7 Key Tips for Hiring a Nanny or Caregiver During COVID-19
With schools remaining closed or adopting hybrid learning models for the Fall start of the 2020/20201 school year, parents are grappling with how to supervise their children and simultaneously work from home. As lots of daycare centers and after school programs are also closed, many families are considering hiring a nanny.
Here are our key tips for hiring in your home during the pandemic:
Use our free Household Payroll Calculator to know your budget BEFORE you start looking: Download the Nest Payroll app and use our free Household Payroll Tax Calculator to estimate your employer taxes (about 10% of wages) at varying wage and hour combinations, and what those numbers translate into for after-tax or “take home” pay (sometimes part of the negotiation). Go to Nest Payroll on the App Store.
Pay correctly and legally: Make sure you pay on the books right from the start. If this doesn’t happen, as a household employer you are liable for all payroll taxes including the employee’s share, plus potential fines and penalties. This is the reality that has hit many families during the pandemic as record numbers of employees file for unemployment insurance which has been expanded to unprecedented levels under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Form a share bubble or pod: Consider joining forces with another family with similar objectives (and social distancing practices) to reduce costs and provide enough hours so the nanny doesn't have to work for another unknown family to make ends meet. Our friends at Hand in Hand have some great advice on forming a nanny share here.
Spell out the daily preventive actions: Even if you think it’s obvious, you need to discuss safety precautions to ensure you are both on the same page with following safety practices such as mask wearing, adhering to social distancing, washing hands often, checking everyone’s temperature daily, etc. Hand in Hand has great COVID checklists for nanny, housecleaner and caregiver employers here.
Transportation: Will the nanny need to take public transportation, or are there are other options? Can you drive the nanny for part or all of the journey? Can you budget to pay for an Uber or Lyft, or purchase/lease a vehicle that your nanny could use? Could the nanny move in with you if shelter-in-place orders become more restrictive, and is she willing?
Video interviews: Use applications such as Zoom, Google Meet or FaceTime for the first round of interviews with potential candidates. As you narrow the field and feel good about a candidate, you could consider meeting them in person at an outside location so that social distancing can be maintained. Also think about if you want/need to have your kids present for the meeting as that can complicate social distancing. Nannies usually want to engage with children during a first visit and create a good impression, and as an employer you want to make an assessment of that behavior. Discuss it before the meeting so everyone knows what to expect.
Have a work agreement: An agreement reduces awkwardness and misunderstandings, especially as things come up you just didn’t anticipate. Clearly communicate any additional tasks such as light housekeeping that you require as part of the job. Be realistic with outside tasks and inside chores, so your little ones have the right level of attention. You can edit this contract from our Tools page and Hand in Hand also has a template for nanny work during the pandemic here.
Please reach out to us at Nest Payroll anytime. We are here to help, whether it’s about creating an employer budget, addressing tax questions or helping you with hiring or managing household employees. Text us a question at (650)460-1750.