If I had to do it over again, I'd specify in the contract that our nannie gets all holidays that the employer gets. When we first hired her, I got all federal holidays, so that's what we gave her. I'm now at a job where I only get the major ones (e.g., I get Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., but I don't get Presidents Day, Columbus, etc.), and now it's kind of a pain.

Nanny gets all days off that I get off. That's most Federal holidays, except for Veteran's Day. Our contract is written to specify the days she gets off, rather than just saying all Federal holidays.

For snow days, if it's so bad I can't go to work then she can't either and she's paid for those days. This is for major snow events, not just a few inches on the ground.

I pay federal holidays and snow days because I'm a fed and don't have to work those days.

we offer national holidays off as we do not get federal holidays off (Columbus, Prez, Veterans day, etc.). we do however get office shutdown between xmas and NYE.

Anonymous wrote:This is our first time working with a nanny -- can you tell me are we supposed to pay the nanny on federal holidays and snow days where we won't need her to work or no?

just have your nanny work, you go do errands or something. BFD.
most people don't get snow days or fed holidays anyhow. put it in the contract if you want to pass it through.

OP, it is common custom for nannies to be paid for federal holidays and snow days if the government is closed. If you know that the snow days are going to be an issue then the best thing to do is find a nanny who lives close to your home or look for someone to live-in. Our nanny has had to trek in on several severe snow days. We wish we could let her take a day off but we both work with high need populations where our presence on the job is even more important during inclement weather. The best arrangement we have found is to ask the nanny to stay overnight if a storm is forecasted and then pay her overtime for all hours after the normal work day ends. It's expensive. We have to give up some things in exchange. But it's the most ethical and practical way I have found to meet everyone's needs.

Anonymous wrote:"Guaranteed hours" is the industry standard meaning that your nanny guarantees her time to you from X-Y and you guarantee her a steady paycheck.

Having the 6 major federal holidays off as paid holidays are also an industry standard (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's Day).

Snow days can get tricky because it depends on how your contract is written. Personally, I have always stated in mine that if the federal government is closed then it is a (paid) snow day OR if the parents feel conditions are too unsafe for the nanny to travel it is a (paid) snow day, BUT if the nanny chooses not to come in due to snow it is an (unpaid or pto) snow day.

Exactly what we do. Liberal leave if I need nanny and she says no it is PTO or unpaid if she has used it all, but if govt is closed due to snow day she doesn't come in and I pay. My employer follows the same logic.

MB here and I don't think guaranteed hours and federal holidays are the same thing.

We have always offered paid federal holidays. It's a nice perk and DH is federal so it was doable for us. That said I don't get a lot of those off so consider whether you can handle paying your nanny for, say, Columbus Day and having to use your own PTO if needed.

We also did guaranteed hours but this was not so much "you know every single year that you'll be off on Veterans' Day" but more "I got to leave work 3 hours early, take a paid afternoon off" or "Grandma has decided to come next weekend, you can take Monday off with pay." Also a nice perk.

TBH I think both are relatively standard around here but the former allows your nanny to make solid plans for long weekends and such while the latter likely won't.

Snow days--I have to work regardless so unless it was truly awful out/impassable roads our nanny worked. I think we had maybe 2-3 days in 5 years of having a nanny and in those cases, we did pay, but we could not have afforded to have a nanny who couldn't come in when a few inches of snow had fallen.

We give federal holidays for sure. People need holidays! For snow days, I find the federal government guidance to be way too conservative. Unless it's not safe to walk on the sidewalks or drive, we all continue working, perhaps with a slightly later start or early dismissal.

Yes, if you don't need her or tell her not to come (not safe) during weather events. We pay all major holidays but we work on non-major federal holidays (like Columbus Day) so we have our nanny work on minor federal holidays.

We also continue to pay any time we go on vacation (in addition to the vacation days she chooses to use for her own time off).

"Guaranteed hours" is the industry standard meaning that your nanny guarantees her time to you from X-Y and you guarantee her a steady paycheck.

Having the 6 major federal holidays off as paid holidays are also an industry standard (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's Day).

Snow days can get tricky because it depends on how your contract is written. Personally, I have always stated in mine that if the federal government is closed then it is a (paid) snow day OR if the parents feel conditions are too unsafe for the nanny to travel it is a (paid) snow day, BUT if the nanny chooses not to come in due to snow it is an (unpaid or pto) snow day.

There's no legal requirement to do so, but you should. It's called "guaranteed hours," and you offer it so that she will stay and not leave you for a more stable income.

It's one of the ways nanny hourly pay is different from other hourly pay, like in retail.

Yes - that is what is behind the phrase "guaranteed hours". You pay federal holidays, vacation/sick leave (or personal leave), days which would have been regular work days but you don't need the nanny for whatever reason, etc...

Yes you should

This is our first time working with a nanny -- can you tell me are we supposed to pay the nanny on federal holidays and snow days where we won't need her to work or no?