PARENT FAQ

Nannies are household employees that provide intimate, one-on-one care to families and their children. Nannies are typically full-time employees with a wide range of responsibilities: • Light housekeeping • Creating educational activities for children • Engaging in child development • Driving children to extra-curricular activities • Light meal prep • Assisting parents in raising their tiny humans Nannies are often seen as an additional parents - picking up where working parents need the most help. Most nannies are college-educated, have child-related certifications, are first-aid, CPR certified, and have years of extensive children experience. Nannies are the backbone of many successful people. Hiring a professional career nanny will enhance the lives of you and your child.

The placement fee is calculated as a percentage of your childcare provider's annual salary, typically ranging between 20% and 22%, depending on the services requested. We determine the nanny's annual salary and charge accordingly. Please note that the placement fee covers our services only and does not include your nanny's hourly rate or salary. You are responsible for directly compensating your nanny for their services.

Nannies receive varying salaries based on factors such as job duties, number of children, experience, education, and location. In Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern VA, starting salaries for nannies begin at $28.00 hourly, with potential variation based on experience. For nationwide positions, please contact us directly. At Nannies in the City, we prioritize affordable childcare while ensuring fair pay for our providers. We advocate for legal payment practices and do not condone underpayment. If you're uncertain about the appropriate salary for your nanny, reach out to us. We'll assist you in determining a fair hourly rate considering your nanny's responsibilities.

Congratulations on your new journey into parenthood! At Nannies in the City, we're dedicated to supporting first-time parents like you. We understand the excitement and uncertainty that come with bringing a new baby home. That's why we offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation to first-time parents seeking nanny services. During this session, we'll address all your questions and guide you through our onboarding process, ensuring a smooth transition into childcare.

Nannies in the City dedicates ourselves to being a "one stop shop" for our families. We ensure we provide you with the best options. We work closely with a payroll company who will handle all payroll, childcare tax related questions, and direct deposit.

Absolutely! Nannies in the City operates across the nation, serving clients throughout the United States. If you need us to conduct a nationwide search for your nanny, please be aware that you'll be responsible for providing a relocation package to assist with their move.

Nanny referral agencies handle the entire process of hiring a professional nanny, from vetting and qualifying candidates to selecting the best fit for your needs. We dedicate ourselves to ensuring client satisfaction by carefully matching families with candidates who will seamlessly integrate into their household and grow with their family. Our placement fee reflects the diligent effort we put into fulfilling our clients' requirements. We offer ongoing support, guidance, and assistance at every step of the process, ensuring a smooth experience. Investing in our services ensures peace of mind and a successful match for your family's needs.

Nannies in the City take our time vetting, verifying, and reference checking all of our professional nannies. We send our candidates through a vigorous application, interview, and verification checks before creating a profile in our database. Our background checks cover criminal investigations, DMV driving records, SSN verification, education verification, and national warrants. We all request at minimum three childcare-related references that we call and verify. We go the extra mile to provide extraordinary care.

We recommend that you start your nanny search three months before needing care. The time, effort, and verification process take time, and we like to be thorough throughout the hiring and vetting process. Our mission is to match you with a childcare provider that will be a perfect match for your family's needs. If you find that you require services at the last minute, fear not! We are here to assist you every step of the way. The typical nanny search turnaround is between 2-8 weeks.

A nanny tax is a federally required tax paid by people who employ household employees and pay wages over a certain threshold. Employers and employees pay an equal share of social security and Medicare taxes (7.65% total) on cash wages. Employers are required to withhold social security and Medicare taxes if paying a nanny at least $2,100 during a calendar year. The taxes required to be withheld are the 6.2% social security tax and the 1.45% Medicare tax. Additionally, the employer must also pay a matching 7.65% portion of social security and Medicare taxes on the nanny’s compensation when it is time to pay the Nanny Taxes. Employers are only required to withhold Federal and State income taxes if the nanny makes that request. We recommend working with our recommended payroll system.

Employment benefits that most nannies receive, both live-in and live-out, typically include: Two weeks of paid vacation each year • 8 to 10 paid holidays off • Health insurance or a percentage of their health insurance premium paid for as a non-taxable benefit. • Use of employer’s car during working hours • Paid sick days. In addition to these standard benefits, some nannies also receive: • Contributions to retirement plans • Annual bonuses • Paid professional development days • Reimbursement for professional expenses such as the INA conference attendance.

A live-in nanny is a nanny that lives either in the client's home with private accommodations or lives in an apartment or separate living quarters off of the family's property. Live-in nannies are not required to pay rent to their employees, nor do they need money deducted from their hourly rate to be a live-in. Live-in nannies are paid the same hourly rate as live-out nannies - if not more. Hiring a live-in nanny is a luxury and a benefit to the family. However, if the position requires heavy travel, the family hires a live-in to be present and readily available when the position requirements are needed. Live-in's are typically paid between $20 - 35+ an hour based upon the position requirements. If you seek a live-in nanny and can not afford their hourly rate, we suggest that you find an Aupair.

Guaranteed hours are a standard benefit in the nanny industry. Suppose a nanny is available to work, and the family chooses not to use her services for any reason. In that case, the family will pay the nanny her regular wage for a guaranteed number of hours during that workweek. The number of guaranteed hours is generally equal to the nanny’s typical weekly schedule (e.g., if the nanny works typically 47 hours per week, she’ll receive 47 guaranteed hours per week) Guaranteed hours aren’t a legal requirement. You’re not legally obligated to pay your nanny for hours she’s available, but you don’t need her to work. However, it’s a standard benefit in the industry, so if you choose not to offer guaranteed hours, chances are you won’t attract quality candidates, or you won’t keep a nanny long-term. You may not need her for all her scheduled hours every week, but she’ll be there ready, willing, and able to provide excellent care when you do need her.

When hiring a nanny, you need to make sure everyone agrees on details related to job duties, pay and benefits, vacation days, house rules, and more. The most efficient way to keep everything organized and avoid issues with your nanny down the road is to create a nanny contract. This employment agreement will ensure you talk through essential aspects of your nanny’s role and holds you both accountable for what you agreed on. We will assist you in creating a primary contract and advise you on what to add to it.

Great question! Nannies in the City charge a percentage of the service provider's annual fee for each placement. We have to do an individual vetting process for each provider we work with. We cannot charge one flat fee for multiple services, but we are willing to give a discount for being a loyal client.

Yes! We will work with clients seeking care for at least 30 hours a week for part-time care. We request that you work with us to create a schedule for your nanny that will benefit your needs and your childcare provider's needs.

Yes, we ask that you abide by our contract that outlines our confidentiality agreement.

We remain committed to finding you the perfect fit, pledging to present up to 6 qualified candidates. Should you decide to discontinue our services, kindly inform us in advance, and we'll halt the candidate search for your family. Rest assured, we only charge the final placement fee upon successfully securing your childcare provider. Please note, the $600 launch fee is non-refundable.