Nanny Pay Raise at Year Mark

[Anonymous]

We would like to give our nanny a raise at a year. We are in a nanny share and researching typical raises/cost of living. We live in Old Town and pay our nanny $20/hour for 40 hours and 10 hours overtime a week. She takes care of two toddler boys. We provide two weeks paid vacation, paid sick and annual leave, metro card for bus and give a bonus of a week's pay. What is typical for the area?

[Anonymous]

If she's good, she should be earning at least $25/hr. Two toddlers are a boatload of work. Have you tried it for just one day?

Bless you for thinking of this.

[Anonymous]

You do not go from $20 to $25. That's a huge percentage!

Go up by $1 or 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do not go from $20 to $25. That's a huge percentage!

Go up by $1 or 2.

I agree. I think each family should go up by $1, that's a $2 increase and fair IMO (plus it leaves room for further raises down the line, if necessary).

[Anonymous]

She's already getting paid very well for the area, depending on her experience level.

Would you want to offer more vacation time? A contribution to health insurance?

The raise could be anywhere from 25 cents per hour per family to a dollar per hour per family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's already getting paid very well for the area, depending on her experience level.

Would you want to offer more vacation time? A contribution to health insurance?

The raise could be anywhere from 25 cents per hour per family to a dollar per hour per family.

Are you about 70 years old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do not go from $20 to $25. That's a huge percentage!

Go up by $1 or 2.

I agree. I think each family should go up by $1, that's a $2 increase and fair IMO (plus it leaves room for further raises down the line, if necessary).

Another agreeing with these posters.

[Anonymous]

Generally a cost-of-living increase and a merit increase is expected every year. Your nanny is on the low side for a share at $10 an hour per child/family. I would suggest at least an $1 an hour increase if you expect to employ her longterm (for another five years) or a $2 if you expect to have your kids in all day preschool or daycare within the next few years if you want to stop her from looking for another position.

[Anonymous]

3-5% once they are at market. especially if you are keeping on over 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3-5% once they are at market. especially if you are keeping on over 4 years.

Troll poster again.

[Anonymous]

sorry! hijacking this thread since I also had this question as we approach the 1 year mark. What if you are already paying on the higher end? We pay $18/hr for a really easy child (she takes long naps - 2-3 hours, etc) - not a share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:sorry! hijacking this thread since I also had this question as we approach the 1 year mark. What if you are already paying on the higher end? We pay $18/hr for a really easy child (she takes long naps - 2-3 hours, etc) - not a share.

Same. Cost of living increase plus merit increase of up to 5% ANNUALLY is standard and the only way to keep a good nanny. The length of her naps have nothing to do with it since she will soon grow out of the long nap and I assume the nanny has other child-related responsibilities when she is asleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sorry! hijacking this thread since I also had this question as we approach the 1 year mark. What if you are already paying on the higher end? We pay $18/hr for a really easy child (she takes long naps - 2-3 hours, etc) - not a share.

Same. Cost of living increase plus merit increase of up to 5% ANNUALLY is standard and the only way to keep a good nanny. The length of her naps have nothing to do with it since she will soon grow out of the long nap and I assume the nanny has other child-related responsibilities when she is asleep.

Whether the nanny has other responsibilities when the child is asleep is irrelevant. If you want to keep a good nanny, you start the nanny at competitive wage and give $1-2/hr increase per year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sorry! hijacking this thread since I also had this question as we approach the 1 year mark. What if you are already paying on the higher end? We pay $18/hr for a really easy child (she takes long naps - 2-3 hours, etc) - not a share.

Same. Cost of living increase plus merit increase of up to 5% ANNUALLY is standard and the only way to keep a good nanny. The length of her naps have nothing to do with it since she will soon grow out of the long nap and I assume the nanny has other child-related responsibilities when she is asleep.

There is no real standard for a merit raise, OP. You pay what you think that a nanny is worth and reflects not just meeting her responsibilities, but exceeding them. That said, it is COMMON to offer 5% annually (COL is generally 1.5-1.7% in this area + 3% merit). For PP's 18/hr nanny, that is effectively $1/hr raise. To avoid pricing yourself out of a nanny in years 3 or 4, especially if the job stays the same or gets easier (if you decide to send your child to preschool) you may consider a merit raise in terms of a benefit, like health insurance reimbursement or additional time off.

[Anonymous]

If someone else makes her a better offer, you're plain out of luck, right?