Nanny pay increase question

[Anonymous]

We have an awesome nanny that we love, who has been with us since our oldest DD was born. She's well compensated ($23/hour, plus OT, all above board), and benefits that are maybe slightly above average. We've given raises each year, plus an increase when DD2 was born.

Older DD starts school full time in the Fall. Younger DD will start in the next few years, part-time at first, increasing up to full day in about three years. So it seems like, starting the year and she'll have one kid most of the time, our nanny's workload will decrease each subsequent year. However, we'd like to keep our nanny at least until younger DD goes to school full time.

Wondering how do other families handle pay increases in this situation -- GREAT nanny that I want to keep happy, but already paid on the higher end of the scale, and work load decreasing each year.

[Anonymous]

I would likely stop the yearly raises, but give a substantial yearly bonus for work well done. I would also consider other perks in lieu of a raise if I could offer them, perhaps health insurance contribution. But it doesn't make sense to continue giving raises for less and less work, especially since you already paying over market rates.

Your nanny is likely very aware that she is aging out of a job and surely knows she is making very good money for a decreasing work load. She might not like giving up the yearly raise and might decide to move on to a new job. Nanny jobs don't last forever.

[Anonymous]

I know a good number of nannies well past the $25. mark, for not that much work. Best to ask her.

[Anonymous]

Keep up the pay raises, OP. Your nanny is still responsible for your older child every time he/she is sick, has a school holiday or a teacher's conference. If your nanny does the children's laundry, she will still have older child's clothes and room to clean. If your nanny cooks for your children your older child will still be eating.

Just my opinion, but it is a foolish economy to risk upsetting a nanny (or any employee) that you and your family love and trust for an extra forty or fifty dollars a week.

Our nanny has grown with her job - going from a single infant nanny to the cook, chauffeur,social director, and trusted nurse when they are sick - I cannot put a price on my complete comfort level when they are in her care.

[Anonymous]

Can you give her more vacation time? I would jump at the chance for more vacation time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep up the pay raises, OP. Your nanny is still responsible for your older child every time he/she is sick, has a school holiday or a teacher's conference. If your nanny does the children's laundry, she will still have older child's clothes and room to clean. If your nanny cooks for your children your older child will still be eating.

Just my opinion, but it is a foolish economy to risk upsetting a nanny (or any employee) that you and your family love and trust for an extra forty or fifty dollars a week.

Our nanny has grown with her job - going from a single infant nanny to the cook, chauffeur,social director, and trusted nurse when they are sick - I cannot put a price on my complete comfort level when they are in her care.

This. Cost of living increases are standard and it is not worth losing a great nanny over fifty dollars a week.

[Anonymous]

I actually don't see how a nanny's "workload" decreases when one child is in school for six hours a day. As pointed out by previous posters, she still has the child's laundry and meals, as well as the same clean up. She will naturally do more with your younger child now that the older child is not around to play with during the day. And she will have the responsibility of the older child for the COUNTLESS school holidays as well as pick ups and drops off (I am assuming that - perhaps not the case with you but pick ups are a pain!).

[Anonymous]

I don't see her workload decreasing much either, but if you believe it is maybe that's true.

However, if I were your nanny I would happily accept additional vacation or a larger annual bonus in lieu of a raise, at least for a year or two. She knows that nanny positions don't last forever and if you have a great relationship she'll probably want to stay with you as long as you want to keep her.

[Anonymous]

Many workers in many industries have not had cost of living raises in years. Nannies may want yearly raises, but they are no longer standard for many workers and nannies will have to get used to the idea if they want to keep their jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many workers in many industries have not had cost of living raises in years. Nannies may want yearly raises, but they are no longer standard for many workers and nannies will have to get used to the idea if they want to keep their jobs.

We don't have to get used to anything. It is the norm in this industry to get an annual rate increase yearly. The cost of everything increases each year, including my rent. I don't really care what happens in other industries, if your job doesn't at least keep up with increases in my rent each year, I cannot continue to work for you. My bosses may not have gotten a raise this year (they did) but they still make many times what I make per year, and an extra $50/week won't kill them, while not getting it and having my rent go up $100/month will really hurt my pockets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many workers in many industries have not had cost of living raises in years. Nannies may want yearly raises, but they are no longer standard for many workers and nannies will have to get used to the idea if they want to keep their jobs.

We don't have to get used to anything. It is the norm in this industry to get an annual rate increase yearly. The cost of everything increases each year, including my rent. I don't really care what happens in other industries, if your job doesn't at least keep up with increases in my rent each year, I cannot continue to work for you. My bosses may not have gotten a raise this year (they did) but they still make many times what I make per year, and an extra $50/week won't kill them, while not getting it and having my rent go up $100/month will really hurt my pockets.

Ugh. WORD. My rent increased $350/month in the last 9 months (thanks to a landlord who only rents month-to-month and therefore has more freedom with rent adjustments) so now I'm moving 25 min further out (without traffic) from work just to continue affording a one-bedroom apartment. It's really crummy and renters are much more vulnerable to the lack of a COL raise; your mortgage isn't going to change, you might just not be able to take as lavish a vacation IYSWIM. If a family really can't afford a raise but are otherwise good to their nanny, she will almost certainly accept that happily (I did). But if you CAN afford one...it's the right thing to do, even if it's frustrating that you or your DH didn't get one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would likely stop the yearly raises, but give a substantial yearly bonus for work well done. I would also consider other perks in lieu of a raise if I could offer them, perhaps health insurance contribution. But it doesn't make sense to continue giving raises for less and less work, especially since you already paying over market rates.

Your nanny is likely very aware that she is aging out of a job and surely knows she is making very good money for a decreasing work load. She might not like giving up the yearly raise and might decide to move on to a new job. Nanny jobs don't last forever.

Nasty people like you, don't last forever either.

[Anonymous]

"I actually don't see how a nanny's "workload" decreases when one child is in school for six hours a day. As pointed out by previous posters, she still has the child's laundry and meals, as well as the same clean up. She will naturally do more with your younger child now that the older child is not around to play with during the day. And she will have the responsibility of the older child for the COUNTLESS school holidays as well as pick ups and drops off (I am assuming that - perhaps not the case with you but pick ups are a pain!)."

What? Hey pp I happen to have 2 kids and let me tell you - when I have 1 instead of 2 on the day my oldest has school and I don't have to work it is a breeze. Of course not having 2 kids means less work or a less strenuous day. It is ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

[Anonymous]

You really just need to look at the market- she is already above the standard rate- so if she were to look for a new job, her pay would likely decrease. Just talk to her and communicate that you feel like you are at the top of your childcare budget. If you are a reasonable family who treats her with respect- she will not be looking for another job simply because she has reached the top of the market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really just need to look at the market- she is already above the standard rate- so if she were to look for a new job, her pay would likely decrease. Just talk to her and communicate that you feel like you are at the top of your childcare budget. If you are a reasonable family who treats her with respect- she will not be looking for another job simply because she has reached the top of the market.

No one I know, drops their rates just because it's a new job. That's completely stupid, and you know it.