Archive for the 'Employer Information'
Posted on March 27th, 2013 in category Childcare, Employer Information, Holiday, Traveling |
It’s that time of year again … SPRING BREAK! No doubt you’re looking forward to the great plans you’ve made. You might not be thinking about childcare on your trip just yet, but you will! If you are travelling with your Nanny, here are a few tips to consider while traveling: Remember, you pay for her expenses, including airfare, hotel, food, etc. Your Nanny is working and although she is on a vacation with you, she is still likely to need relief here and there. There are other resources you can use during these much-needed breaks. Consider talking to your hotel concierge for options. You and your Nanny should discuss travel pay. We recommend that your Nanny be paid overnight wages in addition to her daily wages, or a fixed daily rate. Recommended overnight pay can range from $75 to $150 per night. Leaving your Nanny at home while you travel? Consider these tips: She was counting on those hours so you should pay her for her time. The children may not be present but you can assign her tasks to help with the house while you’re away. In general, we recommend that families agree in advance that their nannies …
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The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) has issued a new “Employment Eligibility Verification Form,” i.e., the so-called I-9 Form. The old one nominally expired last year, and the new one is now valid through March 31, 2016. Unfortunately, the form has grown considerably in size – the instructions have gone from 3 pages to 6 and the portion you and your new employee have to fill our has gone from 1 page to two. On the other had, the online PDF can be filled out in your browser using drop-down menus and then printed out. Here’s a link to the download page for the new form. You should start using the new form immediately, and Town + Country is providing the new form to clients in our printed materials, but you may legally use the old form through May 6th, 2013. What is Form I-9? The timely & accurate completion of this form satisfies an employer’s obligation to ensure that they have hired a person legally authorized to work in this country. For context, as an employer, you should remember that you are not allowed to discriminate based on, among other things, national origin in making employment decisions. This …
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This reminder from California attorney Bob King at www.legallynanny.com: “If you’re a family hiring someone in your home, always negotiate based on gross, not net, pay. Net pay agreements make it more difficult to calculate overtime and could allow the employee to overwithhold taxes at your expense. You can always determine the net pay, but any agreement should be based on gross hourly wages.” Why is this important? Household staff are considered “employees” by the IRS (see IRS Publication 924) and as employer you have important tax & withholding obligations. As a result, the total amount that you spend in wages (the “gross” wages) will be greater than the net amount that your employee takes home (their “net” pay). Simple enough, but your employee is likely to think about his or her compensation in terms of what they actually get in their pocket, not the total that you as employer are spending. As employer, you are not in control of their tax situation (how many dependents? how many deductions? credits? filing single or jointly? etc), so there is no reliable way for you to calculate the “gross” amount that you would have to pay for your employee to achieve the …
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As you know, Town + Country Resources is proud to join with other member agencies from the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) to sponsor the first annual SPARK Awards for Excellence in Nanny Care. The SPARK Awards, created by Lora Brawley of Nanny Biz Reviews, celebrate everyday Nannies doing extraordinary work to care for children, support parents and strengthen families. This April, Nannies will be chosen to win awards in one of two categories: The “Enthusiastic Newcomer” and “Seasoned Veteran” awards both showcase individual excellence in Nanny care demonstrated by exceptional childcare, impactful work and a positive, encouraging attitude. T+C’s commitment to unbeatable client service and quality Nanny care is the perfect companion to the mission of the SPARK Awards. The Enthusiastic Newcomer award is for Nannies who have worked professionally for two or more years. The Seasoned Veteran award is for Nannies who have been working in the field for 10 years or more. So what criteria are Nannies judged on? Of course the most important part of being an excellent Nanny is providing excellent childcare so that’s at the top of the list. In addition, there are characteristics that all successful Nannies share and SPARK outlines those things. …
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We read recently at a business web site that a leading research and management consulting firm had found that “67% of employees learn about their jobs from co-workers and not from their bosses.” For in-home domestic employees, they are often (in fact nearly always) the only employee in the household, and for better-or-worse, have no co-workers to turn to for advice, guidance & training. This is one of the many reasons that Town + Country places so much importance on our candidates’ prior in-home work experience. But even with significant prior training, you and your household will have your own individual and unique needs and expectations. In order for your new employee to execute their job appropriately and to your expectations, you will need to spend actively explaining, training & guiding. This includes conveying details of the job description. It can be daunting to hire an experienced employee, then try to “train” them to do a job you had expected them to be able to do on their own. You should not assume that a new employee will know what to do in your home just because they are experienced in a private home. What they do know is how …
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You’re happy with the services your household employee provides for you and your family, so why not show them how you feel? The holiday season is here and this is a perfect opportunity to show them just how grateful you are. When it comes to holiday tipping, there are no hard and fast rules. How much you give largely depends on what you feel you can afford and the quality of service you receive. That said, there are certain gifts our Candidates tell us are particularly coveted. Read on for Town + Country’s top ten. Money Talks. The time-tested cash bonus is always appreciated, and is the gift of choice for about half of the families we work with. How much to give? A good rule of thumb is one to three week’s salary depending on the number of years of service. Pick Up The Tab. Give them a night out on the town with a gift certificate to a special restaurant or movie passes. Deck Their Halls. Send a little holiday cheer their way with a wreath, floral arrangement or potted plant. Put It In Writing. Take time out to compose a handwritten note expressing how much your employee means to you, …
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Posted on November 14th, 2012 in category Employer Information, Employer Resources, Holiday |
Whether you hired your nanny or other in-home employee through Town + Country or by some other means, you’ve undoubtedly invested a good deal of time and effort to make the right hire. Now make sure you keep your valued employee. Communication and showing appreciation are “musts” in all facets of a domestic staffed household. If you are currently a domestic employer, annual reviews, bonus structures, raises, benefits, small perks and kind words of appreciation keep your staff happy and your household running smoothly. Take it upon yourself to acknowledge that you are involved in a service industry and communicating needs can be difficult. Being respectful of your employee’s time, efforts and energy will make all the difference in their performance and longevity as a happy employee. Here are some specific strategies to help you manage & retain your employee: – Check in periodically. Sometimes called “stay interviews” in the corporate world, it’s wise regularly to talk to our nanny or other in-home employee to see how they are doing, how the job is going, what if anything they might suggest changing or improving, etc. – Clearly communicate your expectations. Developing an employee to work in your home, even a …
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Posted on September 11th, 2012 in category Employer Information, Legal & Regulatory |
We were recently asked by a client whether they & their household were subject to OSHA requirements now that they had hired (in their case) a new Housekeeper. The short answer is “no.” While we’re not legal experts, our basic understanding is that the U.S. Department of Labor is authorized under applicable federal law to develop OSHA regulations, including regulations regarding who is covered and who is not. In particular (29 CFR 1975.6, to be exact), the OSHA regulations state that: As a matter of policy, individuals who, in their own residences, privately employ persons for the purpose of performing for the benefit of such individuals what are commonly regarded as ordinary domestic household tasks, such as house cleaning, cooking, and caring for children, shall not be subject to the requirements of the Act with respect to such employment. Note that this only exempts the household employer with respect to employees doing “ordinary domestic household tasks.” Employees doing other work may be covered. Also, we always advise our clients to confirm that they have workers compensation insurance coverage, which is a legal requirement entirely separate from OSHA. Household employers most commonly get this coverage as part of their homeowners insurance. …
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Posted on August 31st, 2012 in category Employer Information, Legal & Regulatory |
If you’re about to hire a household employee or already have existing household staff, here are a few things you should keep in mind regarding the payroll & tax process: The person you have hired will be considered your “employee,” and you will be considered to be their “employer.” Treating them as being “self-employed” or as a “1099” contractor is difficult and risky. The IRS sets out its guidelines in Publication 926 (“Household Employer’s Tax Guide”). In particular, the IRS presumes that that such helpers as “babysitters, … house cleaning workers, housekeepers, [and] nannies” are employees, not self-employed. Being self-employed requires that the worker can control how their work is done. This can be a complicated legal area, and T+C strongly recommends that you get sound legal advice before trying to engage a household worker as a contractor. As an employer, you have payroll, tax and other legal requirements that you, as the employer, must administer. These obligations can be confusing at first, but options exist to make this process easy for you. We are happy to talk you through these options. We recommend that you have a work agreement or other written contract with your household employee so that …
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On May 11th & 12th, Town + Country is partnering with Charles MacPherson to host a two-day professional housekeeper training class at the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood City. We’re incredibly excited to have Charles here to work with some of our top-notch housekeepers. Charles is the founder of Charles MacPherson Associates Inc. He has nearly three decades of experience in the service industry. In 2009, Charles opened North America’s only registered school for Butlers & Household Managers in Toronto. Charles has worked for and consulted with many of the highest-end hotels & resorts, as well as with prominent families around the world to help them set up their household systems, train and manage staff, and ensure the smooth running of their resorts, hotels, homes & estates. His web site is at www.charlesmacpherson.com. This course is not designed to teach a new or entry level housekeeper. It is designed to improve & enhance the skill set of an experienced housekeeper who is serious about their job, skills and career. It is ideal for Town + Country clients who want to the opportunity to have their housekeeper take their skills to the next level. This class is a two-day version of Charles’ …
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