Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not saying that there aren't nannies who aren't paid appropriately, but you might want to make sure of what the hourly rate is if a parent quotes you a weekly or monthly rate. If they are paying, say $1,000 a week for 55 hours, the rate is not a straight $1000/55 = $18. They are probably calculating it as (40 x rate) + (15 x rate x 1.5) = $1,000. In which case the rate would be $16.

This is entirely standard when parents are guaranteeing more than 40 hours per week. Careful parents spell it all out in the contract to protect themselves, but the nannies I've had and interviewed have always requested a weekly rate based on the number of hours, which has always exceeded 40 per week.

This isn't a matter of parents cheating the nanny, this is a matter of the nanny requesting weekly guaranteed income in a fixed amount for a fixed number of hours that exceeds 40. That guaranteed weekly rate can be broken down to an average rate per hour (e.g. $18 for each of 55 hours) or a lower base rate for the first 40 hours plus a higher time-and-a-half rate for each hour after 40.

This is not right in most situations.

I'm in this situation now. I work 52 hours a week, all paid at my regular rate. Unfortunately I think the difference in my pay for overtime might make a nanny too expensive for the family, and I'd rather keep my job making good money than complain about the overtime amount that should be paid. I know, horrifying, but this is the reality of it.

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not saying that there aren't nannies who aren't paid appropriately, but you might want to make sure of what the hourly rate is if a parent quotes you a weekly or monthly rate. If they are paying, say $1,000 a week for 55 hours, the rate is not a straight $1000/55 = $18. They are probably calculating it as (40 x rate) + (15 x rate x 1.5) = $1,000. In which case the rate would be $16.

This is entirely standard when parents are guaranteeing more than 40 hours per week. Careful parents spell it all out in the contract to protect themselves, but the nannies I've had and interviewed have always requested a weekly rate based on the number of hours, which has always exceeded 40 per week.

This isn't a matter of parents cheating the nanny, this is a matter of the nanny requesting weekly guaranteed income in a fixed amount for a fixed number of hours that exceeds 40. That guaranteed weekly rate can be broken down to an average rate per hour (e.g. $18 for each of 55 hours) or a lower base rate for the first 40 hours plus a higher time-and-a-half rate for each hour after 40.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not saying that there aren't nannies who aren't paid appropriately, but you might want to make sure of what the hourly rate is if a parent quotes you a weekly or monthly rate. If they are paying, say $1,000 a week for 55 hours, the rate is not a straight $1000/55 = $18. They are probably calculating it as (40 x rate) + (15 x rate x 1.5) = $1,000. In which case the rate would be $16.

If that's what they were doing, it'd be in the contract and there would be no confusion. Nice try.

I'm not saying this is or isn't what anyone is doing and I don't agree that this is always specifically in the contract. You also realize that a lot of nannies don't even seem to have contracts? I'm saying watch out for that. If an employer quotes you a rate that isn't gross hourly and guaranteed, make sure you ask questions to figure out exactly what it will mean for net pay.

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not saying that there aren't nannies who aren't paid appropriately, but you might want to make sure of what the hourly rate is if a parent quotes you a weekly or monthly rate. If they are paying, say $1,000 a week for 55 hours, the rate is not a straight $1000/55 = $18. They are probably calculating it as (40 x rate) + (15 x rate x 1.5) = $1,000. In which case the rate would be $16.

If that's what they were doing, it'd be in the contract and there would be no confusion. Nice try.

Definitely not saying that there aren't nannies who aren't paid appropriately, but you might want to make sure of what the hourly rate is if a parent quotes you a weekly or monthly rate. If they are paying, say $1,000 a week for 55 hours, the rate is not a straight $1000/55 = $18. They are probably calculating it as (40 x rate) + (15 x rate x 1.5) = $1,000. In which case the rate would be $16.

I had been working for the same family for over 2 years 50 hours a week! Same salary no raise..... They don't paid after the 40 hours the half time! How this work? Help!

Letting me go*

I made the mistake once of agreeing to guaranteed pay and the job was 45.5 hours a week. I never got paid overtime for the extra 5.5 hours a week and in addition to that, when I broke down the numbers I realized I was getting the short end of the stick. This family told me they were going to pay me on the books after the 2 week trial and they never did. I was overworked, underpaid, and was expected to do laundry daily, empty/fill dishwasher from the parents dirty dishes from the night before and cook. They totally took advantage of me and I should have known better. They ended up letting me to after I was in a car accident (not my fault) and my doctors told me I had to do PT 3 times a week. The family couldn't "work around my schedule" even though I was always flexible with them and would stay late/come early when one of them was traveling. All I got was a 2 weeks severance- which I had to remind them I needed for over a week. I learned my lesson from that job. I asked for a letter of recommendation- which I never got, and the DB told me he was happy to be a reference but they were going to let people know I was let go because of my health issues- which is against the law. I ended up just not using them as a reference and got a new job that respects my time, pays me well, and doesn't take advantage of me. You live and you learn. Guaranteed pay does not mean you get to not pay overtime.

I think part of the confusion (and I was guilty of this at my first nanny job) was that I had guaranteed hours, which I thought meant I was salaried. So not entitled to overtime. It was only when I was doing taxes did I realize my error when my accountant pointed it out.

I told my bosses who immediately corrected it, and gave me a large Christmas bonus that not only included a bonus, but also past overtime (about 50 hrs. )

I am sure some nannies are not properly paid OT. Others though use a contract to back into the OT calculation and that is totally ok.

Anonymous wrote:You sound crazy OP. let me guess, you're unemployed?

You sound guilty, pp.

You sound crazy OP. let me guess, you're unemployed?

I know nannies who are still getting cheated like this.

in the past i was cheated, parents paid me 50 hours at normal rate and found out after 40 its time and a half so wake up smell the coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!