Anonymous wrote:I do a three family nanny share. I am paid $17.50 an hour for three children, $14.50 for two children, and $12 for one child. As I have read, it seems that each family does not need to pay me minimum wage as long as the total amount is equal to or above minimum wage. While that makes sense, I am unsure if this arrangement is fair to me. Each family only ends up paying $6 per hour, so while they benefit, I' don't. In other positions I have been paid $15 an hour for one child, so being paid only $2 more for three children doesn't seem like the best deal. I've been a nanny for six years so I'd like to be paid accordingly.

The children I watch are 18 months, 2, and 2.5 years old. Each family needs me different hours. I begin at 7 am and then the other children are dropped off at later times during the day. Each child is also picked up at a different time. We also split the time between two homes as two of the families are neighbors. I've been really stressed but took the job naively because I had never done a nanny share before. It sounded like a good deal when I was hired but the logistics of the situation have proven otherwise. It's a lot of work caring for three toddlers by myself, and also worrying about clean up and aiding their developmental milestones such as potty training.

My main issue other than feeling underpaid is that two of the families have school aged children as well. Winter break is approaching and all five children need care. One mom decided that five children is too much for me to handle (I agree) and has found another sitter for those days(this family needs me for the most hours per day). The second family needs me, but for less hours, and the third family only needs me for one day, also for less hours. I typically would be watching three children and getting paid for two 11 hour shifts so a total of 22 hours per week. For there winter break, I will have one eight hour shift with three kids, and one eight hour shift with two kids. I am losing six hours of pay, and will be getting paid a lower rate for one my shifts. I'm upset because it's the week of Christmas and I will be having a small paycheck. In addition, I'm frustrated that one of my bosses gave my hours to another caregiver without consulting me. I don't feel it's fair.

Anyways, I feel like this is an overly complicated situation. I am unsure how to go about the loss of hours as there's nothing I can do to gain them back if they were given to someone else. I don't receive any pto or sick days to balance the loss of hours. I have addressed my concerns about feeling overwhelmed with three children, and was told if I stuck it out I would get a raise. That hasn't happened either. I feel stuck, and that the families would be offended if I quit but I can't live with this instability.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this? I want to quit amicably if I do. Does anyone have any insight on my employer status? Are they considered joint employers if there schedules are different? What should be the rate for a three family share?

Due to this fact and this face ALONE I would leave this job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, please don't get offended with what I say. You sound educated. Why on earth did you agree to such a ridiculously low rate? Nanny shares run $18-$22 for TWO children, not three. A three-child share would be too much for most nannies, which is why you don't see them very often.

Secondly, your payment arrangement seems very complicated. Shares, like other nanny pay arrangements, should be with guaranteed hours, not every family running your hours every week and paying at different rates for a different number of hours every week. This is impossible for you to live on and plan your budget like normal people.

I don't actually believe you can bring this arrangement to a normal setup. Best you quit and find a normal share with normal parents at a NORMAL rate. You are underpaid, and it's messy. Leave.

I wouldn't have an issue with doing a share in which there was a contract that stated the families' hours wouldn't match up. However, I would require that hours be guaranteed for each family, and that guarantee would be based on normal rates for any hours for which the family habitually would have care solo.

Example:
Smith, Johnson and Green families
Smith M-F 8.30-5
Johnson M-F 9.30-6.30
Green M-F 9-5.30
If rates are $15/hour for 1 child, and $10/child for two or more, each family would guarantee:
Smith: M-F 9-5 @ $10/hour, 8.30-9 @ $22.50/hour (overtime for single family). Family guarantees $456.25.
Johnson: M-F 9.30-5.30 @ 10/hour, 5.30-6.30 @ $22.50/hour (overtime for single family). Family guarantees $512.50.
Green M-F 9-5 @ $10/hour, 5-5.30 @ $15/hour (overtime at share rate). Family guarantees $437.50.

For this example, nanny would work 8.30 to 6.30 and deal with moving between houses (different start and end times would mean starting in one house and ending in another). Transportation would be impractical without a triple stroller and a vehicle which fits 3 infant strollers, so nanny would only move between the two houses as required for the schedule. Nanny would have $1406.25 guaranteed because this is a mess and any nanny who agreed to something like this needs to be well compensated. I can understand three parents wanting their kids who are best friends to grow up together, but it's still crazy.

I meant infant car seats, oops.

Anonymous wrote:OP, please don't get offended with what I say. You sound educated. Why on earth did you agree to such a ridiculously low rate? Nanny shares run $18-$22 for TWO children, not three. A three-child share would be too much for most nannies, which is why you don't see them very often.

Secondly, your payment arrangement seems very complicated. Shares, like other nanny pay arrangements, should be with guaranteed hours, not every family running your hours every week and paying at different rates for a different number of hours every week. This is impossible for you to live on and plan your budget like normal people.

I don't actually believe you can bring this arrangement to a normal setup. Best you quit and find a normal share with normal parents at a NORMAL rate. You are underpaid, and it's messy. Leave.

I wouldn't have an issue with doing a share in which there was a contract that stated the families' hours wouldn't match up. However, I would require that hours be guaranteed for each family, and that guarantee would be based on normal rates for any hours for which the family habitually would have care solo.

Example:
Smith, Johnson and Green families
Smith M-F 8.30-5
Johnson M-F 9.30-6.30
Green M-F 9-5.30
If rates are $15/hour for 1 child, and $10/child for two or more, each family would guarantee:
Smith: M-F 9-5 @ $10/hour, 8.30-9 @ $22.50/hour (overtime for single family). Family guarantees $456.25.
Johnson: M-F 9.30-5.30 @ 10/hour, 5.30-6.30 @ $22.50/hour (overtime for single family). Family guarantees $512.50.
Green M-F 9-5 @ $10/hour, 5-5.30 @ $15/hour (overtime at share rate). Family guarantees $437.50.

For this example, nanny would work 8.30 to 6.30 and deal with moving between houses (different start and end times would mean starting in one house and ending in another). Transportation would be impractical without a triple stroller and a vehicle which fits 3 infant strollers, so nanny would only move between the two houses as required for the schedule. Nanny would have $1406.25 guaranteed because this is a mess and any nanny who agreed to something like this needs to be well compensated. I can understand three parents wanting their kids who are best friends to grow up together, but it's still crazy.

OP, please don't get offended with what I say. You sound educated. Why on earth did you agree to such a ridiculously low rate? Nanny shares run $18-$22 for TWO children, not three. A three-child share would be too much for most nannies, which is why you don't see them very often.

Secondly, your payment arrangement seems very complicated. Shares, like other nanny pay arrangements, should be with guaranteed hours, not every family running your hours every week and paying at different rates for a different number of hours every week. This is impossible for you to live on and plan your budget like normal people.

I don't actually believe you can bring this arrangement to a normal setup. Best you quit and find a normal share with normal parents at a NORMAL rate. You are underpaid, and it's messy. Leave.

Sounds like you don't have a formal contract with guaranteed hours and clarity on holiday and leave pay. For a three way shared, that's nuts.

Convene the three families, let them know you can only continue this with a formal agreement, guaranteed hours, and a raise. If they don't agree or don't even show up for the meeting, give your notice.

This sounds crazy. I'm a MB in a 2 family share. We guarantee 40 hours per week and pay the same rate if one or both families use the contracted hours. So if one family takes vacation but the other does not we both still pay our share. And we pay OT for any hours in excess of the 40 contracted hours.

You're nuts to tolerate that abuse. Get a new job.

Here's all that I read: your first two sentences, and the LAST sentence of the first paragraph.

OP, consider this: I'm a MB. When I hired a nanny for the first time, that nanny came with ZERO experience nannying and I started out at $15 an hour. WHY did you accept such a low salary?! I don't really care what your answer is to that question but I think you should find a new job. Not a share. And have them pay you at least $18 an hour. Get guaranteed hours. Get a contract.

There are so many problems with your situation. If you're being paid on the books, this is the minimum you should expect from your employers in the DC area:

*$16-20/hr total to start for a 2 child share. With your experience, you should be able to find an $18/hr share with two children easily. If I'm reading your post correctly, you only work 22 hours per week? Do you want full time hours?
*guaranteed pay 52 weeks per year. If they don't need you to work, they still pay you. If their children were in day care, they'd have to pay to reserve the spot even if they didn't send the children that day. You should look into written agreements that state you will receive guaranteed X amount of hours per week, 52 weeks per year.
*Paid vacation/paid sick days. This should be standard. At minimum two weeks of vacation and 3 sick days. If they want to pick one of your weeks, like the week between Christmas and New Years, that's typical, but many nannies are able to always pick their vacation.
*Federal holidays paid if their employers receive the days off with pay.

For a three family situation, I doubt that it's legal. It wasn't when I checked with Fairfax.

As to pay: Most shares start at $18/hour for 2 kids, and there's no way that I would touch three families for less than $22/hour. I like working with lots of kids, but those kids are too close or too far apart. Actually, it sounds like the family who wanted the live-in nanny share, except they had a 6 month old too.

Do you have a contract? How much notice are you required to give? Don't worry about offending anyone. Your situation sounds VERY stressful and I think you are underpaid.

I do a three family nanny share. I am paid $17.50 an hour for three children, $14.50 for two children, and $12 for one child. As I have read, it seems that each family does not need to pay me minimum wage as long as the total amount is equal to or above minimum wage. While that makes sense, I am unsure if this arrangement is fair to me. Each family only ends up paying $6 per hour, so while they benefit, I' don't. In other positions I have been paid $15 an hour for one child, so being paid only $2 more for three children doesn't seem like the best deal. I've been a nanny for six years so I'd like to be paid accordingly.

The children I watch are 18 months, 2, and 2.5 years old. Each family needs me different hours. I begin at 7 am and then the other children are dropped off at later times during the day. Each child is also picked up at a different time. We also split the time between two homes as two of the families are neighbors. I've been really stressed but took the job naively because I had never done a nanny share before. It sounded like a good deal when I was hired but the logistics of the situation have proven otherwise. It's a lot of work caring for three toddlers by myself, and also worrying about clean up and aiding their developmental milestones such as potty training.

My main issue other than feeling underpaid is that two of the families have school aged children as well. Winter break is approaching and all five children need care. One mom decided that five children is too much for me to handle (I agree) and has found another sitter for those days(this family needs me for the most hours per day). The second family needs me, but for less hours, and the third family only needs me for one day, also for less hours. I typically would be watching three children and getting paid for two 11 hour shifts so a total of 22 hours per week. For there winter break, I will have one eight hour shift with three kids, and one eight hour shift with two kids. I am losing six hours of pay, and will be getting paid a lower rate for one my shifts. I'm upset because it's the week of Christmas and I will be having a small paycheck. In addition, I'm frustrated that one of my bosses gave my hours to another caregiver without consulting me. I don't feel it's fair.

Anyways, I feel like this is an overly complicated situation. I am unsure how to go about the loss of hours as there's nothing I can do to gain them back if they were given to someone else. I don't receive any pto or sick days to balance the loss of hours. I have addressed my concerns about feeling overwhelmed with three children, and was told if I stuck it out I would get a raise. That hasn't happened either. I feel stuck, and that the families would be offended if I quit but I can't live with this instability.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this? I want to quit amicably if I do. Does anyone have any insight on my employer status? Are they considered joint employers if there schedules are different? What should be the rate for a three family share?