As I mentioned a few days ago I was thinking of hiring a nanny for my kids so I can go back to work which means I have had to do some research into how much they expect to be paid and what I can afford to pay.
So what exactly is a fair salary to pay a nanny or domestic couple? Well there are laws that are specific to hiring this kind of help so the first thing to do is look at what is legal and required in your locale. There are also usually state laws or provincial laws as well that you must abide by or you are exploiting the help. Not paying attention to these laws can lead to serious troubles. It is critical that you are aware of your legal requirements in your area in order to lawfully hire and employ someone in your household. Hiring nannies is not the casual labour that you think it is…
Most civilized countries have some kind of Fair Wage Act that establishes what the minimum wage should be, what overtime pay should be, record keeping and how the child labour laws affect part time and full time workers and then on top of it there are probably laws for workers.
For you there may be some benefits to having the nanny actually move in… In some countries live-in-domestic workers are exempt from overtime pay but household staff stay outside the home must always be paid overtime pay. Not having to necessarily pay the overtime is why live in nannies and live in couple jobs are usually best.
Whether or not you have to pay vacation, holiday, sick or severance pay may depend on the region in which you live. You might have to give pay raises at regular time intervals or that you give money along with a discharge notice. All employers need to make sure that they are complying with the laws set in their locality.
In almost every country in the world you are required to keep records of wages and hours. You should also play fair as if you are providing nanny or live in couple jobs. Although positions and work places differ in the household employment industry and there is no real standard besides minimum wage you should try and pay your nanny or couple jobs what they are worth. In other words the salary, compensation and benefits need to relict the experience and background of the nanny.
It is also important that the employee's compensation be detailed fully – including vacation reimbursement for gas, which pays for auto insurance, and more or things could get messy. It cannot be stressed enough that this is not just casual labour. When it comes to any payment to employees, it should always be made by check so that both parties have a record. Every employer is responsible for the timely payment or deposit of several federal, state and local taxes.
The obvious benefit of paying well for nannies or domestic couple jobs is that they will treat you and your children better. You do not want to deal with a resentful worker or one that may burn out or worse – report you as abusive to the authorities. Keeping things straight keeps everyone happy…