What to Include In Your Nanny Work Agreement

Anonymous Nanny Asks for Advice

I just started a new job and I want to have a nanny contract. What should be included in the work agreement? It will be part-time during the school year and full-time in the summer. I want to make sure it is thorough and I don't want to forget anything. Does anyone have any suggestions for me please?

We suggest including the following in a nanny work agreement:

Names of Nanny and Parents:
Work Week:
Total Weekly Hours:
Salary/Hourly Rate:
Overtime Rate:
Salary Review and Increase Every ______ Months:
Increase in Salary if Famiy Has Newborn:

Traveling With Family:
Travel rate:
Travel work hours:
Travel private room:
Other:

Car:
Use of Family Car:
Compensation for Use of Personal Car:
Rules for Using Parents' Car on Personal Time:

Paid Legally:
Taxes and Social Security:
Workers Compensation:

Benefits and Insurance:
Car:
Health:
Other:

Paid Holidays:
New Year’s Day:
President’s Day:
Good Friday/Easter:
Memorial Day:
July 4th:
Labor Day:
Thanksgiving:
Christmas Eve:
Christmas Day:
Other:

Paid Vacation Days:
Paid Sick Days:
Is Cell Phone Provided:

Household Duties:
Cleaning service for heavy housekeeping:
Children’s laundry:
Make children’s beds:
Pick-up children’s bedrooms:
Pick-up play areas:
Help maintain kitchen:
Dishwasher load and unload:
Pick-up kid’s bathrooms:
Clean nanny bedroom:
Other:

Accommodations Provided for Live-In:
Private room:
Television cable/digital:
Private phone line:
Private email:
All meals:
Car for personal use:
Gym membership:
Curfew:
Rules about visitors:
Other:

Emergency Plans:
Confidentiality Clause:
How to Amend the Agreement:
Authorization to Treat a Minor Paperwork:


Here's a great article by Nathan Hommns, Esq. about the Key Ingredients to include in a work agreement:

• Employment length: start date, end date (if known)
• Schedule: work hours, live-in or live-out
• Pay: hourly wage vs. salary, overtime wages, pay frequency
• Taxes: federal, state, and local (if applicable)
• Time off: holidays, vacation, sick leave
• Job duties: changing diapers, feeding, laundry, etc.
• Benefits: meals, health insurance, etc.
• Other: house rules, transportation of children, confidentiality, performance reviewsTermination of the contract: who may end the contract and how