nanny

After spending days, weeks, or even months searching for the perfect candidate, you might want to sit back, relax, and let your new nanny jump straight into work. However, setting yourself up for long-term success and peace of mind means taking a little time to get your household employee up to speed. Even the best nannies can benefit from a little direction.

Every family is unique, which means that orienting your new nanny is likely to be a personalized process. You’ll need to make sure that you have guidelines in place to keep your nanny informed about issues that are important to you, while also thinking about federal legislation and tax requirements.

This infographic contains everything you need to know about setting your new nanny up for success. From ensuring that you have all the paperwork you need for peace of mind, to making sure that your nanny is familiar with the quirks of your family and home, a well-thought orientation process will give your work relationship that crucial positive start.

Read through the full infographic from Homework Solutions for a comprehensive guide to everything you’ll need for starting your new nanny off on the right track!

 

Hiring a nanny is a daunting task; you’re trying to find the right person to care for the most precious thing in your life — your child — and you don’t want to settle for anyone subpar.

Making the wrong choice can leave you feeling unsettled or anxious every time you’re away from your kids. Making the right choice, on the other hand, will result in a caregiver your child adores and your family will remember fondly for a lifetime.

In most cases, the difference between the right and wrong nanny comes down to the way she connects with your family values and lifestyle. If you go through the interview process wisely, it will become much easier to find a professional and reliable person to keep your kids safe, happy, and healthy when you’re not there.

While you’re searching for the perfect fit, it’s also important to ensure you employ your new caregiver legally and responsibly — you should be take good care of the people who take care of the people you love. This guide will explain the steps for finding and hiring a nanny, and some of the legal requirements involved.

Finding Your Nanny

Before you start your search, sit down and define specifically what you’re looking for in a nanny. Do you desire a live-in nanny, or someone who lives outside the home and comes regularly to watch the kids? What are the essential tasks you expect of a nanny, and what are some additional tasks or skills that would be nice to have in a caregiver?

Determine which characteristics are important to you, and make a list of them. Should your nanny have first-aid training, a great sense of humor, or a perfect driving record? Also note anything you consider a deal breaker, such as alcohol use, smoking, etc. Writing these values and goals down will be helpful in constructing a job description, and will keep them at the top of your mind when talking to each candidate.

Writing a Job Description

When you write your job description, make sure it covers all your expectations in the areas of childcare, family support, and housework. Consider whether the nanny will need a car, have to cook dinner occasionally, or help with homework — anything she might be required to do should be listed in the job description, so applicants know what the job entails. This will also help to weed out any applicants who don’t meet your requirements.

Ask for a resume and three references. When you’re satisfied you’ve covered all the bases, it’s time to post your job listing and wait for the applications to come in.

The Interview

You’ve written and posted a great job listing, and you’ve selected the best candidates to come for an interview. The interview process is the time to meet a prospective nanny, get a feel for her personality and values, and get answers to important questions.

At the start of the interview, ask the applicant to fill out a job application with the following information:

• Name, and all names ever used
• Address and all phone numbers
• Name of spouse, partner, and/or ex-partner that she has children with
• Names and ages of her children
• Names of caregivers of her minor children, if any
• Every job she’s held, with the name of a supervisor for each
• All child care jobs she’s held, and at least two child care references

A standard job application with these questions will cover the basics for someone you’re willing to employ in your home. The remainder of the interview is an opportunity for you to get to know the candidate better; to determine whether this person shares your parenting values, has the skills to care for your child, and has personality traits that mesh not only with your child, but your whole family.

Here are some tips to get the most out of the interview process:

• Interviews should always be done face-to-face. Meeting each candidate in person is the best way to get a feel for their personalities and trustworthiness.
• Be professional. Remember, while you do want to feel comfortable with this person, you are still the employer and the nanny is an employee. Act professionally and with respect.
• Prepare a list of questions. Ask about opinions on important matters, such as discipline and education. Your nanny may not be responsible for your child’s education, but hearing her viewpoint on the topic gives you insight into whether she shares your parenting values.
• Ask scenario-based questions. Create scenarios that may arise during the job, and ask her what she would do. How would she handle a child who throws a tantrum? What would she do if she thought your baby were sick?
• Ask open-ended questions. These elicit a more detailed response than a simple yes or no. These types of questions can begin with “Tell me about a time when…” or “What would you do if…” The questions don’t have to be related to child care necessarily; what’s important is the way she answers them, as this will give you an idea of her maturity, experience, and professionalism.
• Include your child in part of the process. At the end of the interview, if the nanny is still under consideration for the position, you might want to bring your child in to meet her. Watch how your child responds to the potential nanny, and how she interacts with your child. Does she seem engaged with the child? Does she look comfortable? This is a time to look at nonverbal cues, for signs that she’s experienced in dealing with children and actively enjoys spending time with them.

 

References and Background Checks

You’ve completed the interview, and you think you found someone who would be a great nanny. She is respectful and professional, she interacts well with your child, and she answered all of your questions wonderfully. These are all great signs, but the candidate herself shouldn’t be the only person you speak to before making a decision.

It’s important to check references and perform a criminal background check before making an offer to any candidate. Remember, you are trusting this person with your child, so it’s essential that you cover all your bases.

Reference Checks

Checking references is extremely important, as it provides you with a wealth of information about the applicant’s character and past job performance. If a nanny is reluctant to provide references, this should raise a red flag. It’s acceptable for a nanny to request that you not contact her current employer if she hasn’t yet given them notice, but in this case, she still needs to provide other references.

Call the applicant’s previous employers and confirm the dates of employment. Ask about the scope of the nanny’s responsibilities, her strengths, her weaknesses, and the reason she’s no longer working for that employer.

During the reference check, you may need to probe for more information. Some past employers will be reluctant to speak negatively, so if the employer mentions anything slightly negative or questionable, ask more specific questions to push them to explain. If the information is overwhelmingly positive, ask what the nanny’s greatest weaknesses were. Talk to the other parents she’s worked for about their kids and their lifestyle, to find out if you share similar parenting values. The more you know about her previous work situations, the better.

Background Checks

Conducting a background check is a very standard practice, and you should never hire a nanny without this step. A private investigator can provide this for between $100 and $200 — you can also order background checks online from services such as NannyVerify.com. Anyone working in child care knows this is a required part of the hiring process, and your potential nanny should be comfortable with it. On the off chance there are any red flags about a candidate, it’s better that you find out sooner rather than later.
 
 
 

Taxes and Other Legal Considerations

Before you hire a nanny, you should have a thorough understanding of the financial responsibilities involved, including payroll taxes and insurance. This will require a fair amount of work when it comes to record-keeping and tax filings. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the legal considerations.

Employer Identification Number

You’ll need federal and state employer identification numbers. Form SS-4 is available from the IRS website. Your state employment office will have the proper forms to request your state identification number.

Verify United States Work Eligibility

You can get an I-9 form at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. The form contains information on steps to take to verify work eligibility. Your nanny will have to provide a combination of these forms:

• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Social Security card
• Driver’s license
• Green card
• Work permit

Keep copies of these documents, with your nanny’s signed I-9 form, in your records.

Payroll and Taxes

It’s your responsibility to pay Medicare and Social Security taxes for your nanny. Other taxes you may have to pay include income taxes, and federal and state unemployment taxes. The IRS has a helpful publication called “Household Employer’s Tax Guide” that provides guidance on this important topic.

If you have exceptional record-keeping and organizational skills, you can certainly opt to manage your nanny’s payroll yourself. Alternatively, many families turn to third-party payroll services to organize, track, and manage payroll and taxes for them. Both ways are valid, and since filing taxes as a household employer can be time consuming, go with whichever method works best for your schedule and lifestyle. If you have questions, or want more detailed information regarding tax and payroll considerations, contact a professional who can help explain the ins and outs of household employment.

 

Additional Resources

We’ve provided some great guides that will help you when hiring a nanny:

Why Nannies Want to Be Paid Legally

Sample Nanny Employment Application

Tips for Checking Nanny References

Step by Step Guide for Paying Your Nanny Legally
Contributed By: Kathleen Webb Co-founded HomeWork Solutions in 1993 to provide payroll and tax services to families employing household workers. Kathleen has extensive experience preparing ‘nanny tax’ payroll taxes. She is the author of numerous articles on this topic and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and the Congressional Quarterly. She also consulted with Senate staffers in the drafting of the 1994 Nanny Tax Law.