Wednesday, October 12, 2011

What Job Benefits Do You Have? What Job Benefits Do You Wish You Had?

10 Job Benefits Nannies Want
By aupair.org

Families that employee nannies have a lot of flexibility on what benefits they provide to them. Most families do offer some of the same standard benefits that anyone would expect at a full time job, but every nanny also has the option of requesting benefits when negotiating her contract. Here are ten benefits that nannies say they would like from their families.

  1. Cell phone – Providing a cell phone for use that is included in the family’s cell plan is a nice perk and one that makes a lot of sense for the parents. They’ll want their nanny to have a cell phone whenever she is out of the house with the children. Prior to cell phones, asking for a phone extension in their living quarters may have replaced this current benefit.
  2. Vehicle – Providing a vehicle and insurance is one benefit many nannies would like from their families, especially if she is expected to do chauffeuring of the children to lessons and other activities.
  3. Holiday travel – This benefit is certainly not a ‘must have,’ but it is one that many families have provided to nannies who are working a long distance away from family. A plane ticket to fly home for Christmas or the 4th of July has always been a great benefit to offer.
  4. Health and Dental – Nannies need insurance coverage just like the rest of us. A good insurance plan with at least half the premium paid by the family is very important benefit.
  5. Paid vacation time – Providing paid time off during a year of employment is a very customary benefit at almost any job, and most nannies will expect this as a benefit in their contract.
  6. Paid sick time – This is another wise benefit for families to offer. If your nanny is ill, the last thing you will want is to have her feel she needs to share her germs with your children in order to avoid a deduction from her pay.
  7. Educational benefits – Offering to pay for child development classes or other educational opportunities related to your nannies profession or advancement can be prized benefit for some nannies.
  8. Professional membership – Paying the membership fee for your nanny to join professional organizations for nannies is another small perk that nannies have appreciated from their employers.
  9. Overtime pay – Providing and paying for extra hours beyond the weekly agreed total at a higher rate of pay is another benefit that nannies appreciate, when employers include it in their contract offer.
  10. Holiday pay – Paid holidays is one benefit nannies may request, and extra bonus pay for working on a holiday is another that nannies appreciate.
A nanny can often become part of the family in many ways, but it is always important to remember that she is an employee, too. Click here to see original article.

7 comments:

Michelle said...

I think this is a good list but it's for live ins, for aupairs and it's in the wrong order. Where are paid personal days off? And whenever the family goes away and doesn't need me to come in they always pay me my regular salary.

Live outs don't expect a "vehicle" or car. Nannies never ask for holiday travel that's for aupairs. Nannies don't expect payment of education, that's for aupairs, but obviously that would keep a nanny in school at their job longer.

Cell phone would be my last on this list as live in or live out since Health benefits are always #1. I wouldn't even accept a full time nanny job without holiday pay, paid time off, paid sick time, paid personal days.

This is a list for live in aupairs since mature nannies want things like help with car insurance, health insurance, raises and bonuses each year. Having cell phone and vehicle use at top isn't at all my priority. I think if they give me the cell phone they are probably tracking me with GPS LOL. That's for live ins that are really young IMO.

Anonymous said...

I wish parents would read this :) LOL!

Fiona Littleton said...

I am a nanny so it's different than an au pair the article is written for. I have a Cell phone for work. They have a car for me to drive at work for work but I have my own car for my personal use. I think au pairs are required to have a car to use so it's not a benefit but a requirement for au pairs. I take my own vacations they don't fly me anywhere that's an au pair thing. I would love health insurance but I get it from my husband policy. I do always get paid time off and paid sick time. It's not defined how many days but when I have been sick they paid me and I stayed home. Never got educational or professional membership pay. I get paid my regular rate for overtime. I always have had paid holidays.

Buffi said...

I'm a live out and the majority of my jobs have provided me with a work vehicle. I prefer a small car. Currently I have a large sedan which I don't love-much prefer something like a mini or the coupe I had in the past. While I wouldn't want to carry two cell phones, I would like an allowance towards the current one since I utilize it for work-text, email, and work calendar sinked to home calendar all on it. Overtime shouldn't even be considered a benefit. It just should be as it's unlawful to deny unless you are a live in. Continuing education is important to any job. Period. My current position, I've taken very job specific classes. Same with other jobs, usually because the child had a specific disease or issue. I have health insurance but yes, it should be industry wide for everyone.

Michelle if you have a BB, they can track you I believe. My husband who works 911 told me they do that to his coworkers, it's why he's switching to an iPhone.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know nannies had contracts and benefits. When I don't work I don't get paid. I just never knew until I found this website. They do give me gas milage for using my car though. I would love any of the benefits listed.

Nanny said...

This is proof that benefits are part of a salary package. When my employers started contributing to half my health insurance that saved me $500 per year. They pay for my SMARTPHONE which is at least $100 per month so saves me at least $1,000 per year. You have to ask upfront in the beginning. It's better to bring up all benefits before the job starts. Very hard to ask for more after the job starts.

Senior Companions said...

A nanny plays a vital role in the healthy upbringing and emotional development of a child. Hiring a nanny who meets the requirements of a family is a time consuming, yet important, process that needs to be handled carefully. Thanks a lot for sharing with us...