New to Area: Nanny pay and benefits questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving from SoCal to DC/MD next month and will be looking for a nanny 40 hours per week from August for a 2 year old and a 3 year old. Both girls.
We want an experienced nanny, ideally aged 25+, with a car, and willingness to take the girls to preschool and activities, cook for them, do their laundry, and keep them disciplined and entertained.

In SoCal we pay $20/hour with no health benefits. We give 6 Federal paid holidays, 10 paid vacation days, and 5 paid sick days per year.
We also pay if the kids are away because we decided to go away (of course), though we try to coordinate vacation ahead of time.
We don't pay nanny tax. None of our friends do either. Everyone here deals in cash with nannies.

My husband and I like to travel without the kids for 3-8 days a couple of times a year. We pay $300/24 hours (instead of the $20/h) for this, and give the first day we are home as a paid vacation day if it is a week day. We also have the odd night where we are both away for work, also paid at $300/24 hours.

We give an end of year/holiday bonus, the value of which is dependent on performance and length of service. This is between 1 to 2 weeks pay, approx. prorated for length of service.

We have heard that the DC/MD nanny market is a similar market to the one we are used to. We think we are on the more generous end of average in our friendship group in terms of T&Cs, though certainly not the most generous. We do try and be flexible and fair.

Do you think this reimbursement structure would attract a good nanny in DC/MD?
Do most people pay nanny tax in DC/MD?
Where would be most likely to find a good, experienced nanny?

Many Thanks.

I can tell you if you offered me or any of the nannies I know the above package we would all say no thank you. Sorry, but its just not going to cut it in DC. The pay is too low, the entitlement you seem to have is too high, the holidays and sick days are a joke, etc.

OP here:

How are the sick, holidays, and vacation a joke? It's the same I get working for a healthcare organization. What would you expect?
Could you also explain what "the entitlement you seem to have is too high" means? I don't want to offend anyone and would like to know what I can do differently.

DCUM is brutal, I am becoming concerned about moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving from SoCal to DC/MD next month and will be looking for a nanny 40 hours per week from August for a 2 year old and a 3 year old. Both girls.
We want an experienced nanny, ideally aged 25+, with a car, and willingness to take the girls to preschool and activities, cook for them, do their laundry, and keep them disciplined and entertained.

In SoCal we pay $20/hour with no health benefits. We give 6 Federal paid holidays, 10 paid vacation days, and 5 paid sick days per year.
We also pay if the kids are away because we decided to go away (of course), though we try to coordinate vacation ahead of time.
We don't pay nanny tax. None of our friends do either. Everyone here deals in cash with nannies.

My husband and I like to travel without the kids for 3-8 days a couple of times a year. We pay $300/24 hours (instead of the $20/h) for this, and give the first day we are home as a paid vacation day if it is a week day. We also have the odd night where we are both away for work, also paid at $300/24 hours.

We give an end of year/holiday bonus, the value of which is dependent on performance and length of service. This is between 1 to 2 weeks pay, approx. prorated for length of service.

We have heard that the DC/MD nanny market is a similar market to the one we are used to. We think we are on the more generous end of average in our friendship group in terms of T&Cs, though certainly not the most generous. We do try and be flexible and fair.

Do you think this reimbursement structure would attract a good nanny in DC/MD?
Do most people pay nanny tax in DC/MD?
Where would be most likely to find a good, experienced nanny?

Many Thanks.

I can tell you if you offered me or any of the nannies I know the above package we would all say no thank you. Sorry, but its just not going to cut it in DC. The pay is too low, the entitlement you seem to have is too high, the holidays and sick days are a joke, etc.

OP here:

How are the sick, holidays, and vacation a joke? It's the same I get working for a healthcare organization. What would you expect?
Could you also explain what "the entitlement you seem to have is too high" means? I don't want to offend anyone and would like to know what I can do differently.

DCUM is brutal, I am becoming concerned about moving.

Ignore this poster. Your package is fine and you will have tons of qualified applicants.

The only way in which it is different from the DC market is that here, most employers pay on the books, and many nannies expect that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving from SoCal to DC/MD next month and will be looking for a nanny 40 hours per week from August for a 2 year old and a 3 year old. Both girls.
We want an experienced nanny, ideally aged 25+, with a car, and willingness to take the girls to preschool and activities, cook for them, do their laundry, and keep them disciplined and entertained.

In SoCal we pay $20/hour with no health benefits. We give 6 Federal paid holidays, 10 paid vacation days, and 5 paid sick days per year.
We also pay if the kids are away because we decided to go away (of course), though we try to coordinate vacation ahead of time.
We don't pay nanny tax. None of our friends do either. Everyone here deals in cash with nannies.

My husband and I like to travel without the kids for 3-8 days a couple of times a year. We pay $300/24 hours (instead of the $20/h) for this, and give the first day we are home as a paid vacation day if it is a week day. We also have the odd night where we are both away for work, also paid at $300/24 hours.

We give an end of year/holiday bonus, the value of which is dependent on performance and length of service. This is between 1 to 2 weeks pay, approx. prorated for length of service.

We have heard that the DC/MD nanny market is a similar market to the one we are used to. We think we are on the more generous end of average in our friendship group in terms of T&Cs, though certainly not the most generous. We do try and be flexible and fair.

Do you think this reimbursement structure would attract a good nanny in DC/MD?
Do most people pay nanny tax in DC/MD?
Where would be most likely to find a good, experienced nanny?

Many Thanks.

I can tell you if you offered me or any of the nannies I know the above package we would all say no thank you. Sorry, but its just not going to cut it in DC. The pay is too low, the entitlement you seem to have is too high, the holidays and sick days are a joke, etc.

OP here:

How are the sick, holidays, and vacation a joke? It's the same I get working for a healthcare organization. What would you expect?
Could you also explain what "the entitlement you seem to have is too high" means? I don't want to offend anyone and would like to know what I can do differently.

DCUM is brutal, I am becoming concerned about moving.

Ignore this poster. Your package is fine and you will have tons of qualified applicants.

The only way in which it is different from the DC market is that here, most employers pay on the books, and many nannies expect that.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should aim to pay $17 an hour, on the books. People in DC go on the books because they can lose their jobs if they have an IRS scandal.

No way. I pay $18 for 1 kid for an excellent nanny. $20-$25 is reasonable for two.

[Anonymous]

I've always paid my nannies for all federal holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes do plan to pay taxes - experienced nannies in the area mostly expect it. And $15 - 20 is the usual range for one child, add about $2 an hour more for 2 or more. The closer to downtown neighborhoods the higher the pay, out along the beltway you can get the lower end of the scale. I've used Homework Solutions for 3 years, easy, convenient, and a fraction of the cost of my CPA. I know some go DIY, I don't have the time or inclination to figure that all out.

+1 Takoma Park, one child, $17, 26 y/o nanny with an AA from Montgomery College, on the books, a bit over $800 a week with overtime. She does have her own car - it took a bit of work to locate a good candidate who would have her own vehicle to do the preschool drop off and pick up. So many candidates only take metro.