Anonymous wrote:20:45 is jealous that other people can afford better nannies. Everyone knows, you get what you pay for. Give it up, 20:45.

There was nothing exceptional in her description of qualification she required. They were very standard, typical, garden-variety nanny. She didn't mention any special skills or extra-extensive experience. $16 to $18 is the rate for that type of nanny - good but not exceptional.

20:45 is jealous that other people can afford better nannies. Everyone knows, you get what you pay for. Give it up, 20:45.

Paying above market rates doesn't indicate anything about your "standards", nor does it guarantee a quality nanny.

It does, however, indicate that an MB is foolish with her money. She is already planning on regularly paying an additional 6 hrs a week that she knows she won't be using. Bc she heard that nannies want to be paid for FT work. Sure, exploitive nannies want to be paid for FT work when they only work PT. This is not the type of person I would hire.

I live in the OP's area (and I can tell by the posts that none of the rest of you do). She can get excellent care for one child, PT, for $16-18/hr. That is the market rate and it's pretty stable. As I said in a previous post, I'd pay $18/hr for someone I really liked but really, that's the high end.

Nannies who want you to believe that the market is above $20 for one child is lying to you, OP.

I know nannies who get 25/hr for one child. Different families have different standards for their child's care.

Is there a location specified? I'm an MB, and think you can definitely find the nanny with qualification statutes for $18/hr. Suburbs will be a bit lower, DC might be a bit higher, but $24/hr is crazy high.

Anonymous wrote:If you're in DC, $20/hr grossed up to pay taxes for just one infant is definitely somewhat above market - for that, you should be able to get somebody truly amazing.

That said, I don't think you should pay her for hours she is not actually working. That just gets a little weird - what if she wants to do something on her day off, like a class or another job, but feels like she can't? If what you want is for her to be on call on that day, then just arrange it that way with her. Or just fold the pay for those extra 8 hours into the hourly rate for 32. Another idea might be to put that extra 8 hours into a retirement account for her.

Op here. We aren't expecting her to work those extra 6 hours. We won't need her for more than 34 hours. I read and spoken to a few friends and neighbors and they said its harder to find a nanny who is ok with working and being compensated for under 40 hours a week. This is why although she will only ever need to work 34 hours/wk, we will pay for 40 so she gets FT pay.

So basically she roll be paid for 6 free hours she never worked.

nannydebsays wrote:OP also has to consider that her hours do not offer any OT, which is how a nanny making $16/hour and working 55 hours a week makes a decent living.

Basically, OP, you are offering PT hours, and are, IMO, on target when you plan to offer higher than "market rate" to find the best nanny you can hire.

$16/hour plus OT for 55 hours/week is $1000/week. $20/hour for 40 hours is $800.

Except she's grossing up - so it will be closer to $1000 for the nanny. (That's why I don't think she should gross up - it's confusing because most people don't do it.)

If you're in DC, $20/hr grossed up to pay taxes for just one infant is definitely somewhat above market - for that, you should be able to get somebody truly amazing.

That said, I don't think you should pay her for hours she is not actually working. That just gets a little weird - what if she wants to do something on her day off, like a class or another job, but feels like she can't? If what you want is for her to be on call on that day, then just arrange it that way with her. Or just fold the pay for those extra 8 hours into the hourly rate for 32. Another idea might be to put that extra 8 hours into a retirement account for her.

Anonymous wrote:I'd offer $15 or 16/hour and give performance-related raises if earned. I would spell that out in the contract.

And you'd be on her in 6 weeks wondering why you can't find a nanny, or in 3 months complaining about your unreliable, crazy nanny.

OP also has to consider that her hours do not offer any OT, which is how a nanny making $16/hour and working 55 hours a week makes a decent living.

Basically, OP, you are offering PT hours, and are, IMO, on target when you plan to offer higher than "market rate" to find the best nanny you can hire.

$16/hour plus OT for 55 hours/week is $1000/week. $20/hour for 40 hours is $800.

I'd offer $15 or 16/hour and give performance-related raises if earned. I would spell that out in the contract.

A great nanny with the qualifications that you are looking for is already employed. What you need to do is offer her a package that will make her leave her current position. I would start at $20 an hour.


A nanny with those qualifications is already employed by a wonderful family and making well over $20 an hour so I don't think undercutting them is the correct way to go about luring them over.

Not in NWDC, which is where the OP is located. There are many nannies available, with these exact qualifications, for $15-18/hr for one child. That said, I'd offer $18/hr for a candidate I really liked. OP's package is very generous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should deduct taxes for your nanny, for her sake. It is a tiny bit of work for you upfront and then easier for everyone.

Given what you're looking for, I'd expect to pay $18-$20/hr to get it. Sure, you might luck out with a great, young nanny but you're looking for 5+ years of infant experience and that's a nanny who should know her worth. Anyone with five years experience who isn't charging $18-$20 is, one way or another, just not as good as you want.

I already wrote that we will be paying taxes. My husband and I are thinking of $20/hr starting rate ( we will pay $23-24 so nanny gets desired rate), 2 weeks paid vacation, 3 sick days, 2 personal days, and health insurance. We will provide lunch and snacks and petty cash for outings. We are looking to employ a nanny for years so raises and bonuses will be given.

You're planning on overpaying significantly. Almost all posters in the nanny section on this site are nannies who are trying to inflate salaries. What you're looking for is not abnormal at all and is what is expected from a nanny - nothing you posted is out of the ordinary. If you can afford this rate, pay it, but be aware that you're thinking of offering way over market.

I don't want to sound like I'm being snotty but money isn't much of an issue. We both having well paid jobs and quite a bit saved. We could easily pay a nanny out of one of ours savings accounts for years without issue. We also don't want to pay a crazy amount just because we have the money. DH thinks $18/hr is more than enough to start, especially since $18 will be the gross wage and we are are paying for 6 extra hours a weeks that she won't be working. Is that too low?

You don't sound snotty. You sound silly. A job's market rate is the job's market rate, regardless of how rich or poor the employer is. When you go to the grocery store and see a $5 bag of onions, do you offer the cashier $10 just because you have a "well-paid" job?

The job you are offering has standard nanny responsibilities and expectations, there is nothing unique or special about what you expect for your baby at all. Any professional nanny should be able to do this job, it doesn't take a supernanny. Therefore, expect to pay an average rate for an infant nanny. $18/hr is a perfectly good rate for an infant nanny with an average workload, and she should be happy with that rate for at least a couple of years, unless the workload changes.

+1. What is with all the mean girls? You have such a sad life you need to be a bully in an anonymous internet forum? That's pathetic.

+1. Most of the nannies here are mean girls and trolls. A few of them love to pretend they are MBs to troll up MB hate. They can be hard to ignore and make nannies look bad.

Anonymous wrote:A great nanny with the qualifications that you are looking for is already employed. What you need to do is offer her a package that will make her leave her current position. I would start at $20 an hour.

A nanny with those qualifications is already employed by a wonderful family and making well over $20 an hour so I don't think undercutting them is the correct way to go about luring them over.