When hiring a nanny and discussing salary, one often overlooked discussion is that of vacation and holiday expectations.
Vacation and holiday benefit considerations
- Will you offer a certain amount of paid time off or limit unpaid time off?
- Is the nanny able to choose all the dates or are there any fixed days, such as during your own vacation plans or holidays? The most commonly paid holidays are New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- Will this time be lumped together to use for either sick, holiday or vacation? Or will they each be considered separately?
- What sort of advanced notice do you require for time off?
- Can the time be used immediately or only after some number of days worked (30 days, 60 days, etc)?
- What happens to unused days? Are they rolled over into next year, forfeited, or paid out?
What is required
Federal law does not require household employers to offer paid vacation time or paid holidays for a nanny. Part-time or summer only nannies would likely not expect these perks. On the other hand, full-time year round nannies, especially experienced ones, are likely to look for or expect this benefit.
Even if a nanny does not specifically inquire about any holiday or vacation benefits, offering them can promote a positive nanny-employer relationship. This can help keep a great nanny happy and show her how much you appreciate her own well-being.
Expectation setting
No matter what you decide, you should discuss expectations up front when you discuss salary with your nanny and review yearly. In the nanny-employer relationship, upfront and frequent communication is critical in avoiding resentment and issues later on.
How to track
When using the Paycheck Nanny app for Android devices or the app for iOS devices, vacation or holiday time to be paid should be specified via the Time Card for the corresponding pay period.