Establish Boundaries and Expectations with a Nanny Contract

Considering the million moving parts in any household, many people are confused as to what they should be asking for in a nanny.

And that’s exactly why I recommend a Nanny Contract for any families with nannies. It’s not legally required; just a rule book for your nanny and you to hold each other to. It should, by design, protect you and the nanny. The arrangement can be as creative as you like, but the language should be clear.

Do you need them to pick up the kids at school?
Are they going to be preparing meals?
Are they going to be going to medical appointments?
Are they working full time or part time?
Do they help with homework?
Do they do housework?
Do they do the children’s laundry?
Are you giving them health insurance?
Are you going to pay them for holidays?

Pay procedures should be your #1 concern. I had a client last year who had a disagreement with her nanny. The salary my client had negotiated for was, in her mind, the gross. The person who signed the same contract went on to say she was guaranteed that much in her net pay, not gross. It always pays to be overly specific. You should actively confirm with employees that they know their pay is the leftover of gross minus taxes.

Wages must be clear. You must be clear about overtime pay, when it kicks in, and where it is shown on the pay stub. Your nanny should know in advance all of the pay days for the length of her contract.

Dedicate a page in the agreement to holidays. Develop a list of the holidays you plan on observing, and be very specific about the day of the week, the date and the year.

An at-will clause is a type of termination clause that allows the employer to terminate employment for any reason, at any time.

If you have questions or ideas about making Nanny Contracts, I would love to hear them! Send them my way, here: contact me.