In NYC, giving a bonus is as standard as tipping in a restaurant. It's almost mandatory to keep a good nanny. On the high end side, nanny bonuses are extraordinary! Like at least $5k and up. My babynurse friend got a $30k bonus after just working for a family for 3 months! Though she did earn $1000 a day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weekly pay : 250.00 (That is FULL time pay and working 50 hours; I am majorly underpaid and when I brought it up they claimed they couldnt afford to raise it to even a measly 300.00 even though I have the baby full tiime, the 4 year old from 12 o'clock on and the 8 year old from 2 pm on and even though they live in a country club; I have been looking for a new job but can't find one)
Bonus: 25.00
Other gift: None

My job sucks; my pay is not even enough to live on and the job is one that I hate. They tell me they couldn't do it without me, yadda yadda and this is showing their appreciation after I spent money on their brats who treat me like the hired help. Yes this job has gotton to me and I feel quite bitter working my tail off for people who aren't appreciative and not even being able to find another job.

Where do you live? Calcutta?

North Carolina. I am currently looking for another job but so far am not finding a thing.

Anonymous wrote:I'm on the West Coast and I have always given my housecleaners a year end bonus. I don't generally tip them when they come, bi-weekly, so I figure a nice bonus at the end of the year works well. (Mother/Daughter team, gave them each $100.) I also tip my hairdresser extra at the end of the year and give a gift to the man who takes care of the swimming pool. (My husband handles that one.) Maybe it is a "location thing?"

I was PP 1:47 that said maybe it is a location thing, I am on the West Coast (SF to be exact).

I'm on the West Coast and I have always given my housecleaners a year end bonus. I don't generally tip them when they come, bi-weekly, so I figure a nice bonus at the end of the year works well. (Mother/Daughter team, gave them each $100.) I also tip my hairdresser extra at the end of the year and give a gift to the man who takes care of the swimming pool. (My husband handles that one.) Maybe it is a "location thing?"

It might also be a location thing. In my area, it is common to give a bonus even for more PT work, as well to personal assistants, housekeepers, yard maintenance, dog walkers, and other regular domestic workers.

Not really, PP, but I don't fault you for trying to make it *standard* for you to get a bonus.

Truth is, the prior PP is correct. Most companies do not give bonuses and many parents feel pressured to give bonuses because nannies want everyone to believe they are mandatory. Truth also is that there is no such thing as standard and any nanny who thinks they are a different and better employee than their employers (in their line of work) doesn't deserve a bonus unless they have gone above and beyond.

Bonuses are earned and if a nanny has exceeded all expectations and has been employed for over a year, it's important for an employer to consider a bonus or gift to compensate for the exceptional service. If the nanny is not exceptional, she doesn't deserve a bonus, esp since her employer has not likely received a bonus.

+100 We wondered about this when we were hiring a nanny. Rather than just believe a few anonymous nannies on a message board, I made a point of asking every reference about their compensation package to ensure that I wouldn't be off on expectations. Not one person gave a bonus. Most did small gifts or a gift card but not only had they not done a bonus they didn't know any else who did one either. I also asked several people in my neighborhood who have or had nannies as sometimes these things could be area specific. No bonus. We factored our compensation package and budget without a bonus. We also told candidates that the compensation package did not include annual bonuses and not one candidate batted an eye. Most said that they had not received bonuses at prior jobs and others just said that it wasn't a problem for them.

The nannies on this board seem to also not understand that a bonus is generally for something you can measure or something really exceptional. They seem to think that just doing their job or showing up warrants a bonus. They want you to think that they are somehow being shorted on basic compensation if they don't get one. Not true. Appreciation for just basically being a great nanny can be shown through cards, gifts, and a regular on-going thank you. It isn't a shakedown to get an extra's week salary.

Why do I guess that the going rate in Indonesia is something less than $15-$20/hr to start with?

Let's move to Indonesia, where it is not just standard to pay domestic employees a bonus, but it is the law to pay a full months pay as that bonus right before the major annual religious holiday (for Christians that would be Christmas).

I just started a new nanny job at the end of December, so no bonus to report. I have also worked as a high school teacher, teacher's aide, laboratory technician, and technical writer, and have received only a $50 bonus one time (my boss took it out of his own check because the company didn't give bonuses). I am not expecting a bonus next year because many, many companies do not give bonuses to their employees. I wonder how many parents feel pressured to give enormous bonuses because nanny blogs post this subject?


Those lines of work it is not standard to give bonuses. In THIS line of work, it *is* fairly standard. That makes a big difference.

While I don't expect a large bonus, I do think that if you are happy with your nanny that a gift of some kind to show your appreciation is deserved. I give a card and sometimes small gift to employers, give small gifts to the children. If my employer can't even get me a card and small gift (gift card, nice pair of gloves or something else I had mentioned that I needed and just hadn't gotten around to getting yet) or small money bonus, then it makes me wonder what kind of person they are. Who can't afford to get a $25-50 gift card to Amazon or something but can afford a nanny even PT? I don't care if it is a present that I will never even use, it really is the thought that counts. No thought makes me think I should find a new family that does think about me and appreciate all that I do.

Not really, PP, but I don't fault you for trying to make it *standard* for you to get a bonus.

Truth is, the prior PP is correct. Most companies do not give bonuses and many parents feel pressured to give bonuses because nannies want everyone to believe they are mandatory. Truth also is that there is no such thing as standard and any nanny who thinks they are a different and better employee than their employers (in their line of work) doesn't deserve a bonus unless they have gone above and beyond.

Bonuses are earned and if a nanny has exceeded all expectations and has been employed for over a year, it's important for an employer to consider a bonus or gift to compensate for the exceptional service. If the nanny is not exceptional, she doesn't deserve a bonus, esp since her employer has not likely received a bonus.

Anonymous wrote:I just started a new nanny job at the end of December, so no bonus to report. I have also worked as a high school teacher, teacher's aide, laboratory technician, and technical writer, and have received only a $50 bonus one time (my boss took it out of his own check because the company didn't give bonuses). I am not expecting a bonus next year because many, many companies do not give bonuses to their employees. I wonder how many parents feel pressured to give enormous bonuses because nanny blogs post this subject?

Those lines of work it is not standard to give bonuses. In THIS line of work, it *is* fairly standard. That makes a big difference.

While I don't expect a large bonus, I do think that if you are happy with your nanny that a gift of some kind to show your appreciation is deserved. I give a card and sometimes small gift to employers, give small gifts to the children. If my employer can't even get me a card and small gift (gift card, nice pair of gloves or something else I had mentioned that I needed and just hadn't gotten around to getting yet) or small money bonus, then it makes me wonder what kind of person they are. Who can't afford to get a $25-50 gift card to Amazon or something but can afford a nanny even PT? I don't care if it is a present that I will never even use, it really is the thought that counts. No thought makes me think I should find a new family that does think about me and appreciate all that I do.

I just started a new nanny job at the end of December, so no bonus to report. I have also worked as a high school teacher, teacher's aide, laboratory technician, and technical writer, and have received only a $50 bonus one time (my boss took it out of his own check because the company didn't give bonuses). I am not expecting a bonus next year because many, many companies do not give bonuses to their employees. I wonder how many parents feel pressured to give enormous bonuses because nanny blogs post this subject?

2012 holiday bonus: $550
Pay weekly: $559 take home (for my area this above average pay)
Gifts: A very nice scarf and pair of gloves from Macy's
Time with family: 6 months

I could not be happier with the family that I work for! I was very happy with my bonus and always feel very respected and appreciated. We really have a wonderful working relationship and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weekly pay : 250.00 (That is FULL time pay and working 50 hours; I am majorly underpaid and when I brought it up they claimed they couldnt afford to raise it to even a measly 300.00 even though I have the baby full tiime, the 4 year old from 12 o'clock on and the 8 year old from 2 pm on and even though they live in a country club; I have been looking for a new job but can't find one)
Bonus: 25.00
Other gift: None

My job sucks; my pay is not even enough to live on and the job is one that I hate. They tell me they couldn't do it without me, yadda yadda and this is showing their appreciation after I spent money on their brats who treat me like the hired help. Yes this job has gotton to me and I feel quite bitter working my tail off for people who aren't appreciative and not even being able to find another job.

Where do you live? Calcutta?

It doesn't really matter where you live PP, you are legally entitled to minimum wage and OT for all hours beyond 40. You should report them to your local labor department.

Anonymous wrote:Weekly pay : 250.00 (That is FULL time pay and working 50 hours; I am majorly underpaid and when I brought it up they claimed they couldnt afford to raise it to even a measly 300.00 even though I have the baby full tiime, the 4 year old from 12 o'clock on and the 8 year old from 2 pm on and even though they live in a country club; I have been looking for a new job but can't find one)
Bonus: 25.00
Other gift: None

My job sucks; my pay is not even enough to live on and the job is one that I hate. They tell me they couldn't do it without me, yadda yadda and this is showing their appreciation after I spent money on their brats who treat me like the hired help. Yes this job has gotton to me and I feel quite bitter working my tail off for people who aren't appreciative and not even being able to find another job.

Where do you live? Calcutta?