3 non-negotiables for your nanny contract

A nanny contract? I mean, doesn’t my nanny just show up like we agreed and then I pay them like we agreed and everything’s good?

As a nanny agency, we love connecting families with their ideal nanny or babysitter and have had the pleasure of seeing countless such working relationships bloom and flourish over the years. However, we are also here to help when things don’t go quite as planned—and what we’ve learned over the last decade is that most of the conflicts we see in a working relationship is the direct result of the work agreement either not existing at all or not being followed. This in turn means that a clear, thoroughly processed nanny contract can save both parents and caregivers a lot of stress and unnecessary conflict. The clearer the contract at the start, the less confusion later on. 

The clearer the contract at the start, the less confusion later on. 

Based on our many years working with families, nannies, and babysitters, these following are the top three things you must include in your nanny contract, whether you are an employer or a nanny. 

1. Guaranteed weekly nanny pay

The absolutely most common issue in working relationships between nannies and families is because of conflicts regarding pay. Very often the problem arises when families do not need their caregiver for a certain time and do not pay them during this time.

Perhaps you as an employer are going on a family vacation for a week and don’t need a caregiver? Perhaps the grandparents are in town and want to pick up the kids from school? That’s lovely! But still pay your nanny. 

That’s lovely! But still pay your nanny.

By paying your nanny or regular babysitter their regular weekly income, whether you needed those hours or not, you are ensuring the longevity of that working relationship and laying the groundwork for an employee who will stick around. You don’t want to have to go through the process of hiring someone new every time you come back from vacation. 

Imagine if your place of work didn’t need your particular efforts for a week and simply said, “Please stay home, without pay, and wait until we need you again.” You may not stay very long at that job. 

If you are a nanny, make sure you have this information in writing in the nanny contract so it’s easier for you to bring this issue up or avoid confusion if your family goes away. We know it can be a tricky subject to broach as an employee, and by having already spelled it out in your contract, there’s no question about whether you’ll get paid when your family doesn’t need you during regular working hours. 

2. Additional nanny benefits

One of the best ways to solidify and strengthen a nanny hire is by adding benefits on top of the base salary, as you would expect in any professional, regular role. We see a direct correlation between added benefits and nannies outperforming and outlasting in their positions—the trick is to have all this in writing. 

As part of the job offer, you might want to bolster the position with paid time off, accrued sick days, health care stipends, or transportation reimbursement. Iron out the details and make it clear up front what’s included. This way your new nanny feels supported in their role and feels that it’s a professional position where they’re valued, as the same way as any professional would be valued. 

Adding in guidelines for how you view bonuses and raises (perhaps with a set yearly pay raise and a flexible additional percentage based on performance?) will help the nanny have a long-term carrot to help them commit to the role. 

3. Details, details, details

We also find that the more of these nanny contract details you have worked out up front, before daily stresses or the emotional weight of a conflict complicate things, the easier it will be to approach those conflicts if they arise. This is one of the most intimate working relationships you’ll ever have with someone so take as much emotion out of it as you can in the paperwork. 

This way, whether you are a nanny or a parent employer, if any uncertainty arises, you can refer back to the job contract and what both sides had agreed upon before. You may choose to be as detailed as filling in, “Employee will be paid on x day, through direct deposit on payroll via x provider,” instead of just saying “You’ll get paid weekly.” If any paid time off or sick days are accrued, make sure it’s spelled out how that system is set up so there is no confusion. 

Similarly, by listing the employee’s responsibilities, it’s easy to refer back to the work agreement if you feel your nanny isn’t living up to the expectations outlined for the job, which makes it easier to get back on track. This way each side upholds the responsibilities they agreed on, and the other party promises to meet them there. 

Right now, more than ever, both employees and employers are living through uncertain times, and agreeing on expectations is extra important. For more information, learn about COVID provisions to include in your contract.

Bonus tip: The nanny contract is a living document

It’s easy to be overwhelmed at the beginning of a hire by all the details you want to include in your contract. What if you’re not quite sure of the exact responsibilities for the whole next year? Maybe there will be siblings added to the mix, maybe a child is about to start school?

As a nanny, if you love and stay with your family for years and your contract is a one-and-done agreement upon hire, it may be hard for you to see the growth and evolution of your role. 

This is why we recommend that families keep the nanny contract as a living document. From the onset, spell out how often and when you will review the responsibilities, agreement, compensation, etc. This gives families a chance to check in regularly and address any areas where the employee isn’t quite fulfilling their duties, and it gives employees a natural opportunity to discuss raises and growth in the role. A yearly review is highly recommended—and anytime a large changes in the terms of the working relationship. 

The contract can also be a useful place for you to enter information about your children—birthdays, allergies, absolutely imperative lovies - as well as emergency contacts, pediatricians, and other details the nanny may need to refer back to. 

Again, by making the job contract a practical and thought-through document, both nannies and families avoid having to make emotionally charged decisions in stressful situations, leaving both sides happier—which, in turn, makes kiddos happier (and isn’t that really what we’re looking for?). 

Get by with a little help

It can seem daunting to know all the details to put in a job contract when hiring your nanny. If it’s your first time working with a caregiver you may never have had an employee before, and it’s all new. When working with an agency, they can often guide you through what needs to be in the contract—or provide you with an outline that you can tailor to make your own (surprise: Smart Sitting has a comprehensive and clear nanny contract you can use!). 

Have questions about your nanny contract?

We want to set our families, nannies, and babysitters up for success, and with just a few details in place, you can be on track for a long, happy, growing working relationship. 

Good luck!

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