Advice on Nanny Package

[Anonymous]

We are about to start the nanny search for our six-month-old son. We are looking for a nanny with experience with babies and a college degree. Obviously willing to pay a premium for that. Is $25-$27 too low? We are flexible on cash vs. not and can adjust the salary accordingly. M-F, 8ish to 6ish, again flexible on hours and would appreciate any advice on how to structure. In terms of benefits, we will definitely offer guaranteed hours and OT, federal holidays and paid vacation and sick days. Any advice on other benefits we should include (subsidy for health insurance?), and where we will have the best luck posting for the job? I know it is competitive out there.

[Anonymous]

Feel free to shoot me an email, I'd be happy to answer all of these questions in detail. I run a local agency and am a mom of two with a nanny myself. I was a nanny for 10 years prior to moving into an agency role so I totally get it from all perspectives-

[e-mail] (not .com)

[Anonymous]

I think that you are going to get tons of great nannies for $25

[Anonymous]

If you are guaranteeing OT, just be clear if $25 is the base rate (plus the 5 OT hours at $37.5/hour), or if $25 is the average hourly rate.

Either way, you should be able to find good candidates at those rates, but also beware that you don't always get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are guaranteeing OT, just be clear if $25 is the base rate (plus the 5 OT hours at $37.5/hour), or if $25 is the average hourly rate.

Either way, you should be able to find good candidates at those rates, but also beware that you don't always get what you pay for.

That’s a great point on both. Does anyone have a view as to whether an agency helps to get what you pay for? I get the sense from some nannies that post here that agencies are where less qualified nannies go when they don’t have the strength of word of mouth, but we have used an agency for our night nannies and generally have been really pleased.

[Anonymous]

Just want to remind you to put in the contract that vacation time must be accrued to get used. So nobody can start and five weeks in say they're using their two weeks of yearly vacation then.

[Anonymous]

I’d start at $27 for a college graduate or $25 with a generous monthly healthcare stipend if she needs it.

[Anonymous]

Try care.com and you look through the profiles. If you place an ad be stunningly specific about wanting a college degree, years of experience, knowledge of RIE or what ever child-rearing you’re into, and what you would expect the nanny to do with the baby (narration, read, sing, sign...).

We were with an agency and willing to pay but I found the world’s greatest nanny in care.com. She’s been with us for three years.

[Anonymous]

No, I do not think $25-27 is too low for an experienced as well as educated Nanny.
I think your benefits sound about just right, however wanted to note that paying OT is more of a requirement vs. a “benefit.”

I also encourage you to seek a Nanny who is Infant/Child CPR certified and has First-Aid recent certifications as well as an extensive background check as well.
Plus if driving is part of your prospective Nanny duties, then a clean DMV printout should be necessary.

Your Nanny compensation package sounds more than fair!
I recommend going through a very reputable Nanny agency in your local area and/or ask other parents that you know if they can give you a referral.
Care.com is kind of iffy because it allows anyone to post an online profile & claim automatically that they are a Nanny.
But it is entirely possible to find a great person on there.
It is the luck of the draw so to speak.

->> I wish you all the best in your Nanny search + hope you find yourself a loving, responsible and competent candidate!!

[Anonymous]

If you want to keep the nanny around for several years, factor raises into your budget. $25-27 is high for one baby for 50 hours per week, assuming that's the base pay.

[Anonymous]

For college educated it may be low. Don't forget health care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to keep the nanny around for several years, factor raises into your budget. $25-27 is high for one baby for 50 hours per week, assuming that's the base pay.

Nannies with college degrees are expensive to start regardless of the salary trajectory. DH and I both get annual raises to keep up with nanny’s increases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For college educated it may be low. Don't forget health care.

Healthcare may not be needed. Our college grad nanny is covered under her husband’s policy. Another older nanny I know is a former teacher and coveted under her union and Medicare (she’s obviously over 65).