Securing a nanny before needed

[Anonymous]

For various reasons, we would like to have a nanny start work the day our baby is born. Since the baby may be early or late, we know we’ll have to pay her for being on hold.

What is the accepted practice in holding a nanny? A signed contract and flat retainer fee or signing bonus? What percentage of salary is generally offered?

[Anonymous]

You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

[Anonymous]

You would just have a set start date (I'd probably due 39 weeks) and begin paying her wages from that time on. You can actually have her come in to work if needed before baby arrives and do things like wash and put away baby clothes, sterilize bottles, pacifiers, and pump parts, offer her expertise for organization and logistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

NP here. So when you interview and sign a contract with any nanny, you start paying her immediately? We hired our nanny on the 2nd with a start date of the 22nd and she was fine with it and never expressed that she expected to be paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

That doesn’t make sense, PP. When I switched jobs my new employer didn’t start paying me until I started working.

[Anonymous]

We gave our nanny a $5,000 signing bonus for the month before my due date. I delivered early and we started her regular hourly wage when she started (day after I came home from the hospital). She was just too good to potentially lose. She’s been our nanny for close to seven years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

That doesn’t make sense, PP. When I switched jobs my new employer didn’t start paying me until I started working.

But you had a firm start date. OP is saying they want the nanny to be available without a firm date. That won’t work. So they’ll have to pick a date that they think is close enough, and start paying as of that date. They can ask the nanny to start working, but the baby won’t be there yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

That doesn’t make sense, PP. When I switched jobs my new employer didn’t start paying me until I started working.

But you had a firm start date. OP is saying they want the nanny to be available without a firm date. That won’t work. So they’ll have to pick a date that they think is close enough, and start paying as of that date. They can ask the nanny to start working, but the baby won’t be there yet.

+1

Op, pick a starting date so both of you can have firm plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

Oh, chill with the “do you not understand that” crap. Let people ask questions.

[Anonymous]

We contracted our nanny for a September 1st start date in June. She knew her job was ending when her previous charge started school. She had a three week vacation between positions and never asked for a retainer. She’s been with us for 3.5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

NP here. So when you interview and sign a contract with any nanny, you start paying her immediately? We hired our nanny on the 2nd with a start date of the 22nd and she was fine with it and never expressed that she expected to be paid.

right because she knew she was starting on the 22nd. So you paid from then onwards.

[Anonymous]

Whenever the date is that you want her to be committed to you, that’s when you start paying the FT salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

NP here. So when you interview and sign a contract with any nanny, you start paying her immediately? We hired our nanny on the 2nd with a start date of the 22nd and she was fine with it and never expressed that she expected to be paid.

No, but OP seems to be saying she wants the nanny to be standing by on call to begin work at a moment’s notice. That on call period is different from a set start date when the nanny can do whatever she wants before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We gave our nanny a $5,000 signing bonus for the month before my due date. I delivered early and we started her regular hourly wage when she started (day after I came home from the hospital). She was just too good to potentially lose. She’s been our nanny for close to seven years.

this is backwards. if you didn’t want to lose her, you should have started her FT employment early or given her a retention bonus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to pay her actual wage - do you not understand that? On top of her wage, you could also offer a retention bonus. That’s generally how employers secure key employees in key time periods.

Oh, chill with the “do you not understand that” crap. Let people ask questions.

I mean, when people seem to misunderstand how the labor market works and that nannies get paid for their time - then yes, I think it’s important to check in to see that OP understands she is hiring an employee with normal terms and conditions.