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…

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…

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…

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,…

For 2012, the domestic employee wage threshold under Federal law for paying Social Security taxes will rise to $1,800. Earnings below this amount will not be subject to Social Security taxes. This limit is up from $1,700 in 2011. Under California law, the thresholds will stay at $750 and $1000. Specifically: You must register with the Employment Development Department (EDD) as a household employer for…

Many of our clients seeking to hire a Nanny start their searches focused on finding a live-in candidate. The reasons are many, but in our experience, the two main reasons family consider a live-in Nanny are (i) to get increased coverage, and (ii) to save money. In our experience, a live-in Nanny is not necessarily going to be able to address these two needs. Often…

Finding just “the one” can be tough no matter what the economy and the unemployment situation is. Currently, one of the trends we’re seeing is that great candidates are not taking the risk to search for a new job due to the current state of the economy. Those who have years of experience under their belts and are contently employed are simply not interested in…