How Do You Educate Your Employer About Bonus?

[Anonymous]

^^Prime example of someone with no business hiring a quality nanny. Clearly she can't actually afford it, but will tell everyone her nanny doesn't deserve this or that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To all the posters complaining that they never get a bonus, why exactly do you think bonuses are common? They really aren't common in the DC area. I don't know anyone who gets one. Gift cards and presents yes but these full week bonuses are not very common. You shouldn't feel bad it isn't a reflection on your performance.

Because people like OP read to much into DCUM and see all the fake nannies inflating rates and bonuses and she doesn't realize that many don't actually receive bonuses. Maybe a gift or two but a weeks salary? Ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Prime example of someone with no business hiring a quality nanny. Clearly she can't actually afford it, but will tell everyone her nanny doesn't deserve this or that.

I'm 10:55 and I am a nanny. Now, if I were given bonuses on a regular basis every year of course I'm not going to refuse, but if I'm not, I'm not going to be bitter unless I don't feel appreciated in other ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all the posters complaining that they never get a bonus, why exactly do you think bonuses are common? They really aren't common in the DC area. I don't know anyone who gets one. Gift cards and presents yes but these full week bonuses are not very common. You shouldn't feel bad it isn't a reflection on your performance.

Because people like OP read to much into DCUM and see all the fake nannies inflating rates and bonuses and she doesn't realize that many don't actually receive bonuses. Maybe a gift or two but a weeks salary? Ha.

I have had families pay me bonuses at Christmas, and others who haven't. I didn't think lesser of the families who didn't give bonuses. Some of the best gifts I have enjoyed are the homemade cards from the kids. My yearly raises and salary reflect the quality of a job I am doing for a family, not a bonus. Don't get me wrong, a bonus is nice, but it isn't the only way an employer can show appreciation to an employee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A herein lies the issue. Many MBs on this board expressly desire an experienced, highly recommended, sometimes educated, bilingual, generally talented, above and beyond type nanny. No one wants to admit that they can't afford THAT nanny. If you hired THAT nanny, SHE deserves a bonus. If you hired an inexperienced middle of the road middle class nanny (read:babysitter), and you pay her a middle of the road, affordable on a middle class income type salary, with middle class benefits, a gift and a card is likely fine. The problem is when a middle class family pays middle class wages to a truly qualified highly recommended nanny, and they forgo the bonus she has, by any standards, earned. That is not fair, and you need to admit that you can't afford her.

I do agree though that the term nanny is far too overused. If you've never heard of a nanny bonus, you either haven't hired one, or you had no business doing so. And if you're working for bosses that don't know what they're doing being an employer of household staff, you can either do better, or you're not as amazing as you think.

What is this jewel of a nanny doing working for a middle class family with middle class wages? Who held a gun to her head to make her take that job? If she took it, do you think maybe she thought that was good enough for her?

[Anonymous]

Please don't give your entitled help a bonus. It may make them feel valued and a important person in your children's life. You wouldn't want that. Also you need the extra $ to pay this months Lexus lees payment. It is much more important showing off to your friends and family. It also looks great to others that you can employ household help. But I know what your nanny would truly love, coming along on your fancy vacation...to work. But you don't have to pay her extra because you are paying for her flight and and room (that she will share with your children) at a luxury resort. You won't think to let her have the day off for Christmas, because you will invite her to sit with you in the restaurant for dinner. You will have her give your children and you the most thoughtful of gifts. But she will be glowing with joy when you give her a $10 Starbucks gift card. Then you will sign the check for dinner and give the waiter a 30 percent tip, and remark that it's such a shame he has to work on Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Prime example of someone with no business hiring a quality nanny. Clearly she can't actually afford it, but will tell everyone her nanny doesn't deserve this or that.

Who made you the authority on who may and may not hire a nanny? Were most MBs to stick to your qualifications, we would all be out a job. The nature of nanny care is very different than it used to be 20 years ago, and it is a viable and valid option for many families now (even the ones who don't make enough to pay a nanny $60,000 a year with full benefits and $1,000 bonuses every year). Be grateful for what you have and stop trying to tell other people what to do and to impose some sort of arbitrary rules on an industry that is completely unregulated. It doesn't make you look superior, just obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

I get mine a nice gift.

I pay her when I take days off unexpectedly and don't need her. She gets paid holidays plus paid vacation. I pay ot for anything over 8 hours a day even though my state doesn't require it. I am not throwing a cash bonus on top of it. She is good. But she doesn't exceed expectations most if the time. Bonuses are extras, not expected or customary payments.

[Anonymous]

OMG. In the real world not everybody gets bonuses and if you have an excellent package, your employer might not consider a bones even if they know about them.

In the real world, if an employee tried to "educate" an employer on a bonus, that employee might find themselves out of a job.