Most families who have been convinced that they can afford a nanny, really can't.

Anonymous wrote:

Due to normal inflation, your earnings actually decrease, if you receive absolutely no raise, year after year. Ok, it's rocket science. Sorry.

Yes, that is the situation most families are facing, and as such, since they have received no raise, there is less available to give nannies a yearly raise.

Raises and bonuses might be expected, but they aren't compulsory. OP, you should have a yearly review in your contract and base any raise or bonus on outstanding job performance and decide on an amount that suits your family's budget.

+1 I am a nanny is this is all I expect from my employers. I like to know if they are happy with the job I'm doing, what I can do better, and I don't want a raise that is a hardship for the family to provide. If I'm working for a family that generally doesn't appreciate me or respect me I wouldn't renew my contract with them and a $1/hour raise isn't what's going to make me stay. Basically, being a great employer is what keeps a great nanny.

Due to normal inflation, your earnings actually decrease, if you receive absolutely no raise, year after year. Ok, it's rocket science. Sorry.

Yes, that is the situation most families are facing, and as such, since they have received no raise, there is less available to give nannies a yearly raise.

Raises and bonuses might be expected, but they aren't compulsory. OP, you should have a yearly review in your contract and base any raise or bonus on outstanding job performance and decide on an amount that suits your family's budget.

Due to normal inflation, your earnings actually decrease, if you receive absolutely no raise, year after year. Ok, it's rocket science. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I received a 50 cent raise after one year and was not insulted because, as someone suggested, I have many perks.
I get all federal holidays PTO, I am paid when they go on vacation, I get paid when I go on vacation (10 days a year), a week off at christmas paid, time and a half for overtime, and 3 paid sick days (though I've only used 1 in a year and a half). I make less than most nannies per hour, but at 50hrs a week, 52 weeks a year, I am doing just fine. And their vacation does not count as my vacation time. But because they treat me with so much respect, I make sure that my vacations days are at a convenient time for them and I give them months of advanced notice.
IMO security is the most important perk. I always know that I will be able to pay my bills, and I feel like my time is respected. I never have to worry about clearing my schedule for a job, only to have them cancel and not pay me.

Plus there is always ice cream in the freezer

Are you paid under the table? If not, how much did the $.50 raise work out to be weekly after taxes? Do you even notice it? Did your bosses increase any perks along with that .50 raise or did you have all these great perks to start? When you start your nanny with a ton of perks, there's nothing to really add at a certain point.

I was given a $0.50 raise and my hours increased from 35 to 50. I am paid on the books, and yes I noticed a difference. The perks have probably decreased actually, the LO was 6months when I started and just turned 2, so I don't get as much down time but I get to leave the house a lot more. But my Christmas bonus did double this year.
Again, I get treated with respect and my employers are honest with me about what they can afford and work with me to make sure it's a fair deal on both sides. If I felt disrespected or if I was talked down to, I would probably just quit.
Raises however are EARNED, just like a bonus. So if your nanny exerts a raise every year, then you should expect her to go above and beyond every damn day.

And hell no I wouldn't do my job for free. I love the kid, but my job is exhausting and I work damn hard for what I earn.

OP nannies of course hope for a yearly raise and hope its big but that doesn't mean that it happens. The positions that involve keeping a long term nanny usually hit a ceiling. Its also not unreasonable to make a change in nannies when the second child is born or further down the line if the nanny's expensive is not matching the market.

1. Don't overload on extra perks on the initial offer. Nanny candidates are looking for salary/rate first. You can offer lots of stuff but this becomes more of an entitlement and not as important in accepting the initial offer. If you add perks along the way to reward great performance, it will be more appreciated.

2. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Nannies will ask for a higher rates/salaries then the market or what they will accept. Every single candidate that we turned down because they were asking beyond our budget came back immediately offering to accept something within our budget. This allowed us to bank part of he budget for future raises.

3. Look at the candidate's job history, was she a long term nanny or someone who was always let go or left within 1-3 years. If you really want someone for long term then its more likely to find a match with someone who has done this before. One of characteristics of a long term nanny is flexibility in the tasks she will do and is capable of doing as children's needs change.

4.Realize that within your candidate pool you are seeing a chunk of nannies who no one else will hire. They are constantly circling all the ads. We were initially surprised how many nannies applied with strange expectations like bringing their child, couldn't drive, not paying taxes..deal breakers for us. They are not representative of the nanny market, just representative of the ones that have more difficulty finding a job.

Who knows, 1:27, the nanny might even announce that she loves her job so much, that there's no need to have to pay her anything.

OP just budget. If the nanny demands a yearly raise then give her $1 the first two years then 50 cents after that. Also, give her less of a bonus to make up for the raises (just don't tell her, lol.)

Budget it so it evens out. You don't have to give a huge raise, just something to show you appreciate her commitment to your family. The $.50-$1/hr raise can be a cost of living adjustment as well.

Anonymous wrote:I received a 50 cent raise after one year and was not insulted because, as someone suggested, I have many perks.
I get all federal holidays PTO, I am paid when they go on vacation, I get paid when I go on vacation (10 days a year), a week off at christmas paid, time and a half for overtime, and 3 paid sick days (though I've only used 1 in a year and a half). I make less than most nannies per hour, but at 50hrs a week, 52 weeks a year, I am doing just fine. And their vacation does not count as my vacation time. But because they treat me with so much respect, I make sure that my vacations days are at a convenient time for them and I give them months of advanced notice.
IMO security is the most important perk. I always know that I will be able to pay my bills, and I feel like my time is respected. I never have to worry about clearing my schedule for a job, only to have them cancel and not pay me.

Plus there is always ice cream in the freezer

Are you paid under the table? If not, how much did the $.50 raise work out to be weekly after taxes? Do you even notice it? Did your bosses increase any perks along with that .50 raise or did you have all these great perks to start? When you start your nanny with a ton of perks, there's nothing to really add at a certain point.

I received a 50 cent raise after one year and was not insulted because, as someone suggested, I have many perks.
I get all federal holidays PTO, I am paid when they go on vacation, I get paid when I go on vacation (10 days a year), a week off at christmas paid, time and a half for overtime, and 3 paid sick days (though I've only used 1 in a year and a half). I make less than most nannies per hour, but at 50hrs a week, 52 weeks a year, I am doing just fine. And their vacation does not count as my vacation time. But because they treat me with so much respect, I make sure that my vacations days are at a convenient time for them and I give them months of advanced notice.
IMO security is the most important perk. I always know that I will be able to pay my bills, and I feel like my time is respected. I never have to worry about clearing my schedule for a job, only to have them cancel and not pay me.

Plus there is always ice cream in the freezer

Wasn't there a "favorite nanny perks" thread resently?

You need to consider your own personal abilities.

Yes, 50 cents / hr might be insulting, especially if the nanny knows that would be nothing for you.

OP here, what kind of useful perks? W/r/t the PP before that, wouldn't a 50 cent raise be insulting?

What kind of jobs do you and your husband have?
Do you own part of a company that didn't do so well?

Alternatively, you could add on some useful perks that the nanny would settle for instead of the expected annual raise.

How much would a 50 cents / hour increase her weekly gross?

I'm interested in some perspectives from other parents on this. I've gotten the impression from interviewing nannies that they're pretty much expecting an annual raise. Is this the norm? It almost seems as though they assume it would be automatic every year and are letting me know this. I don't get a raise every year, neither does my husband. While I would like to be generous with my nanny, I can't imagine that we're going to raise her every year. We have a 6 month old baby and hope to have at least one more . . . and with the number of years we'd like to have her, at a certain point this becomes completely unaffordable. Any thoughts?