What's with unprofessional parents balking at a contract?
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Anonymous
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I'm on the job hunt and having an unexpected problem. I've interviewed with a handful of families who seem like really great fits for me, but each one of them has looked at me like I was crazy when I bring up the subject of having a contract. I've even changed my wording to "work agreement", thinking the formality might be putting people off, but I get the same response regardless. Maybe it's my area (coastal college town in Southern California, no nanny agencies in range) but I want to be a professional. I've put a lot of care into drafting an agreement that welcomes input and collaboration from the family, but nobody seems interested.
*note: these are all middle/upper-middle class households, most jobs offering below minimum wage, just doesn't seem to be a big nanny culture here. Not sure what to do. 
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Anonymous
| No agencies in Southern California?! I think you need to look harder. |
Anonymous
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Dunno - I'm in San Francisco and we and our nanny were both happy to have a contract.
Maybe San Diego really IS more laid back ... |
Anonymous
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If all the offers you're receiving are offering below minimum wage then it sounds like you need to refine your profile to help weed out families who cannot afford your rates. How are you finding these families? And how are you bringing up the issue of a working agreement (you can't really call it a contract as California is an "at-will" state).
In the past when I've interviewed with 1st time nanny families the idea of a working agreement is a foreign concept. I explain it as a way to ensure we are all on the same page regarding how they want their child raised, my duties/responsibilities outside of childcare, household rules, and my compensation package. |
Anonymous
| If the parents are offering jobs at below-minimum wage, clearly they are NOT looking for a professional, because a professional would not accept an illegal wage. |
Anonymous
NP here. I was thinking "coastal college town" was probably Goleta/Santa Barbara area... |
Anonymous
| What do you mean by contract? That you are guaranteed a certain time of employment instead of being at will? That would be unusual and I would balk to. But if all you mean is that you want the terms of your em |