Help Past The First 3-6 Months: Hiring A Nanny (Part 1)
Before my postpartum doula career, I was a nanny for several Charlotte families. I mostly spent my time working with newborns, infants, and twins. Nannying was an amazing experience and improved my life and world. I want to share a few tips if you want to hire a nanny after your postpartum care has ended.
Where to Look
There are many places to look when you search for a nanny. Some popular options include local agencies, Facebook groups, or websites like Care.com or Sittercity.com. In my experience and location (Charlotte, NC), agencies and local Facebook groups that cater to nannies, babysitting, or moms are the best route. Both have pros and cons; your preferred route depends on your preferences and needs! You will pay a finder’s fee with most agencies, but you don’t have to worry about vetting your nanny, as the agency will do that for you. If you go the Facebook route, you might have to weed through noncareer nannies or nannies with no experience or credentials and vetting and checking references of the nannies you are interested in.
What to Ask
Interviewing possible nannies can be a daunting task! How do you know what to ask someone who will be in your home and responsible for your precious baby? Here are some things I recommend you include in your interview!
What age groups do you have experience with, and which are you most comfortable with?
What household duties are you comfortable with doing? (Some nannies only provide duties related to the child, but some don’t mind light housework like emptying the dishwasher or vacuuming)
Are you infant CPR/First Aid Certified, or is your certification for adults?
Can you provide a recent background check, or would you be willing to undergo one? (Employers usually cover the fee for this!)
Do you have experience introducing solids?
What do you plan to do during my baby’s wake windows?
Are you ok with playdates and outings?
How do you feel about parents who work from home? (Important to ask if you work remotely!)
It is also important to cover information such as pay, expected duties, and benefits such as PTO/sick time. It is important to note that in the nanny community, there is a benefit known as “guaranteed hours,” which is the concept that a nanny is paid when available to work, even if you do not need their services. For example, if your family is going on a summer vacation and won’t need your nanny for ten days, expecting them to go without pay or use their personal PTO for your vacation would be unfair. Those hours would be guaranteed and be paid to your nanny. The same applies if you come home early for the day and decide to release your nanny an hour early. The expectation would be that since your nanny was available and willing to work the last hour, but you cut them early, they should still be paid.
Can I Pay My Nanny Under The Table?
While some babysitters or nannies might be okay with “under the table” work, it is important to note that many professional nannies are W2 employees and expect to get paid legally. Nannies recruited by an agency usually have a standard benefit package that requires payroll. Many payroll services cater to home employees, such as PoppinsPayroll, Surepayroll, and Homepay by Care.com. These services set you up with the IRS to have an EIN and legally pay your nanny via direct deposit. It is important to note that legally, your nanny must be a W2 employee, and can not be paid as a 1099 contracted employee. For more information, check out how the IRS defines household employees here: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/hiring-household-employees
As an employer you would also be responsible for paying out mileage based on the standard IRS rate if your nanny goes on outings or uses their personal vehicle for things such as running errands or drop off/pick up.
Check back in for part 2!
Until Next Time!
Aiesha Draughton
Postpartum Partners NC
Aiesha is a postpartum doula in Charlotte, North Carolina