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Other FAQ Groupings
What are the most important steps a family must take to hire a nanny? This is just a quick synopsis - there are many, many additional details provided at 4nannies.com to help a family successfully hire their family's nanny.
Please don't try to take short cuts. Every step is important to a successful outcome. What does a nanny typically do? What should I reasonably expect and what shouldn't I expect? Ideally, a Nanny is a highly experienced childcare provider whose primary interest and responsibility is the children in his/her care. Many nannies are willing to do other household duties, i. e. laundry and light housework, but their priorities will always be in the care of the children. Parents should understand that children leave their mark on a home, and that it is more important that their child's nanny engage in an impromptu picnic on that balmy April afternoon than that the laundry be folded and neatly put away.
Most American nannies will NOT assume general housekeeping responsibilities such as parent's laundry, errand running, vacuuming, dusting, and bathrooms. If they do accept these responsibilities they will be expecting to be compensated accordingly. Be realistic with your nanny's job description and be careful that housekeeping responsibilities do not compromise the level of childcare!
4nannies.com recommends interviewing a nanny in person, if at all possible. The success rate is usually higher when the nanny and family meet face to face in the employer's home. The ideal situation would be to have the nanny spend a weekend with the family before an offer is extended. Many families interview nannies currently living in other parts of the country. Flying the candidates in for a personal interview becomes an expensive proposition. The family and the nanny should conduct at least two in depth telephone interviews. Prepare for the telephone interview, working up a well thought out list of questions, concerns and issues. 4nannies.com gives you a Families doing telephone interviewing are advised to describe the job in detail. The nanny should know exactly what is expected of her on a daily basis. Have a short list of your 'non-negotiable' items - these may include hours, needing a driver's license, previous infant experience, start date, legal work authorization, the fact that you will be reporting wages to the IRS, where you live if a live-out position, and the like. Hit them all early in the conversation to rule out bad matches right away. Ask a lot of questions, the more the better. Listen to the answers carefully, and probe for more detail. Don't be too hasty; more than one conversation may be necessary before you make your final decision. If all the right steps are taken, the over-the-phone placement can be just as successful as hiring a nanny you meet. Remember, open communication will always be the key to success. 4nannies.com provides families a number of tools to help them do through interviewing. These include an article on how to conduct a Many families feel more comfortable, after exhaustive telephone interviews, meeting the nanny in person before a final hiring decision is made. If that is the case, families typically bear the costs of transportation for the interview.
What are the most important considerations for a safe and successful job match?
Can we legally hire a foreign nanny to work in the US? In the United States, a family may legally hire a U.S. citizen, an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien with a valid work permit. US employers are required to verify a candidate's employment eligibility using Form I-9. 4nannies.com discourages applicants who do not have US work authorization; however, it is the responsibility of the family to confirm that the candidate they wish to hire is legally eligible for work in the U.S. If you are considering a candidate who is not currently in this country, be very careful and read the fraud alert below. As a practical matter, 4nannies.com understands that there are many families who are willing to overlook US immigration restrictions in their child care search. The individual family must make its own assessment of their needs and concerns in this area. 4nannies.com is an information resource, and 4nannies.com is not a party to any client's employment arrangements. The follow-up question usually is "How can the family help the foreign applicant obtain work authorization?" Recent changes in visa issuance guidelines make it easier for experienced live-in domestic workers (except from China, India and the Philippines) to apply for permanent resident visas - but it must be done before they leave their home country. The link Canadian Families will typically hire nannies from abroad under the auspices of the Canadian Live In Caregivers Program. A live-in caregiver is an individual who will provide child care, care for elderly persons, or care of the disabled, without supervision, in your private household. The live-in caregiver is required to reside in the employer's home. Canada's immigration law permits issuance of a work permit to experienced and qualified live-in caregivers who are able to perform the duties of the job that they have been offered. Details are found at NANNY EMPLOYMENT FRAUD ALERT! Nanny employment fraud schemes have moved from the newspapers to the internet in recent years. We have various fraud prevention protections in place, including tracking of candidate IP addresses, to keep families safe. However, none are a substitute for INFORMED families. Most online nanny employment fraud targets the NANNIES. Families however need to take reasonable steps to protect themselves too.There are recurring reports of candidates from Africa - most often Cameroon and Nigeria - defrauding hiring families who are willing to take shortcuts in the hiring process to staff their vacancies. The families interviewed the candidate on the telephone, were given one or more US or UK references, and then were asked to wire funds to the foreign country for the candidate's plane ticket. Families have reported that once the money has been sent, the candidate disappeared along with the funds. These schemes are very elaborate and can involve several different people, including supposed travel agents, teachers and former employers. The families report that the candidates were well spoken, their 'references' sounded very legitimate, and that they were completely stunned by this outcome. References include Generals, Professors, and other titles designed to lull the family into a sense of security. Scammers come in all varieties, yet we advise you take particular caution when considering applicants abroad. We take this opportunity to directly advise you that you enter into these types of arrangements at your own risk and we STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST HIRING CANDIDATES FROM ABROAD. In general, a family should assume that a foreign applicant does NOT have US work authorization until it has been proved otherwise. Protect yourself and your children!
What training and regulation exist in the United States for nannies? There are no national standards for nanny training and no national OR state regulation of nannies. Anyone may apply for a nanny job or call themselves a nanny. It is imperative that a family thoroughly interview, screen, and manage their child's nanny! All candidates are not equal, and all families' requirements for their nanny are not the same. Most US nannies will limit their responsibilities to the safety and well being of the children in their care, and will not assume full housekeeping duties. The International Nanny Association has developed a Nanny Credentialing Exam - the product of many years of development and testing. Sadly, there are very few nannies who have taken this exam. The National Association for Nanny Care is developing a 3 tier nanny credential that establishes minimum standards for in-home care and recognizes nannies as they advance professionally. This credential is still in its infancy also. Membership in professional associations such as the National Association for Nanny Care (NANC) or the International Nanny Association is a positive. It shows a candidate that is willing to make a commitment of time and money to their professional development. Families remain responsible for careful interviewing, thorough reference checking, and to order a background check of their final candidate before she starts work. The 4nannies.com background check is fully FCRA compliant and highly automated - results are generally available withing 2-3 business days.
Who pays for the nanny's travel expenses to move to our home? Many families will agree to hire a nanny who lives at a distance. For example, the nanny may live in Oklahoma, and the family may be in Boston. Presuming that a firm job offer has been extended and accepted, it is customary for the family to advance the nanny's relocation transportation expense, with the understanding that the nanny will reimburse the family out of the first several paychecks (usually about $50 per week). This may not be airfare, as more economical transportation may be available such as bus or train. Many families will offer to reimburse these transportation expenses to the nanny after she has worked for the full year agreed to. This is a form of bonus to the nanny. If the nanny leaves before the year is out, it is generally at her expense. All issues regarding the transportation expenses should be clearly spelled out in the work agreement, so there is never a "he said...you said" kind of exchange. Please remember that these tickets are in the candidate's name, so advancing an airline ticket is the same as sending her cash. We strongly encourage you to have completed all necessary reference checking, including previous employers, character references, and the background check included in your membership, before purchasing and providing a plane ticket. We are not trying to scare you, advancing airfare is commonly done, but want to make sure your have taken the proper steps to protect yourself (and more importantly your children). A word of caution... Families, for a variety of reasons, are often interested in hiring a candidate from overseas. Disregarding any work visa and employment eligibility issues
Should we have a contract with our nanny? Experts agree that nannies and families should insist upon a written agreement before hire. This agreement, or contract, should include a statement of general responsibilities, compensation and benefits, guidelines on handling emergencies, household guidelines and security issues. Nannies and families find that agreement on these important job issues before employment helps avoid misunderstanding and conflict later on. 4nannies.com provides client families with a downloadable work agreement template that you can customize on your computer.
Families need to be careful that their expectations match that of the US nanny market. The nanny, like you, needs time away from her job to relax and recharge before another busy week and avoid burnout. With the long hours nannies work, this is even more important. In some cultures staff work 6 day or 7 day weeks - this is not the norm or expectation in the United States.
What type of accommodations and considerations must we make for a live-in nanny? Live-in caregivers often provide families with greater flexibility since the nanny lives with the family and the parents don't, for example, need to rush home to get dinner for their family. The family will have a wonderful opportunity to get to know the nanny better and sooner than if the nanny arrives at the home each morning as parents are leaving and leaves the home each evening as parents are arriving. Through this increased interaction from the very beginning, the family will become more familiar and at ease with the nanny and this will translate to less anxiety for parents (and the children) when parents leave the house each day. Families with live-in nannies do not need to focus as much on whether the nanny will show up on time each day, especially important in bad weather. Families must be prepared to provide separate sleeping quarters at a minimum and in most situations, access to a vehicle on a fairly regular basis. This may require you to have an additional vehicle dedicated to the nanny. Be sure to have all particulars about automobile privileges and responsibilities clearly spelled out in your work agreement, and add the nanny to your automobile insurance policy. In addition to their own private sleeping quarters, most live-in nannies expect a private bath. Occasionally, the nanny may share the bath with young children. The nanny's quarters should include a comfortable bed, a bureau, adequate closet space, and a desk and comfortable chair. Make the nanny quarters as inviting as possible. Fresh paint, a nice TV/VCR, a private phone and/or cell phone are all appreciated. Accommodations are important; the nanny that feels comfortable in her quarters will be more satisfied overall. Be prepared to address the logistics and dynamics (privacy being just one consideration) of adding an additional adult into the household. Families hiring a live-in caregiver who is relocating to their area must be prepared to provide the nanny with contacts/ideas for making new friendships and social connections. These issues should be discussed as part of the interview process; home-sick nannies are unhappy nannies and the relationship inevitably degrades if this important issue cannot be overcome.
How do you set the nanny salaries? You, the family, are responsible for establishing the nanny salary with the candidate. Nanny candidates are asked to state their salary expectations during the on-line interview to assist you in pre-screening the candidate pool. Remember that experienced nannies are currently in great demand, and salaries have escalated in the last few years. It is rare to find a live in nanny willing to accept a position at less than $300/week , and experienced candidates command substantially more ($400-$700 per week). Generally, you get what you pay for. The bargain nanny will likely not stay with you long before they move on to a higher paying position. Your best gauge for establishing a salary is asking friends and neighbors what they are paying. You can be sure the nanny will find this out in short order anyway and you do not want to compare unfavorably. Families who are unable to afford current nanny salaries may consider 'Nanny Sharing', where two families team up to share a nanny. The following are some general weekly wage guidelines assuming a 45-50 hour work week and one or two children. All figures are in US dollars and representative of Year 2007 wages:
These figures are just guidelines, local job market and specific employment conditions cause considerable variation. Be aware that these are "gross wage" figures, before payroll taxes have been deducted. You can use the payroll tax calculator at HomeWork Solutions Inc., a nanny payroll and tax service, to compute your nanny's take home pay and to print payroll records.
What background information should be checked and how is this done? The hiring family is totally responsible for the complete verification of all candidate references and experience. This is an important responsibility, and your long term satisfaction with a candidate is often depended on how thoroughly references and background are checked. Reference Checks: Family should require at a minimum two non-related references from a candidate. Previous employment is best, followed by individuals who have observed the individual in a childcare related setting. Younger candidates especially may not have employment references, but could provide the name of the high school early childhood education teacher, a clergy person who observed church nursery work, or families they have babysat for over a period of time. Be prepared with questions to ask these references. Our Background Checks: Please take the time to become familiar with the
What is the difference between a nanny and an au pair? The International Nanny Association defines a nanny as an individual "employed by a family on either a live-in or live-out basis to undertake all tasks related to the care of children. Duties are generally restricted to childcare and the domestic tasks related to childcare...Nanny's work week ranges from 40 to 60 hours per week. Usually works unsupervised." Nannies vary in age and experience. There has been a marked increase in the last decade in the numbers of professional nannies, nannies who are in the field as a career, not as a temporary stop gap while they decide on college, other work, etc. An au pair is a young foreign student on a cultural exchange program entering this country on a J-1 visa. An au pair works no more than 45 hours a week and the stay in this country is generally limited to one year. A small portion of au pairs are classified as elite au pairs and qualify for a two year visa. The visas are non-renewable. The stated purpose of the au pair program is one of cultural exchange - NOT childcare. The child care experience of the au pair is generally limited and families are often not able to check the au pairs references themselves. The au pair cannot have sole charge of a child under 3 months of age. They must have specific, verified training and experience to provide sole charge care for children under 2 years and special needs children. Other program restrictions apply.
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| 4nannies.com Inc., 2 Pidgeon Hill Dr. Suite 550, Potomac Falls, VA 20165 800.810.2611 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: International Nanny Association [INA], National Association for Nanny Care [NANC], Loudoun County (VA) Chamber of Commerce. |
FAQ Building Successful Family : Nanny Relationships 
