How to ask for Health Insurance

[Anonymous]

So first let me say that I really like my employers and my charge. They have been nothing but kind, generous and understanding people to work for. They pay me fair and on time, give me lots of trust and freedom, talk to me with respect and appreciate my insight and opinions. I also love their DS who I have a lot of fun with every day. I'm very happy working for them and they have told me several times that they are very happy to have me as well

I've been working for them for about 4 months now. When we first started the interview process I mentioned that I will be turning 26 and losing my health insurance that I receive through my parents. I told them I was looking for an employer who would be willing to work with me when the time comes as well as an employer who would be willing to discuss switching to "on the books" after a year of employment. They said that hadn't done that with prior nannies, but would consider doing so. I realize now, that I should have emphasized / been more clear about my expectations on these. We also said that we would discuss vacation / sick days at 3 months. We never really sat down and had a discussion like I expected. However, I was told when I started that if I was ever sick that it's OK and to just let them know. I never had to take a day off anyways. With vaca, MB just asked me if there were any days I would like to take off this summer so I gave her some dates and all is fine there.

Now I'm about 3 months away from losing my health insurance coverage and it hasn't been brought up yet. Having health insurance is a must for me so I have to find a way to talk with them about it.

How would you go about bringing up the topic?
How do you work out health insurance with your employers? I was thinking of seeing if they could pay for 1/2 my premium?
Anyone know of any good health insurance companies / plans? I've looked into Aetna and they seem affordable...

Any insight would be helpful, thanks so much!



***Also, please don't give me a hard time about not getting a contract, I realize that's something I should have done. Nannies aren't as common in the area I live in and I didn't know that having a contract is fairly standard until recently***

[Anonymous]

OP, they should pay at least 1/2 of your health insurance. What do they pay, btw?

[Anonymous]

We have never paid a nanny for health insurance.

We pay our nanny an after-tax rate of $16/hour, two weeks paid vacation or leave to be used as desired by her, plus pay for every week we take a vacation (with no work required by her during our vacations). Our nanny also receives a $40/week gas stipend for driving her own car.

In the past, we have paid for a new HVAC system for the nanny, paid her medical bills when the nanny injured herself, and paid for repairs to the nanny's car.

[Anonymous]

OP Here - thanks for the responses. I get paid $500 / week for up to 40 hours (typically work about 35 hours a week) and overtime after that. I also get a minimum of $50 a month for gas money (which is totally fair considering how close everything is and the amount of trips we do).

For the suburban area that I live in, they pay fair and I'm happy with it!

[Anonymous]

The bind I think you will find is that paying for health insurance is pretty meaningless if you are paid off the books.

Health insurance is a great benefit because it can be separated from taxable income. However, if they are not paying employer tax in the first place, it's pretty much just a straight raise.

I think you need to do some research into policies and figure out how much this is going to cost monthly. Take into account that switching directly to paying you on the books will also cost them about 7% more.

I'd put together the entire package you are hoping to get and sit down and see if there's a workable timeframe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have never paid a nanny for health insurance.

We pay our nanny an after-tax rate of $16/hour, two weeks paid vacation or leave to be used as desired by her, plus pay for every week we take a vacation (with no work required by her during our vacations). Our nanny also receives a $40/week gas stipend for driving her own car.

In the past, we have paid for a new HVAC system for the nanny, paid her medical bills when the nanny injured herself, and paid for repairs to the nanny's car.

What's her before tax wage (that's how you quote someone's wage)?
So your nanny has no health insurance? What will you do next year when she'll be required to have it?

[Anonymous]

OP you are basically asking for a raise after only 4 months. Your employers are not your parents. Some jobs do offer a contribution toward healthcare but no job pays for your entire health insurance package and just takes care of it like your parents did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you are basically asking for a raise after only 4 months. Your employers are not your parents. Some jobs do offer a contribution toward healthcare but no job pays for your entire health insurance package and just takes care of it like your parents did.

At 12.50/hr she should just get another job, don't you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have never paid a nanny for health insurance.

We pay our nanny an after-tax rate of $16/hour, two weeks paid vacation or leave to be used as desired by her, plus pay for every week we take a vacation (with no work required by her during our vacations). Our nanny also receives a $40/week gas stipend for driving her own car.

In the past, we have paid for a new HVAC system for the nanny, paid her medical bills when the nanny injured herself, and paid for repairs to the nanny's car.

What's her before tax wage (that's how you quote someone's wage)?
So your nanny has no health insurance? What will you do next year when she'll be required to have it?

Why do you assume PP's nanny has no health insurance? There are a lot of nannies who pay for their own health insurance

I have been a nanny for almost 13 years, and I have always had health insurance. The policies have always been chosen by me, and either fully funded by me with my net wages or partially paid for by my employers (just depended on the family). I did have one family who covered my full monthly premium after one year of employment with them. It is very possible for nannies to obtain a private health insurance policy without employer contribution. Having an employer contribute or cover health insurance premiums is a wonderful benefit, but it's not a requirement for families who want to employ a nanny.

Once we reach the point that everyone has to have health insurance the nanny will have to either make sure she has her own policy or pay the penalty at tax time. Nanny employers are not required to provide or contribute to a health care plan b/c they do not have the required number of employees.

[Anonymous]

I don't know anyone who can afford to buy their own health insurance, on an income of 12.50/hr. Do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have never paid a nanny for health insurance.

We pay our nanny an after-tax rate of $16/hour, two weeks paid vacation or leave to be used as desired by her, plus pay for every week we take a vacation (with no work required by her during our vacations). Our nanny also receives a $40/week gas stipend for driving her own car.

In the past, we have paid for a new HVAC system for the nanny, paid her medical bills when the nanny injured herself, and paid for repairs to the nanny's car.

What's her before tax wage (that's how you quote someone's wage)?
So your nanny has no health insurance? What will you do next year when she'll be required to have it?

I guess that the pre-tax rate would be close to $18-$19/hour. Is it true that every employee will be required to have health coverage, I thought that there was an exemption for businesses with less than x number of employees? If so, then households employing a nanny would be exempt.

[Anonymous]

Everyone will be required to have health care.

[Anonymous]

I don't know anyone who can afford to buy their own health insurance, on an income of 12.50/hr. Do you?

Do realize that if you work for a large company and make $12.50 an hour that your health insurance is not free either? If you are young and have no pre-existing conditions, the employee contribution toward healthcare in a large company is not that much more than what you could find on your own.

The OP is probably looking at about $200 a month for insurance. It isn't her employer's responsibility to just take care of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone will be required to have health care.

Yes, but I (as an employer of one) will not be required to provide it for the nanny. It is the nanny's responsibility to purchase the insurance for themselves, or face a tax penalty for not doing so.

Our family pays $18-$19/hour, $40/week gas stipend, two-weeks paid vacation at the nanny's leisure, an additional two- or three-weeks of paid vacation for the nanny when our family is on vacation (nanny typically has four- or five weeks of paid vacation a year), plus a two-weeks salary bonus at Christmas. In addition we have purchased nanny a new HVAC system, repaired her car, and paid her doctors and medical bills as she has them.

[Anonymous]

OP Here: typing on my phone now so excuse any typos!

To clarify: I'm fully aware that it isn't REQUIRED that employers pay for any part of health insurance. I only (somewhat) expect it because we discussed it prior to me accepting the position. And I would never expect them to pay for it all, I was hoping for them to contribute towards 1/2 of my premium. I'm not looking for them to "just take care of it like my parents did" - I live on my own and have been paying my way for years now, thanks.

With that said, I understand how it comes down to basically asking for a raise. That is not something I want to do, especially after only 4 months!

Also, I live just fine on "only" $12.50 an hour. I pay rent, cr payments an insurance, all utilities etc and still have some to save at the end of the month.

That's for your responses though, it helps hearing what others have done! If anyone can recommend any companies they have used or health insurance that would be helpful, regardless ill need to get some!

And I will still need to bring it up with them as, in the long run, it's a deal breaker for me and if they can't help me out I would understand but have to get another job that can, probably a non-nanny job : (

Thanks again!