so in short, I will probably need to advertise "guaranteed 32 (or 36) hours paid per week, rotating days." of course, it would be worded a bit better. and probably coming in for a few hours one or two days a week for me to run errands? I was planning to use daycare for that as well.
I would want them to have their own transportation (and every nanny profile I've looked at does). maybe some very light housework (sweeping, wiping down the kitchen counter if used)? we also have 2 dogs so obvs, I'd need someone comfortable with animals. preferably first aid/CPR certified but not required.
someone mentioned upthread about nannies willing to be paid under the table, and that you have to pay more to have everything legal? do people do this a lot? the profiles I've looked at all say "willing to have taxes withheld." what does that mean?
Yes, that is a start as to how I would word it. For easy math, let's say you were paying $10/hour. I'd pay $360/week for up to 36 hours, even though schedule will change and you might not always use them the full 36 hours.Does that make sense?
Many many nannies work under the table (and prefer to), but you can search on care.com just for those willing to work legally. This adds to your cost.
Post by gogadgetgo on Sept 2, 2015 18:40:34 GMT -5
We pay our nanny a set amount per week, regardless of the hours she works. She may work 3 days or 5 days but gets paid the same. My schedule changes every 7 weeks with school so as long as I give her the schedule in advance, she's fine with the changing days.
I would pay a guaranteed amount of hours, so that way you have the coverage you need without having to worry about a temp employee.
We pay our nanny a set amount per week, regardless of the hours she works. She may work 3 days or 5 days but gets paid the same. My schedule changes every 7 weeks with school so as long as I give her the schedule in advance, she's fine with the changing days.
I would pay a guaranteed amount of hours, so that way you have the coverage you need without having to worry about a temp employee.
Awesome thanks. I'm glad to hear you're basically in my shoes.
Post by gogadgetgo on Sept 2, 2015 20:05:52 GMT -5
Also, when making your listing, I would post exactly what hourly/weekly rate you would like to pay. Make a listing and anyone you would like to interview further, explain exactly what your situation is in an email. You'll weed out a lot of people that way. Be explicit if you want to pay on the books. It's not the norm where I am, so finding someone who was ok with taxes withheld was a bit of work.
"Seeking a nanny near xxxx for 1 child, an infant. Hoping you can start within 4 weeks as mama goes back to work! We can guarantee 30 hours per week, rotating days with the option for more hours. Flexibility is a plus as mama is a nurse with a varied schedule.
We would prefer someone who could help out with light housekeeping. We do have 2 dogs, so please consider them when applying.
It is important to us that you have your own car. We're looking for a caregiver who likes being active outdoors.
Bonus points if you're interested in music or the dramatic arts. Our baby loves music and dancing!"
Some of that is fluff that care.com added, but is essentially what we're looking for. Should I add that CPR/first aid is preferred but not required, or address that in the interview?
I just want to say good luck and keep us updated on what you find! My H and I don't have varied schedules, but we will be looking for a short term nanny for about 2 months once I go back to work and we are waiting for daycare to open. I am hopeful there is this magical nanny out there who loves to take on temporary jobs! I plan to use care.com and there are a couple of other more local sites I will check out. I am going to start looking once baby is here and I have about 8-10 weeks before I go back.
Another idea for looking - are there any mom facebook groups in your area? There is a really active one in my area with about 1500 members and people are constantly posting about care situations and often seem to get good leads on solutions. To me, that might be how you can find the nanny share option - reach out to the moms who might want to save some $$ for awhile, not to the nannies (who would then have to bring up the option to their employer).
I would probably change the wording on flexibility - it's really a necessity, not just a plus, it sounds like. Also, are the hours beyond 30 optional for the nanny, or are you saying that you may need them to work more hours (with 30 as the minimum)?
If you get a couple of people you like, and are able to choose one, it'd probably be a good idea to see if anyone else is willing to work occasional hours "on-call" so that you have a back-up person/people or can piece a couple of people together.
I would probably change the wording on flexibility - it's really a necessity, not just a plus, it sounds like. Also, are the hours beyond 30 optional for the nanny, or are you saying that you may need them to work more hours (with 30 as the minimum)?
If you get a couple of people you like, and are able to choose one, it'd probably be a good idea to see if anyone else is willing to work occasional hours "on-call" so that you have a back-up person/people or can piece a couple of people together.
"Seeking a nanny near xxxx for 1 child, an infant. Hoping you can start within 4 weeks when I go back to work! We are looking for 30 hours minimum per week, rotating days, although we may need more hours from time to time. Flexibility is a requirement as I am a nurse with a varied schedule.
We do have 2 dogs, so please consider them when applying.
It is important to us that you have your own car. CPR/first aid certification is preferred but not required."
Do you have any PT or drop-in centers in your area? Have you talked to other nurses about what they do with a similar schedule?
That's what I was thinking when I read the OP, too.
Your situation sounds similar to ours, except I work a regular M-F type schedule and DH is the one with the weird schedule that varies month to month.
We ended up going with a center that has long hours and allows drop-ins. It works out better because we only have to pay for the time we use, and don't have to coordinate with anyone else's schedule. It's no coincidence that many healthcare workers send their children to the center, as well.