Honest Opinion - nanny pay

[Anonymous]

We pay our nanny $3000/month net. And pay all taxes and also provide tax service at the end of the year. We have one child who is 18 months and an angel (truly!). Lately our nanny, who we love, has been complaining about her pay - very subtle (can't afford this or that, etc). We also give two generous bonsuses (Christmas and at signing of contract). I want to be a good employer and want to do right but I feel terrible if this is not a good package. Am I missing something? Please no critics - honest answer.

[Anonymous]

She is full time/50 hours a week.

[Anonymous]

So thats 15 dollars an hour, after taxes? Thats what my nanny charges for one child (we do a share at 10/hour, and live in NE dc). I think if you have had the nanny since your child was a baby, a raise is in order - maybe an extra 50 cents or dollar an hour?

[Anonymous]

If she works 50 hrs/wk, you are pauing her $10/hr amd $15/hr for 10 hrs OT. Are you kidding? Yes, you need to pay her more.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I am an exception but I think that 36k in take home pay isn't bad at all (meaning pretax 45k plus or minus). Have you given her a raise after one year? If not, that is probably in order ... maybe that is what she is hinting at?

[Anonymous]

It's 50k gross.

[Anonymous]

So Most nannies get more than $50k gross?

[Anonymous]

Op here- $3000 is net; she pays no taxes. We cover it all. All take home.

[Anonymous]

hmm, let's do it weekly so it's more comparable to most nanny employers. $3k net/month is about $750/week (using 4 weeks/month). You say that's net. I am going to assume when you say you cover all taxes you are just talking fica? (If you are also withholding fed and state taxes you need to talk gross numbers since those are so variable). So grossed up is $812/week. Since 10 hours are OT - you are paying less than $15/hr.

We have a very easy 16 month old (takes long naps still) and pay $18/hr for 40 hours which I KNOW is on the high side.. so my nanny makes $30 less a week but works 10 hours less as well. You really need to do the gross hourly rate to do accurate comparisons.

[Anonymous]

Ok. Sorry we pay all taxes, meaning state and federal are withheld. Her gross is about $4300 a month plus we pay her and employer taxes, which is about another $400 a month. $3k is all take home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:hmm, let's do it weekly so it's more comparable to most nanny employers. $3k net/month is about $750/week (using 4 weeks/month). You say that's net. I am going to assume when you say you cover all taxes you are just talking fica? (If you are also withholding fed and state taxes you need to talk gross numbers since those are so variable). So grossed up is $812/week. Since 10 hours are OT - you are paying less than $15/hr.

We have a very easy 16 month old (takes long naps still) and pay $18/hr for 40 hours which I KNOW is on the high side.. so my nanny makes $30 less a week but works 10 hours less as well. You really need to do the gross hourly rate to do accurate comparisons.

This poster is right. OP, you seem to be paying under $15/hr and that is LOW for the DC area (my impression is $16-20/hr is standard for one child, gross). If she's been with you over a year and hasn't gotten a raise, that is an issue also. Since you're talking about the overall package you're offering, I find it curious that you make no mention of guaranteed hours, paid vacation, paid sick days, etc. Do you offer those benefits? The standard is two weeks paid vacation (one week of family's choosing, other of nanny's choosing), plus 3-5 paid sick days per year. Since many nanny employers in the area are government employees or contractors though, nannies often end up with lots of additional paid time off for federal holidays and so forth; I've heard it is fairly common for nannies to end up with 4-6 weeks of paid time off each year. If she is comparing her compensation package with her nanny friends' and she doesn't get as much paid time off as they do that might be frustrating her as well.

[Anonymous]

Op here $4300 gross. All benefits included - vacation, sick, holidays and two $2k bonuses a year.

[Anonymous]

It's a little over $1000 a week gross. Totally fair op!!! I love how these posters act like they are paying their nannies more than $50-56k a year....sure.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, your package is more than fair. She should not be complaining. Let me guess.. she thinks you can afford it and made out of money.

I don't know what to say to you. If she di d not ask directly, you have nothing to address.

I would maybe talk about one day how you hope to be able to buy this and that, right back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hmm, let's do it weekly so it's more comparable to most nanny employers. $3k net/month is about $750/week (using 4 weeks/month). You say that's net. I am going to assume when you say you cover all taxes you are just talking fica? (If you are also withholding fed and state taxes you need to talk gross numbers since those are so variable). So grossed up is $812/week. Since 10 hours are OT - you are paying less than $15/hr.

We have a very easy 16 month old (takes long naps still) and pay $18/hr for 40 hours which I KNOW is on the high side.. so my nanny makes $30 less a week but works 10 hours less as well. You really need to do the gross hourly rate to do accurate comparisons.

This poster is right. OP, you seem to be paying under $15/hr and that is LOW for the DC area (my impression is $16-20/hr is standard for one child, gross). If she's been with you over a year and hasn't gotten a raise, that is an issue also. Since you're talking about the overall package you're offering, I find it curious that you make no mention of guaranteed hours, paid vacation, paid sick days, etc. Do you offer those benefits? The standard is two weeks paid vacation (one week of family's choosing, other of nanny's choosing), plus 3-5 paid sick days per year. Since many nanny employers in the area are government employees or contractors though, nannies often end up with lots of additional paid time off for federal holidays and so forth; I've heard it is fairly common for nannies to end up with 4-6 weeks of paid time off each year. If she is comparing her compensation package with her nanny friends' and she doesn't get as much paid time off as they do that might be frustrating her as well.

I want to live in your universe where nannies get paid time of 4-6 weeks off per year. That's a month off paid. Right. Nannies get that. In DC. NOT.