What is the standard nanny bonus?

[Anonymous]

We are strapped for cash and I am stressing over what to do about a Christmas bonus. What is an average bonus? Does every nanny get one? I have been working for 13 years and have never received one anywhere I worked.

[Anonymous]

There are tons of threads on this subject that you should look at. An average bonus is a week's salary, but there is no hard and fast rule. If you are truly strapped cash, remember that the goal is to make your nanny feel appreciated and it doesn't require a fat check to do that (it certainly helps though!).

[Anonymous]

There is no standard. When hiring, I wanted to factor it into the compensation package or at least know whether it was an expectation.
I asked every references when we were hiring whether they gave bonuses and not one reported doing it. Don't believe what the few nannies on DCUM will try to get you to believe.

A nice gift, a gift card or some other form of appreciation is important...not because it is expected or a bunch of anonymous bad nannies claim you must or your nanny will go insane....but because its a nice thing to do.

[Anonymous]

There are certain industries where bonuses and tips are traditional and expected. Service industries (nannying) is one of them. A typical bonus is a weeks salary, but like tipping, it can really be anything you feel is appropriate, or nothing at all. But like tipping, don't expect a whole lot from a nanny you stiffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are certain industries where bonuses and tips are traditional and expected. Service industries (nannying) is one of them. A typical bonus is a weeks salary, but like tipping, it can really be anything you feel is appropriate, or nothing at all. But like tipping, don't expect a whole lot from a nanny you stiffed.

+1

[Anonymous]

2 weeks pay is pretty standard. If I didn't get at least a week I would assume my boss was unhappy with me and I would find another job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no standard. When hiring, I wanted to factor it into the compensation package or at least know whether it was an expectation.
I asked every references when we were hiring whether they gave bonuses and not one reported doing it. Don't believe what the few nannies on DCUM will try to get you to believe.

A nice gift, a gift card or some other form of appreciation is important...not because it is expected or a bunch of anonymous bad nannies claim you must or your nanny will go insane....but because its a nice thing to do.

I would go insane and I'm not a bad nanny. I give nice gifts to my charges and spend so much of my own money all year long. To not get a bonus is a slap in the face a big F you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are certain industries where bonuses and tips are traditional and expected. Service industries (nannying) is one of them. A typical bonus is a weeks salary, but like tipping, it can really be anything you feel is appropriate, or nothing at all. But like tipping, don't expect a whole lot from a nanny you stiffed.

+1

+2

But OP, if your nanny knows that you are genuinely giving her the bonus you can afford she will not mind if it's less than one-week's pay. Some of my friends are quite early in their careers and their parents even help pay their nanny's salary - she knows the $200 bonus they gave her was literally every penny they could manage. OTOH, if you have the money to splash out on new cars or exotic trips or other things, a small bonus will feel to her like you've "stiffed" her and yes, that breeds resentment.

[Anonymous]

I receive one month's pay as a holiday bonus. However, my employers obviously aren't "strapped for cash". Most nannies know if their employers are really doing their best, or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I receive one month's pay as a holiday bonus. However, my employers obviously aren't "strapped for cash". Most nannies know if their employers are really doing their best, or not.

Do you think they really do know if they are doing their best? I'm not trying to be difficult, just honestly curious. We just moved to the area and are living in my grandmother's house because we can't afford to buy a house now. I'm pregnant and my new job doesn't want me to start working until after the baby is born so we only have 1 salary. We are about to have to buy a bigger car for our expanding family but we can't sell one of our old cars because we need the new car to let the nanny drive. DHs car is on its last leg though so we may have to buy a second car soon and we are trying to save money to buy a house. We have a PT nanny because I have had complications with this pregnancy and need some extra help.

I'm not trying to create a sob story, we are fine but I'm hoping our nanny understands the bonus of 1 weeks salary we plan to give her is the best we can do now. It looks like we are doing well because we live in a huge house we could never afford and are about to buy a car. She knows it's my grandmother's house but it's not like I discuss our financial situation with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks pay is pretty standard. If I didn't get at least a week I would assume my boss was unhappy with me and I would find another job.

Elsewhere on this board, nannies have said 1 weeks pay is standard. And some posters have said that they couldn't find anyone families that actually did pay bonuses. I take that to mean there is no standard.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks pay is pretty standard. If I didn't get at least a week I would assume my boss was unhappy with me and I would find another job.

This is funny and not at all "standard".

Many parents have not seen bonuses or raises in years. Nannies should be happy if they get anything at all.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks isn't standard. A full month definitely isn't standard. A week is standard. ONE week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks isn't standard. A full month definitely isn't standard. A week is standard. ONE week.

I've always gotten 2 weeks that why I assumed it was standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks pay is pretty standard. If I didn't get at least a week I would assume my boss was unhappy with me and I would find another job.

Elsewhere on this board, nannies have said 1 weeks pay is standard. And some posters have said that they couldn't find anyone families that actually did pay bonuses. I take that to mean there is no standard.

Its like tipping. What people actually give can be all over the place, and there are cheap/uninformed people who don't do it at all, but that doesn't mean that it isn't standard, nor does it mean there is no standard. A standard tip is 20%, a standard bonus for a housekeeper or hairdresser is the cost of one visit, and the standard nanny bonus is one week's salary. You're just as silly as the nannies claiming its 2 weeks or more. The standard is and has always been a weeks salary. That doesn't mean you HAVE to do anything. There are standards everywhere that people ignore.