I know it's a law, but why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Government Affairs Committee shares information only, absolutely NO lobbying activity takes place. Individual members are welcome to lobby for their own point of view.

http://nanny.org/governmental-affairs

Interesting. Would the INA controlling nanny agencies allow INA nannies to lobby on behalf of INA, assuming of course that they had majority support of INA nannies?

Why do you say that "individual members are welcome to lobby for their own point of view", if the INA website says, "INA must be a proactive association"?

[Anonymous]

What's the point of paying annual dues to be part of the International Nanny Association, a 900 member organization, that does not advocate for its nanny members?

[Anonymous]

Do you have to join the INA to see its finances? What are they doing for its nanny members?

[Anonymous]

You all should check out the National Domestic Workers' Alliance http://www.domesticworkers.org/ This is the organization that got the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights passed in NY a few years ago http://www.labor.ny.gov/legal/domestic-workers-bill-of-rights.shtm and just recently in Hawaii http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/05/02/1955901/hawaii-domestic-workers-bill-of-rights/?mobile=nc. They're working on it in CA as well.

This is their local partner: http://www.ips-dc.org/BTCC

[Anonymous]

This is a really important issue that I want to bring out in my book I am writing - see my post "nanny writing a book - INPUT"

It is time this industry protected it's workers - it's a disgrace!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a really important issue that I want to bring out in my book I am writing - see my post "nanny writing a book - INPUT"

It is time this industry protected it's workers - it's a disgrace!

But oh no, that would make the ina board very upset. Agencies are fighting this.

[Anonymous]

They have yet to address these issues....

[Anonymous]

The INA board ignoring these issues will not make them go away. Just like anything else, the longer you ignore problems, the worse they get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of our employers and nanny agencies have professional lobbyists advocating for these loopholes in the law. No one is advocating for nanny rights or protection. No one that I am aware of. Someone please correct me, with all details, if I am wrong.

This is one of the many problems with the ina, International NANNY Association. Their attorneys and lobbyists are advocating for laws that financially benefit nanny agencies and their clients, not for the nannies.

[Anonymous]

Nannies need to get the Teamsters to organize their union. You will get OT, plus better wages, benefits. The nanny agencies are in cahoots with the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all should check out the National Domestic Workers' Alliance http://www.domesticworkers.org/ This is the organization that got the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights passed in NY a few years ago http://www.labor.ny.gov/legal/domestic-workers-bill-of-rights.shtm and just recently in Hawaii http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/05/02/1955901/hawaii-domestic-workers-bill-of-rights/?mobile=nc. They're working on it in CA as well.

This is their local partner: http://www.ips-dc.org/BTCC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nannies need to get the Teamsters to organize their union. You will get OT, plus better wages, benefits. The nanny agencies are in cahoots with the parents.

I want this in my industry too but unions are dead.

Also I'm a salaried employee so I never get overtime. The more I work, the less I make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nannies need to get the Teamsters to organize their union. You will get OT, plus better wages, benefits. The nanny agencies are in cahoots with the parents.

I want this in my industry too but unions are dead.

Also I'm a salaried employee so I never get overtime. The more I work, the less I make.

1. What's your salary? And how many hours a week do you work on average? Do tell.

I'll tell you with complete certainty that you don't need a union because you have you know... women's rights. Hard fought, but only for rich women. Yet you fight against extending similar rights for your own employees. Funny how that works, unless you're the one without basic worker rights.

2. Zillions of workers have unions. Teachers, cops, and tradesmen, to name a few.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'm going to tackle this point by point. For what it's worth, I'm a nanny who only applies for live-in positions, and I advocate for myself. When I interview with a family who advertises a decent rate but the package turns out to be below minimum wage, I report them to Wage and Labor.

1. Many live-in nannies are paid salary, because the lines between working and off duty can blur so easily. According to the regulations, as long as the number of hours is a reasonable approximate, the nanny and family can do that. So, I negotiate for either a. a salary that stays constant every week of the year, with overtime if the family goes over a maximum number of hours ($x for anything up to 50 hours, $y/hour for hours above that) or b. separate salaries for school weeks and non-school weeks (if a child is out of school for 2+ days, it's paid at the non-school rate).

2. Employers must pay for ALL hours unless the nanny is able to sleep 5 consecutive hours during a 24 hour shift. In that case, the parent is required to pay for all hours in the first 24 hour shift, but the later shifts in which she sleeps at least 5 consecutive hours do not have to have the nanny's sleep period paid, up to 8 hours. Personally, I consider this reasonable. If I'm working 24 hour shifts, either the child is young enough that the child wakes and I don't get 5 consecutive hours of sleep, so I'm paid for all hours, or the child is old enough to sttn, so I'm paid hourly for the first overnight per week, plus any night that the child wakes up. Because the reduction only applies for someone working 24 shifts consecutively, it cuts down on employers taking advantage, and I'm well paid.

3. Live-in nannies are not eligible for overtime except in certain states. Sorry, but I understand this. A live-in nanny who was guaranteed overtime might argue that she should keep track of every minute that she helped kids when she stepped into the main area, and that's ridiculous. This is precisely why I negotiate for salary.

4. Room and board can only be deducted from the nanny's salary if they are provided for the nanny's convenience. A 24 hour nanny is there all the time working, so for her it's not a convenience. A parent who leaves for work before 5 am is unlikely to find a live-out nanny who is willing to do it, stay long-term and be reliable, so a live-in nanny is a necessity. A surgeon who is on call nights and weekends needs the nanny to also be on call, and most live-out nannies can't and won't drop everything, nor will they agree to remain in a 5 minute radius of the house. If the family advertises for a normal schedule, and offers live-in as an option but doesn't require it, then the employer can deduct room and board with the nanny's knowledge and consent.

Minimum wage is low in most areas, but most nannies make more. My last position paid $650/week to start, no housekeeping, just care for toddler twins (40 hours per week, live-in). I've also had part-time, other full-time and one 24/7 position. I don't burn out if I can determine how things can be done more efficiently, and I love working with families who need full-time plus up to 24/7. Of course, the most important word is NEED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I'm going to tackle this point by point. For what it's worth, I'm a nanny who only applies for live-in positions, and I advocate for myself. When I interview with a family who advertises a decent rate but the package turns out to be below minimum wage, I report them to Wage and Labor.

1. Many live-in nannies are paid salary, because the lines between working and off duty can blur so easily. According to the regulations, as long as the number of hours is a reasonable approximate, the nanny and family can do that. So, I negotiate for either a. a salary that stays constant every week of the year, with overtime if the family goes over a maximum number of hours ($x for anything up to 50 hours, $y/hour for hours above that) or b. separate salaries for school weeks and non-school weeks (if a child is out of school for 2+ days, it's paid at the non-school rate).

2. Employers must pay for ALL hours unless the nanny is able to sleep 5 consecutive hours during a 24 hour shift. In that case, the parent is required to pay for all hours in the first 24 hour shift, but the later shifts in which she sleeps at least 5 consecutive hours do not have to have the nanny's sleep period paid, up to 8 hours. Personally, I consider this reasonable. If I'm working 24 hour shifts, either the child is young enough that the child wakes and I don't get 5 consecutive hours of sleep, so I'm paid for all hours, or the child is old enough to sttn, so I'm paid hourly for the first overnight per week, plus any night that the child wakes up. Because the reduction only applies for someone working 24 shifts consecutively, it cuts down on employers taking advantage, and I'm well paid.

3. Live-in nannies are not eligible for overtime except in certain states. Sorry, but I understand this. A live-in nanny who was guaranteed overtime might argue that she should keep track of every minute that she helped kids when she stepped into the main area, and that's ridiculous. This is precisely why I negotiate for salary.

4. Room and board can only be deducted from the nanny's salary if they are provided for the nanny's convenience. A 24 hour nanny is there all the time working, so for her it's not a convenience. A parent who leaves for work before 5 am is unlikely to find a live-out nanny who is willing to do it, stay long-term and be reliable, so a live-in nanny is a necessity. A surgeon who is on call nights and weekends needs the nanny to also be on call, and most live-out nannies can't and won't drop everything, nor will they agree to remain in a 5 minute radius of the house. If the family advertises for a normal schedule, and offers live-in as an option but doesn't require it, then the employer can deduct room and board with the nanny's knowledge and consent.

Minimum wage is low in most areas, but most nannies make more. My last position paid $650/week to start, no housekeeping, just care for toddler twins (40 hours per week, live-in). I've also had part-time, other full-time and one 24/7 position. I don't burn out if I can determine how things can be done more efficiently, and I love working with families who need full-time plus up to 24/7. Of course, the most important word is NEED.

It's great that you know your rights, are confident and able to advocate for yourself, and haven't had employers trying to take advantage of you. However surely you understand that you do not represent the majority of nannies, especially live-in?

I'm actually doing research on the laws governing domestic employment and the level of adherence to those laws, and the sad fact is that most nannies aren't even receiving the little bit of protection afforded to them by the law. A national survey found that 67% of live-in employees aren't receiving minimum wage. That's 2 out of 3. 50% of them are working schedules that do not regularly allow for 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

There is a lot that needs to be done to better protect the rights of domestic employees, and it doesn't help when the well-off educated ones who have it pretty good discount the reality of so many others.