Sounds like this family is lazy and likes to do the bare minimum.

You might want to dodge this bullet.

Getting paid in ca$h is a personal choice OP. If it makes you uncomfortable then this is not the right family for you. I would move on and find a family who is willing to pay you on the books so you can show employment history, prove income as well as qualify for unemployment/disability should you need it in the future.

It is very odd to do reference checks via e~mail. Hmm....Could I possibly be "old school" for thinking this way? LOL.

I think it is best to call references so you can ask specific questions and receive specific answers, etc.

Anonymous wrote:People in DC are more likely to have jobs where they don't want to risk clearances. It is in the nannies best interest to be paid above board, and being paid cash is not a perk though it may seem so. Being paid cash means you have no legitimate employment record, and have not been paying into social security and will not benefit from it when the time comes and you need it.

You will also find yourself ineligible for unemployment benefits if you lose your job for some reason.

Being paid in cash under the table is a short-term perk. Long-term planners will see the benefit to being paid legally.

People in DC are more likely to have jobs where they don't want to risk clearances. It is in the nannies best interest to be paid above board, and being paid cash is not a perk though it may seem so. Being paid cash means you have no legitimate employment record, and have not been paying into social security and will not benefit from it when the time comes and you need it.

Is being paid under the table just an issue in DC? I've lived and nannied in several cities and I've always considered being paid in cash one of the perks...guess I'm missing something here.

I agree that there are big red flags here. The request for email addresses doesn't alarm me terribly - I like to schedule reference calls and am a bit shy so if possible I would probably like to email a reference and set up a time to talk, so that could just be personal quirkiness.

But I would never consider email a substitute for a phone conversation so that's weird. The stuff about how you'll be paid though is a MAJOR MAJOR red flag. Why would you want to take a job w/ someone who is already giving you a hard time about so many things, seemingly uninterested in investing the necessary time and energy in hiring the best nanny to do it well, etc...

When I was interviewing/hiring our nanny it was the most important thing I was doing - period. Feeling confident in the references, knowing how to handle the payment/tax issues, doing what it took to ensure that we were hiring someone with whom we felt comfortable, who we trusted, for whom we seemed to be a really good fit also (SOOO important), etc... This woman sounds lazy about the process and that's sending you a terrible message about your value/'worth in her eyes.

I could carry on being judgmental about this MB but that's irrelevant. I think she's showing you who she is and you have to decide if this is someone you can/want to work for (assuming she offers you the position).

Good luck!

All the things you mentioned OP are red flags. Do not move forward with this job. If you do take it, I have a feeling you will be right back here in a few weeks posing that your Mb screwed you over.

OP...no I met with her and had my references, all names and phone numbers ready , but she said she doesn't have time to call them, wants me to get email addresses for her. I asked one of my references and she siad she doesn't have time to type everything out, if MB wants to know she can call her! I am already kinda worried if she is so busy not to really check/care about verified references...what she is really like. She also wants to pay me under the table, but I told her I was paid on the books for my last job, and that is what I preferred, and she went on and on about how she would check with her accountant but that would really "complicate" things because the requirement for nanny taxes is so long???

Have you spoken to her on the phone? Make sure it's not a scammer wasting your time.

I typically offer both when giving my references anyway. I know a couple of my former MBs are much more likely to respond to an email than a phone call.

Just give her fake addresses and give yourself stellar references. duh.

I am interviewing for a nanny position and the MB says she does not have time to call, but wants to email my references instead? That is fine, but I find this strange. How does she even know they are legitimate accounts? Just seemed strange. No others have ever asked that before, but this is only my 3rd job as well.