Nanny agency policy: ridiculous, or is it just me?

[Anonymous]

I am writing from a moderately large city, not DC (rates here are slightly lower than in DC). In my time living here (4 years) I've never had any trouble finding nanny jobs at $13-15/hr (I don't accept jobs for less than $13/hr, and obviously expect more when more work is involved). I have full time employment between two great families at $15/hr each (two kids each; not a share so no more than two kids at a time), and I've been working with them for three years and one year, respectively.

I've been considering taking on an evening and or weekend nanny job as well, and I saw a post from a local nanny agency on care.com last week. It said "local family in X neighborhood with two young children needs help Monday through Thursday 6pm-9pm and every other Saturday 11am-3pm. Nanny is expected to prepare meals, wash dishes, sweep, vacuum, bathe children and put them to bed. Apply directly with agency, $12-14/hr."

They live in my neighborhood and the hours seemed perfect for me, so I applied. I filled out their lengthy application online (including work history for the past decade, my address, education, certifications, references, lengthy bio about me and lots of specific questions about my preferred child-rearing styles, my comfortability with specific household related tasks, my transportation, my personal habits (such as do you smoke) my availability, and so forth). I filled it out, then received a follow up email from the agency stating they would be contacting my references, and asked me some more specific questions ("how would you handle this specific scenario?" How would you handle that specific scenario?" Etc). I responded with my answers.

Then, the next day, they sent me this: "We noticed in your application that you said your preferred rate of compensation is $13-16/hr, depending upon position requirements. Our policy is that all nannies who register with us start at $12/hr, regardless of other factors. Raises are available on a yearly basis. Would you like to move forward with your application?"

My reaction is: WHAT THE F***?

So, even though I have a bachelors degree in ECE, and TWELVE years of full time nanny experience, I have to start at the same rate of pay as EVERYONE who applies, regardless of education or experience?? And, EVERY job pays the same, regardless of how many children or household duties are required in the position??

I just...can't even. I've worked with two other nanny agencies before (one in DC before I moved, one here), and neither of them had such a ridiculous policy (they both allowed families to set a rate and work with nannies together to agree on compensation both parties were happy with).

The thing that bothers me the most about this policy is, from a practical business standpoint, doesn't that ONLY attract under qualified nannies? Because any nanny who has experience and education will know that she is worth more than that, especially for a job with two young children and housekeeping duties! Also it bugs me that on care.com it says $12-14/hr, but clearly no one who applies through care.com is going to get a penny over $12/hr; seems very deceptive to me!

What do you all think about this policy? Have you ever heard of an agency with a policy like this before?

[Anonymous]

Which agency? We want to know who to stay away from. Was it College Tutors? It think they do that to.

[Anonymous]

Wow.

Enployer here and I've found a wonderful nanny through care.com. we've since moved and we're considering going through an agency instead of weeding through care.com ourselves. I assumed that I would simply pay an agency fee and an agreed upon rate directly to the nanny. This is not the case? I see no reason the agency should be paid any differently than the way recruitment companies are paid in the corporate world....a single fee as a percentage of thr salary.

I don't care what people say about care.com. I've had a good experience (though I had to wade through a lot of garbage) and know highly qualified nannies (like the OP) are on there. I definitely pay more than $12/hr as well!

[Anonymous]

Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

[Anonymous]

Funny, these agencies pull from care.Com and craigslist.

I'll stick to.doing some extra work and use care.Com and cut out the middle man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Not true. Most agencies have moved to a compensation structure where their fee is based upon a percentage of the nanny's salary (Most often in the range of 10-20%). So the more money the nanny makes, the higher the agency's placement fee is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Nope, wrong. Agency fees are based on a percentage of first year salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Nope, wrong. Agency fees are based on a percentage of first year salary.

Is that a new APNA or INA requirement? That would be shocking.

[Anonymous]

Is it even LEGAL for an agency to limit a nanny's pay rate??

Agencies always make such a HUGE deal saying that those details are between the employer and the employee, because they don't want any possible liability.

That would be something to look into.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's ILLEGAL.

[Anonymous]

Look up this agency on Yelp and/or bbb.org.

See how good they are.

If they pretty much get rave reviews from NANNIES, not families than perhaps that is the going rate in your city.

Or look at some other nanny agency websites and compare rates.

[Anonymous]

Most of them aren't good. OP's experience is a common example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Honestly, an agency fee is about equal to two weeks nanny salary, or severance. So go it alone and pay out severance for it "not working out", or pay a placement fee to an agency do your searches and placements that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Honestly, an agency fee is about equal to two weeks nanny salary, or severance. So go it alone and pay out severance for it "not working out", or pay a placement fee to an agency do your searches and placements that way.

That's very interesting. I've never heard of a nanny agency charging only what's equal to two weeks nanny salary. What's the difference between that agency doing the searches and placements vs. all the nanny agencies who charge you 10-20% of the nanny's expected annual pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most agencies hate high earning nannies. The more the nanny costs, the less money is available for the exorbitant agency fees. People usually have an overall childcare budget.

Agency charges huge fees (for not much work) and then tells parents, "But the nanny we're giving you is a bargain $16/hour." That's how they justify their fees. They strip down nannies to poverty wages. Yep, try living on that in this area, let alone support a child.

Sweet.

Honestly, an agency fee is about equal to two weeks nanny salary, or severance. So go it alone and pay out severance for it "not working out", or pay a placement fee to an agency do your searches and placements that way.

That's very interesting. I've never heard of a nanny agency charging only what's equal to two weeks nanny salary. What's the difference between that agency doing the searches and placements vs. all the nanny agencies who charge you 10-20% of the nanny's expected annual pay?

Silence. It appears the agency owner(?) poster was in her creative marketing mode, rather than honesty. Typical. Be very careful if you deal with these people. Most of them have earned themselves a very poor reputation, with zero data indicating any success. This does not bode well for the industry. Something needs to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of them aren't good. OP's experience is a common example.

+1,000

I had one in the Southern California area who wanted to charge me a weeks pay, and charge the family as well. Owner even had the nerve to tell me "it shows that the nanny is committed to staying with the family" but not to worry if I could not afford it there were payment plans.

Then on the other had there are plenty of good agencies who charge a percentage of the nannies salary, and advocate well for BOTH sides.