. This is one of my favorite events sponsored by the Valley Cultural Center.

If this movie isn't of interest to you, no problem. The Valley Cultural Center will be showing a new movie every Saturday from now through August 28th. Here's the schedule:

Nanny McPhee

Sat. 07/24 7pm-10pm

Rated PG; 97 minutes; 2005

(Oscar winner, Emma Thompson, writes and stars in this adaptation of the “Nurse Mathilda” books. Nanny Mcphee comes to the house of Mr. Brown and his seven ill-behaved children. They have dispensed with seventeen nannies before her and see Nanny Mcphee as no different. However, she seems to have mystical powers that start to control them and lead to startling consequences in this magical comedy.)

…………………………………………………………

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Sat. 07/31 7pm-10pm
Rated PG; 90 minutes; 2009

(Based on the children’s book, this animated adventure follows a scientist who tries to solve world hunger only to see things go awry as food falls from the sky in abundance. This is the most delicious event since macaroni met cheese.)

…………………………………………………………

Mamma Mia!

Sat. 08/07 7pm-10pm

Rated PG-13; 108 minutes; 2008

(In this big screen version of the stage musical featuring the songs of ABBA, Donna is the mother to Sophie, who’s on a quest to discover the identity of her father on the eve of her wedding. Donna owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island and when three men from her past arrive unexpectedly, it is a trip down memory lane that no one will ever forget.)

…………………………………………………………

Twilight

Sat. 08/14 7pm-10pm

Rated PG-13; 122 minutes; 2008

(Based on the wildly popular book, high school girl Bella moves to Seattle and begins to notice the dark and mysterious Edward. As she gets to know him better she discovers he is a vampire but it doesn’t change the fact she is falling in love with him. A rival vampire clan pursues them and she is forced to decide if she is going to stay in a relationship that might cost her life.)

…………………………………………………………

Sat. 08/21 7pm-10pm

Rated PG; 96 minutes; 2009

(Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and now at 78, he launches his house into the sky via thousands of balloons. Right after liftoff he discovers a stowaway in the form of an over optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. This hilarious journey takes you into a lost world with the least likely duo on Earth.)

…………………………………………………………

Mystery Movie!!

Sat. 08/28 7pm-10pm

TBA via the Valley Cultural Website

Every year, the Warner Center Park hosts wonderful free events, like "Movies on the Green"

And while you're at it, check out the "Concerts in the Park" also located at Warner Park, Woodland Hills (Abba, Beatles Tribute and more playing!). It's a great way to keep the kids occupied outdoors and for free -don't hear much of that these days, now do you?

Madisyn's Cupcakes

2010-06-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I promised...a long time ago...that I would post these pictures of my daughter's birthday cupcakes that I managed to create - all by myself! However, I couldn't have done it without the inspiration of Julie Desmeules, founder of Blue Cupcake. To all of you mom's out there, if you're really hoping to create a special memory (for any occasion, really), you need to check out Julie's cupcake designs. I promise you won't be disappointed! Anyhow, check it out! Not too bad for a first attempt!

Julie's cupcakes:

My Cupcakes:

Not bad for a first try, right? We'll see if I can manage to get as creative again this year!

Villa Montarti Child & Family Photography

2010-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Tracy Montarti is truly one of our favorite child/family photographers around. Though her company Villa Montarti Photography is based out of Pittsburgh, lucky for us she frequents the LA area to service her fans in the area. In fact, we loved her work so much almost all of the pictures (of children) posted on our website are compliments of Tracey. For more information regarding Tracey's services, please give us a call or check out her website at http://villamontarti.com Enjoy!

Relationship with Nanny: How to make it lasting and fulfilling

2010-06-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Parents, when deciding to hire a nanny, one of the most important things to do is establish a relationship with them. Believe it or not, nannies play the most important and significant role in your children's lives, next to you. Your children look up to their nanny. They trust them and to your child, your nanny is part of the family.

Because of this, you probably want to avoid switching nannies as much as possible and build a long term relationship with a single nanny. I decided to create a list of "10 things to remember" to help you endure a lasting relationship with your nanny:

#1 Communication. This one should be a give in. Unfortunately, many relationships are severed between nannies and families due to the lack of communication that should be going on. Nobody is ever going to do things exactly how you do it, so be sure to communicate (in a nice way) what needs to be done, your likes/dislikes, etc.

#2 Flexibility. If you have any, you should offer a little bit. The reality surrounding each household and their nanny is that every single one has a unique set of needs. There usually is a lot of grey areas for both of you. Nanny has a course they want to take but it is during the day when the kids are in school. Let her take the class, if it's possible. Why not? She can always stay later or the two of you together can find a way to satisfy both parties involved without it hurting anyone.

#3 Compensation. Pay a fair rate. If you're not sure what a fair rate is, contact an agency in your area and ask them what the going rate is. Further, if you should go out of town on vacation, you should still compensate your nanny. This one is huge. If you think about it, most nannies live paycheck to paycheck. They usually cannot afford to take time off. So, if you go away for 4 weeks out of the year, compensate the nanny if you aren't going to have them work or travel with you. On the bright side, you can also consider this their paid time off each year and have them schedule their holidays around the same time you plan to take yours. Everybody wins.

#4 Benefits. 1-2 weeks paid vacation for a full-time nanny is standard. Paid holidays off or time and a half for all major holidays worked, mainly for full-time employees. Sick days are not required, though given by many families once a level of trust has been established. Health benefits are tax deductible. You don't want your nanny getting sick either and not have health insurance. Take care of her as she takes care of your children. If you chose NOT to offer any type of benefits, chances are your nanny will leave the position the first opportunity they have.

#5 Nanny Agreement is always a great idea. In the agreement, you can lay out the expectations of the position, agree that there will be annual reviews with possible merit increases; you can outline or address issues such as medications, vacations, house rules, etc. A nanny agreement or nanny contract is a great way to eliminate any confusion or gray areas.

#6 Pay on Payroll. This is essential. While many families do not pay legally, it doesn't make it right. Yes, it may cost more to employ someone legally but it may save you thousands in penalties, if your nanny ever goes to claim unemployment upon her termination. Remember, the IRS will find you guilty until proven innocent.

#7 Annual Merit Increases. You never want to start out at the top end of your budget when hiring a nanny. It is much more important to show your appreciation over time by offering steady annual merit increases, which is a great way to say "Thank You" at the end of the year.

#8 Worker's Compensation. This is prudent to have. In fact, it may already be covered under your homeowners insurance umbrella. However, if not, it is a much smaller price to pay than it would be if your nanny injured herself while on the job...in your home.

#9 Remember the little things are what go a long way. If it's your nanny's birthday and she has to work, try to celebrate her day by having the children make a card or bake her a cake. If you happen to get home early and don't need your nanny, let her go home early that day too. If you ask your nanny to drive her car regularly, pay to have her car maintained annually. It's these little things that show you care, and it will undoubtedly be appreciated.

#10 Say "Please" and "Thank You". Everyone knows that you are the employer and that your nanny is your employee, but there is NO reason you can't appreciate the good help you have when you have it. Nannies are professionals as well and should be treated with respect. A little politeness goes a long way.

There are always exceptions and times where unfortunately, a nanny may not be deserving of such gratitude. But if you are one of those people who find you're in that type of predicament, it's time to find another nanny and follow these rules from the get go! If you do, I would bet your nanny will stay as long as you're willing to have them. Remember, nannies want stability also!

Nanny of the Year (NOTY) Update

2010-06-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the INA's Annual Conference held at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, CA. While I regret I wasn't able to attend, I am happy to Announce that Greta Schraer of Batavia, Ohio was crowned as the 2010 Nanny of the Year!

"Greta has both a bachelors and masters degree in Theology. She began her nanny career in 1992, working as a full time, part time, temporary and summer nanny over those years. As a nanny in the Cincinnati area Greta found that there was a need for the nannies in the area to feel connected and so she began CincyNanny, a website and blog giving the local nannies their own community and families resources they can use.

Greta's current position is as the full time nanny of triplet boys. Jessica Shelly said, "She makes it a priority to see that not just the boys are taken care of, but that our family unit is supported and encouraged." Their family has an inside joke - when a challenging situation arises they think WWGD? or What Would Greta Do?"

Being on the NOTY Committee this year was a great experience. It was nice to be able to give recognition to some pretty terrific women who are without question dedicated to providing exceptional childcare. While it wasn't an easy decision, I couldn't think of a better candidate to represent nannies and this industry than Greta - Congratulations to you!

Our Brochure has Arrived!

2010-05-15T01:20:00.000-07:00

After much ado, we have finally completed our updated brochure! Many thanks to our FAVORITE invitation design studio, Prim&Pixie, they're awesome!

Seeking a few AMAZING Baby Nurses

2010-05-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

As some of you already know, we usually tend to use the same baby nurses over and over again for several reasons:

The baby nurse establishes a positive rapport with our agency
It allows us to give our clients personal recommendations from our past clients
We are able to depend on them!
Our baby nurses offer flexibility to us and our clients as they understand that each family has a unique set of requirements and needs.

However, we are finding that as business picks up again, we are in need of a couple of very special and EXPERIENCED baby nurses to join our team. As many of you know, we set our standards high and require that all of our baby nurses meet our minimal requirements which can be found on our website: http://www.neverlandnannies.com/nannies-and-childcare

In addition to the requirements located on our website, we encourage you to apply if you also meet the following criteria:

Have 8+ years of experience as a baby nurse with verifiable reference
Have taken specialized training/classes or cross trained in other specialized newborn care (i.e. lactation consulting, DONA certified, sleep training, CPR/First Aid, Fingerprinted, etc.)
Live within the following areas: Orange County, Los Angeles County, Westside/Beach Communities, Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley West.
Are flexible with schedueling (open to 8-24 hour shifts).

We are planning to schedule interviews in the Month of May with 2-3 exceptional new baby nurses, so if you feel you qualify, PLEASE APPLY!

INA's Nanny of the Year Update

2010-05-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Very excited to announce that the NOTY committee has successfully found ourselves the 2010 Nanny of the Year! The special announcement and award will be announced at this year's INA Conference, held in San Francisco, CA. However, I must say that all of the nominees were fantastic this year and it was extremely difficult to have to choose only one individual.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the INA conference this year but keep an eye out as I will be posting a picture of our special winner after the conference in the next couple of weeks!

Neverland's New Eco-friendly Apparel

2010-04-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

It is with GREAT pleasure that I introduce to you Neverland Nannies very own Neverland Store. The Neverland store will promote eco-friendly products and encourage our shoppers to live happier, healthier lifestyles.

From this point forward, Neverland Nannies will be offering all of our childcare providers in addition to our clients a complimentary gift upon each successful placement. Additionally, $1.00 from each purchase will be donated to one of our charities. We are looking forward to offering more to help others live happily ever after. With love, from Neverland.

Nanny of the Year!!

2010-03-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Wow. The beginning of this year has definitely kicked butt for us!

I have been graciously offered the opportunity to serve on the committee for the 2010 Nanny of the Year (NOTY) awards - the International Nanny Association's (INA) most prestigious award!. I must say that I am utterly impressed with the nominees presented and their true dedication to this industry! After thoroughly reading through each of the nominee packets, I have to congratulate each and every one of the nannies nominated at all of the hard work they have given to their careers...and put into the nominee packets!!

The 2010 Nanny of the Year will be announced at the 2010 INA Conference held in San Francisco. More information regarding the INA Conference can be found at www.nanny.org

Paying Nanny through Company Payroll

2010-01-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

I had the lovely pleasure of meeting with Tom Breedlove from Breedlove and Associates, today.
Breedlove specializes in Domestic Household payroll, offering families the tools needed to pay their domestic employees, legally and accurately. We've recently paired up with them to offer our clients additional value by providing a free customized assessment and layout of exactly what financial costs are incurred, without any future obligations to them. We're excited to be able to offer this extra value at no extra charge to our clients!

One of the highlights of our day was our discussion surrounding the legalities of compensating a domestic employee through a company payroll. Putting aside the fact that we all know it is illegal to 1099 a household employee, there still seems to be some uncertainty that lies behind paying your household employee through a company payroll. Here's the truth...

Technically, you can pay someone through a company payroll. However, not only is it illegal to try and deduct/itemize their earnings as a business expense, but there are also significant penalties for doing so --possibly even jail time, depending on the severity of your case. To the IRS, a domestic employee is considered a personal expense and not a business one. Furthermore, withdrawing personal expenses from your business account may automatically raise a red flag to the IRS, resulting in an audit.

That said, while it is not illegal to pay your household employee from your company payroll, it's certainly smarter to pay them from a personal account, which will greatly decrease your risk of getting into some financial trouble.

Nannies :: Is your family asking you to get the H1N1 Vaccine?

2009-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

I've been asked on several occasions, lately by some of my clients about the rules on asking their nannies to get the H1N1 vaccination. First off, everyone should know I am not an attorney and cannot answer this from a legal standpoint, however, I can still offer an opinion.

While the debate around the vaccination is widely discussed, I think having the conversation with your nanny is a great idea. Please note that I am not in any way suggesting you are legally entitled to ask your nanny. However, I'm sure if you get a little creative, you can easily find out where your nanny's thoughts are surrounding the vaccination.

Personally, I do not intend on having my daughter vaccinated, so how coukd I expect my nanny to get the vaccine? I think a very fair way of approaching the subject would be to allow your nanny to make that decision on her own...BUT...have him/her understand that if there are any obvious signs of her being ill without having taken the vaccine, she will not be allowed to return to work until all signs of her illness are gone.

Nannies, I would love to hear whether or not you've had this discussion with your employer as of yet? Reply to the Poll on my blog and come back by the end of the month to see what others have said regarding the vaccine.

Much to be Thankful for...

2009-12-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

Apparently, our daughter's birthday is scheduled to land on Thanksgiving day every 6 years, which happened to be this year! In a desperate attempt to make our day as easy as possible --after all, we still have to cook dinner -- but still special for our daughter, we decided to host her 4th birthday celebration at Brandon's Village in Gates Canyon Park, Calabasas. For those of you who haven't been there yet, it is a must-see for you and the entire family.

We chose to have an early morning playdate, offering delicious breakfast treats from Corner Bakery and had my mother-in-law make her special Breakfast Casserole to add the perfect touch! Coffee and OJ served for all and of course, a cake, made the day as easy as pie.

Here's the good news about landing on a holiday: Because it was a holiday, we didn't have to pay for a permit to book the park - that's right...F.R.E.E. It doesn't get better than that. To boot, the park is relatively new and beautifully landscaped with loads of greenery as well. We were even lucky enough to bring the dogs for them to enjoy as well!

I should also mention it was designed in mind for children with disabilities to be able to enjoy! So beautiful...

An additional perk was that right beside the (shaded) bench area, there is a beautiful little tree - perfect for our princess castle pinata, which was a huge hit with the kids. Just remember to clean up after yourself; the park is too beautiful to litter!

The park was built in honor of Brandon Kaplan, a little boy who was physically and developmentally disabled, so that he would have the privilege of playing with other children as an equal.

At the end of the (very long) day, we could not have been more thankful to be blessed with such a beautiful birthday-day, shared with our closest friends and family...animals too! (I'll try to update with some actual pictures of our special day soon).

'Tis the Season!

2009-12-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

Because the winter holiday season is my favorite time of year, I have created our very own 'Tis the Season Category to spread some holiday cheer!

This is one of my favorite quotes, thought I would share it with all of you...

Holiday gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”-Oren Arnold

Here's to a joyous holiday season!

International Nanny Association (INA) Membership is cheaper than ever!

2009-11-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

For those of you who aren't familiar with the International Nanny Association (INA), signing up with this fantastic reputable organization is a great way to promote your services. They have just slashed their annual fees to make it very affordable for our nannies to sign up with them. Great way to show families that you are a Career Nanny and you take your job seriously!

Our new blog

2009-11-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

Well, we're almost there! The new blog should be up and running by the end of the month. Stay in touch as we begin to share our most memorable stories of placements we've made, offer our monthly promotions to our readers - share our insight, and answer some of the many questions you have for us and so much more. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

1099 vs. Household Employer: here's the skinny...

2009-11-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

The misconception of nannies being independent contractors, rather than household employees is causing many families to suffer the wrath of the IRS.

I cannot begin to tell you how many families are under the impression that nannies, housekeepers and all other domestic workers are independent contractors.

In fact, most families I encounter have no idea that this is completely untrue. Sadly, the majority are under this impression because they have never really been educated on the domestic employment laws.

Here's reality: if you are to employ an individual, where the majority of their work is performed in or for your home, in addition to paying them cash wages of $1600 or more per calender year, you then become their household employer, and they are your employee. Depending on what you pay your employee, you may have additional employer tax responsibilities (I am happy to address this at another time) as well.

What you need to think about is this: Let's say your nanny has been working in your home for the past 5 years, live-in or live-out.

Now that the children are all grown up and ready to be put in school full-time, you decide you no longer need her as much. Now, put yourself in your nanny's shoes. Now out of a job and unable to secure one in this economy, your former nanny decides to file for unemployment.

As requested, she gives the unemployment office your address and contact information. Shortly after, you get blind sided by the letter you received in the mail stating that your former nanny has filed an unemployment claim.

At this point, you probably feel a little betrayed. After all, how could she do this to you, especially since you made it completely clear to her that she was an independent contractor and that she would be responsible for her own taxes? You and your husband had agreed that you would pay her a couple of dollars more per hour to compensate for the taxes at the end of the year. Bad idea.

For matters of principal, you choose to fight the claim...and unfortunately, you lose. As my great accountant told me, unlike a court of law, when it comes to owing taxes, you are guilty until proven innocent. Regardless of what you may have thought or any misconceptions you previously had, you will still be required to pay penalties in addition to all the back taxes you owe, going all the way back to day one.

At the very least, I encourage all families to take the initiative to make an educated decision prior to hiring your next household employee. Chances are that one day, you will have to relieve your nanny of her duties. Protect yourself from the beginning.

For more information on Household Employment, please follow this link:

http://www.edd.ca.gov/pdf_pub_ctr/de231l.pdf

Thank you, Tracy Montarti

2008-11-02T01:40:00.000-07:00

Tracy Montarti is nothing less than an artist by nature. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with her and use her beautiful pictures on our new website (coming very soon.)

I have to say that not only is Tracy's work simply breathtaking, she offers affordable packages at very reasonable prices.

Nanny Contracts: eliminate the grey area.

2008-09-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

Nanny agreements are probably one of the best investments you can make when hiring a nanny.

Being an advocate for nanny/employer agreements, I strongly believe that not only does it protect the family's rights, but it equally does so for the nanny, creating a better understanding of what is to be expected from both parties.

As every nanny employer knows, at some point along their journey with their nanny, there tends to be a discrepancy as to what the expectations of the job are.

An employer feels as though they pay their nanny a good amount of money to take care of their children and in their opinion, the nanny should have to complete any tasks within reason, that the employer would take on if he/she were to be staying at home with their own child.

From the nanny's viewpoint, their profession is to be working with children. Many professional nannies have take early childhood education courses, have been watching children for 10, 15 and even 20+ years, and have worked extremely hard to get to where they are at, without having to clean bathrooms and mop kitchen floors. As you can see, there lies the discrepancy.

So what is the right answer? There really isn't a right and a wrong. Every family is different from the next and the same goes with each nanny. And although I cannot fully side with either one, I do believe there is the perfect match for every personality type and neither party should settle until they find a situation that is right for them. You should be able to have a good idea whether or not you've met a great nanny/family through a trial period prior to offering/accepting a permanent position.

Another way you can determine whether or not you have found a great match is "when both parties have reviewed the agreement, entailing both parties expectations and each were happy to sign off on it."

Think about it. You both have to keep each other happy. Perhaps, you do so by having the nanny agree to accepting additional job responsibilities every year and in return, you provide her with a merit increase. Domestic employment is just as much of a profession as is being a teacher or a doctor.

Another great aspect the nanny agreement provides is the reducing much of the gray areas that could arise, which potentially cause tension between the family and the nanny. For example, The Robinson family has decided to go on a summer vacation for two weeks with the children. Legally, the family is not required to pay them during that time; not to mention they are already dolling out a significant amount of money for their trip. They decide not to pay their nanny while they are gone.

Realistically, a nanny is dependent on their paycheck. She's just received word that her family is going out of town for two weeks and she will not be receiving pay during that time [on a side note, I should mention this happens quite often].

As much as the nanny loves her family, she is terribly upset knowing she is going to be without pay for two weeks and in her mind, it's almost like a suspension. Had the nanny known that her family was not going to pay her for the times they went out of town, she very well may not have accepted the position...so she starts looking for a new family, knowing now that she is to have it in writing with her next employer.

Unfortunately, when the family returns, they discover their nanny has left them for another family and are now without a nanny themselves. The question you must ask yourself is "Was it worth it?"

On the flip side, some believe a nanny agreement to be a disadvantage. According to an article written in The Washington Post,
A nanny agreement can be beneficial in many reasons but mainly, to outline the overall expectations of the job, salary, vacation pay, notice prior to termination