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[quote=Anonymous]Okay, live-in nanny here, with experience in positions ranging from 20 hours per week up to 24/7.

There's a world of difference between an AP and a nanny.  As you are no doubt aware, most APs have to have their hand held for a few days to 2 weeks while they learn that it's a real job with real responsibilities.  You have a ton of things to do with them (SS card, bank account, etc.), and none of that is applicable with a live-in nanny, so kudos!

Most nannies will do a trial day, and at least a portion of that should be under normal working conditions, so you should do what you normally do (ie. work in your home office or go into the office).  That's so that you can see if the nanny can do the job, but it's also so that the nanny can see what the position is really like and whether it was as described (no WAHP if she was told that parents wouldn't be home...).  For live-in positions, I always negotiate for 1-2 weeks as a trial, to feel out all the particulars that come with sharing living space.  I've come across some real doozies, and I know that some of the families have had several issues crop up too, and that time period allows for an out more easily.

I understand that you probably had to spell out exactly what you wanted the AP to do, when to do it, how to do it.  The great thing about a live-in nanny is that she shouldn't need that!  Within a week or two (at most), she should be able to look around and see what needs to be done, know how your family does it, and get it done without prompting.  But!  It's all about what you negotiate.  If she sees something that's kid-related (some of the toys in the playroom should be organized better, and while she's doing that, she can sterilize them), great!  If it's not kid-related (the bathroom off the living room, which parents use, needs to be cleaned), she may or may not do it, if it's not in the contract.  You do want to be careful about micromanaging, especially since that's what you've had to do for several years.  Most nannies don't like it, don't need it, and will quickly start to resent it.

With a live-in nanny, you have the opportunity to ask for more housekeeping, house manager and/or family assistant duties.  However, most nannies will know that they can ask for more money as compensation.  Some will ask for a flat fee for each additional task.  Others will ask for the hourly rate to be increased overall, because they know that other things will come up later.  Either way, you can negotiate for what you want.  I always negotiate for the hourly rate to increase, and we list as many tasks in the contract that we can imagine, and there's an addendum to add more if and when they come up, but I reserve the right to negotiate the hourly wage again if they want to add something that I truly hate or that is well outside of the scope of what I do normally.  (I had a family ask me to go clean their mother's house once a week, 3 weeks after we signed the contract.  I went and looked at the condition of the house, the number of litter boxes and animals, and I told them that I was willing to do it only if they increased my hourly rate by $3.50 and budgeted 10 hours minimum per week towards that, and I would not have the kids with me.  It didn't go over well, but once they got estimates from actual housekeepers and a cleaning company...  They understood better why I asked for that.)  So, yes, she could absolutely do Target runs (expected, if it's for the kids!), go grocery shopping (just for kids or negotiate for the whole family), do errands like picking up prescriptions and drop off/pick up dry cleaning (negotiate), or other tasks (address and stamp envelopes for Christmas cards, then have each child sign, so that you only have to sign and mail them; negotiate).  With only 50 hours as your base schedule, the more you add, the more hours she will work and the more hours you will pay out, so keep that in mind.

Oh thing you said made me pause.  You said that you have up to 50 hours, and that's what her weekly salary is for.  Okay, so it sounds like you are guaranteeing 50 hours' pay per week, and in return, she will be ready and able to work those 50 hours.  However!  In your contract, you need to write out her hourly rate, write out that you are guaranteeing 50 hours' pay each week IF she's ready and able to work for the scheduled shifts (whether you are there or not), and that she will be paid weekly or bi-weekly for all hours worked.  You need to decide whether you're planning on withholding just FICA or federal, state and local taxes as well, and that needs to be in the contract.  Decide whether you will be paying for worker's compensation insurance, and include that.  Make sure that you have unemployment insurance set up, and include that in the contract.  Even though you can't deduct either one from her salary, you will find that professional nannies expect both, and it makes them much more comfortable working for you.  Yes, you need to address sick kids and snow days as something aberrant, paid at the normal rate, and with as much notification as possible.  Best practice is that make sure that she knows that she is on call for school/daycare during those hours.

You need to decide what you will do about benefits.  How many weeks of vacation, PTO and/or sick days?  How much notice do you need?  How much notice will you give her about your vacations?  Will you separate vacation weeks into her choice and your choice?  Under what conditions can she take sick days?  (Most live-in nannies have already exposed the kids, so rule of thumb usually involves an inability to drive, leave the bathroom and/or bed, etc.).  Spell out which days are paid holidays.  (Christmas, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Easter are the big four, some people give their religious holidays, others do federal holidays, some do some of each, some give Black Friday and Christmas Eve, some stick to only the big four.)  Decide if you will pay part or all of her health insurance (not taxed).  Decide if you're going to provide a work phone.

When a nanny keeps the kids overnight, you have to negotiate.  It's not as simple as just cutting hours here and there over the week, because it means that she could go 12 days without a day off.  So, talk to her, negotiate.  If you can give her the Thursday before you leave on Friday off, then the Monday or Tuesday after you return, that's great.  Maybe you can't do that, but you could do a half day a different day.  Maybe you can't do any of those, you need to be able to work.  Rule of thumb is this:  Nanny is paid for 16 hours per day while you are gone (even if kids are in school or daycare, because she's on the whole time, she's the one dealing with anything that comes up).  If your children sleep through the night, the 8 hours for her to sleep is paid as a flat rate (usually $50-100) for live-out nannies, but most live-in nannies aren't paid extra for overnights.  If your children don't sleep through the night, she gets paid hourly.

Some live-in nannies are provided a vehicle, some bring their own.  Include in your contract which it will be, and how things will be paid.  Deductible if she's using it on her time?  Gas, parking, tolls?  Some families keep a mileage book in the car that they provide for the nanny, and they reimburse gas based on the ratio of mileage with kids to mileage just for her.

Make sure you have something in the contract about a review at the end of the trial period, at 3 or 6 months, and then (a minimum of) yearly.

You may want to include something about jury duty and bereavement leave.  Both are usually unexpected, but if you have it written in, it's less hassle later.

Make sure that you have something in the contract about traveling with the family.  Rule of thumb is that if she's working, she's paid for the whole time she travels, and you pay for all travel, accommodations, food, but entertainment is only paid while with the kids.  Overnight doesn't need to be paid if she has her own room, but if she has at least one child in her room, she gets paid hourly.  On the other hand, if you invite her along, but she isn't expected to work, she pays for everything for herself, and the expectation is that she will join you for meals and entertainment when invited if she feels inclined.  Most families only take the nanny if they want the kids to have fun, but they know that they'll have to work, and many nannies appreciate the time at home alone (with guaranteed pay).  I know I do the biggest tasks while my NF travels, because it doesn't matter if I have everything put away each night, as long as everything is finished when they get back.

Most nannies sign a confidentiality agreement, either as part of the contract or separately.  Be sure to be clear about what is covered and what isn't.  Most nannies won't have a problem signing if they are allowed to use you as a reference.  That means they are allowed to describe your position in general terms, and they're allowed to go into specifics about their experience without mentioning which family it was with.

You need to have a section about termination.  With a live-in nanny, this is not only her job, it's also her domicile.  Termination for cause could mean that she packs and leaves immediately.  However, if there's no cause, you need to think about how long you can give her, so that she has a chance to either find another family or make other arrangements.  Most live-in nannies are given at least 2 weeks, many are given 4.  While one of my families said a minimum of 4 weeks in the contract, they gave me months of notice.  The more notice you put in the contract, the more goodwill you build with your nanny.  And if you exceed that generosity later?  It pays off with a nanny who stays until the last moment that you need her. :)

You may want to include something about what happens if you lose a job and/or move.  Some live-in nannies will agree to a short-term pay cut in the event that a parent loses a job, but it has to be spelled out in the contract ahead of time.  Some live-in nannies will move with you anywhere in the country, others want to stay in the same area.  Depending on whether you write the contract for 1-2 years or for more, it may be more likely that one or both may happen.

As to food:  You've had APs, so you know some of this.  Sometimes a nanny eats with you (or just your kids), sometimes she eats by herself.  Anything she eats at home, comes out of the refrigerator, pantry or freezer, unless specifically negotiated otherwise.  She has full access to the kitchen at all times, unless specifically negotiated otherwise.  You need to agree to the method of adding things to the groceries, what you are okay with adding, and the amount.  If she can't eat some of the things you buy and needs to supplement with other things, what are you willing and able to do?  I know I can usually make do with whatever a family eats, as long as there is enough produce and meat for a week; however, I was encouraged by another live-in nanny to include this in the contract, and when I worked for a family who only ate heavily processed, sugary or fat-laden junk food, I was very glad!  It all depends on what your nanny can eat, and what she's used to eating.

I'm sure that there are more things that could or should be listed, but I'm not looking at my contract right now.  Good luck, OP![/quote]

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