Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some excellent suggestions here and I agree with most of them except the quarterly recommendation. I would consider a yearly, as an MB, but not a quarterly. If a nanny flames out and I need to fire her for cause (hasn't happened yet), I don't think she deserves the luxury of a recent glowing letter to secure her next job.

Try to think of it from a different perspective. A nanny who does a great job, whose employers love her deserves a glowing letter of reference even if her employers suddenly change their opinion of her when she gives notice to move on to something else. This happens more often than you would think, so I feel it's fair for a nanny to have things in the contract protecting her just as the contract protects the parents.

+1

Anonymous wrote:There are some excellent suggestions here and I agree with most of them except the quarterly recommendation. I would consider a yearly, as an MB, but not a quarterly. If a nanny flames out and I need to fire her for cause (hasn't happened yet), I don't think she deserves the luxury of a recent glowing letter to secure her next job.

Try to think of it from a different perspective. A nanny who does a great job, whose employers love her deserves a glowing letter of reference even if her employers suddenly change their opinion of her when she gives notice to move on to something else. This happens more often than you would think, so I feel it's fair for a nanny to have things in the contract protecting her just as the contract protects the parents.

There are some excellent suggestions here and I agree with most of them except the quarterly recommendation. I would consider a yearly, as an MB, but not a quarterly. If a nanny flames out and I need to fire her for cause (hasn't happened yet), I don't think she deserves the luxury of a recent glowing letter to secure her next job.

MB here - some great advice above. In our contract we specify exact hours/days of the week, salary amount per week and what that equates to as regular and overtime hourly rates, number of vacation days, number (and which) of paid federal holidays, and number of sick days.

We detail additional benefits (car allowance, healthcare contribution, etc...). We specify giving notice from either party in the event of termination or departure from position. We specify grounds for termination with cause (breach of trust, theft, endangering the child, breaching terms of contract). We specify that the parents are in charge of decisions re schedule, diet, activities etc... but nanny is included in those decisions and her input is sought. We specify who is allowed access to the house and what the parameters are for the nanny re those issues (maintenance work, housecleaners, friends, family, guests, etc...) We specify that the nanny has full use/access to all shared household space and amenities (place to keep food, use of phone, etc...)

We specify that we will pay all appropriate taxes and manage withholding, that salary will be direct deposited weekly, etc...

I think those are most of the key points. We also do an annual update/addendum - which usually is just a letter saying how happy we are to have our nanny with us, giving her a raise (and detailing that) and any other adjustments/bonus amounts/perks... It serves as documentation of salary adjustments and also a review of sorts.

I think an annual "evaluation" discussion is a great idea and wish I'd built that in. Will keep that in mind in the future.

OP here -- I have been with the family for 7 months without a contract and they are the best employers I have ever had. They are always very respectful and I have never felt taken advantage of. They are very appreciative of what I do. I am wondering if all of these things are really necessary to include in the contract.... I feel like since we already have such a great relationship that if I want to include some things that it will seem like I don't trust them or like I think they are going to screw them over. I don't want to hurt the relationship that we have but I also don't want to be naive.

Also, do NOT let them wrangle you into only taking YOUR vacation ONLY when they take theirs. You need a week of your choosing as well. I was an idiot and did this, and they rarely give me much notice, so I never know very far in advance when I will have time off. It sucks.

OP here -- Thank you for all of the responses, they are very helpful.

Excellent recommendations, especially about routine quarterly reference letters. VERY important.

A clarification on how guaranteed hours will be handled when grandparents are in town or the parents' schedule otherwise changes - i.e. you cannot ask me to leave early Tuesday and Wednesday and make those hours up on Saturday. I am available for my scheduled hours and am happy to work, but if you don't need me I still get paid (like a daycare). This is never an issue until it is, and then it's uncomfortable for everyone, so I put it in the work agreement very explicitly.

Include a schedule for sitting down to revisit the work agreement/duties/pay (monthly, quarterly, etc.) so if something starts to feel off you have something easy to refer to so as to bring it up for discussion.

I include a clause about nanny cams - parents reserve the right to use them but will inform nanny of their presence prior to recording. They don't have to tell me where they are, only that they have them, and cannot put them in or angled toward the bathroom.

Mileage. Include mileage compensation at current IRS rates. I thought my job wouldn't involve any driving and then they started asking me to take their dog to the groomers, etc. so just put it in off the bat to be safe.

In mine, it is also explicit that I will give four weeks notice (or more) before scheduling my week of vacation and they will likewise give me a minimum of four weeks notice on when they plan to use theirs.

Employers will provide a written letter of recommendation every four months, for use in applying to PT jobs etc. It's also a nice way to get a written review regularly.

OT pay (1.5) for hours worked over 40 hours a week, with weeks running Monday-Sunday.

Expectations for sick days or using other PTO. This probably doesn't need to be in a contract but it is an easy way to discuss it if you haven't already. How much notice do the parents require and how would they like to be contacted? Are they okay with me coming in with a cold, but not with a cough? What about a fever but otherwise feeling okay? etc. etc.

Anonymous wrote:Is there a diplomatic way to say that parents need to be proactive parents? Sometimes they seem to want to delegate the unpleasant parts to the nanny, even when the parents are "on duty". So not cool. No body respects parents like that.

Perhaps in the section that defines the nanny duties, add a statement that say nanny will be responsible for these duties during work hours only and it is understood that parents are responsible for them during off hours (cleaning bottles and baby dishes, wiping surfaces and high chair tray, picking up play room, etc)

Is there a diplomatic way to say that parents need to be proactive parents? Sometimes they seem to want to delegate the unpleasant parts to the nanny, even when the parents are "on duty". So not cool. No body respects parents like that.

Anonymous wrote:Late fees (25/day) for late paychecks.

+1

Late fees (25/day) for late paychecks.

If I could do my contract over again, I would be explicit about a need for at least 3 paid sick days. I would also be more explicit about things that I expect from my employers to make the situation work. For example requiring a text or phone call when they will be more than 10 minutes late. Also requiring a certain amount of notice for the shared portion of my vacation, a compensation review whenever new duties are requested or at the end of a contract, and a statement that my availability for them is blocked off for the hours they have requested in writing and that banking unused hours is not okay.

I have been working for my nanny family for the last seven months. We were supposed to sign our contract when I first started but we never got around to it. My hours are about to be changing from 4 days a week to 5 days a week and it is the perfect time to sit down for an evaluation and redraft our work agreement so we can finally get it signed. Even though there hasn't been a contract, we have had no problems this far.

I am looking for tips regarding the contract and what you like to include in it. I would like an MB and nanny perspective but am especially interested in what nannies have to say. What is included in your work agreement? Is there anything you wish was included but that isn't?

Please do not just tell me to look at Google. I do not want a generic contract, I am looking for personal recommendations from individuals who have or have had contracts in the past. Thank you.