Prepare a customized nanny contract to define the rights and responsibilities of both the parents and the nanny. Outline the scope, date, and payment terms of nanny services.
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Last Update May 2nd, 2023
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- What is a Nanny
- Nanny vs Babysitter
- How to Legally Hire a Nanny
- What to Include in a Nanny Contract
- Nanny Contract Sample
- Other Types of Service Contracts
- FAQs About Nanny Contracts
Nanny Service Agreement
What is a Nanny
A nanny is someone who takes care of the children of a parent or legal guardian in exchange for monetary compensation. Typically, this care is provided within the children’s family home, and nannies may live both in or out of the house, depending on the parent’s needs. When a nanny lives with the family they work for, this is called a “live-in nanny”,
Nannies are usually asked to do a variety of domestic activities related to the kids, including teaching them manners, cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, and entertaining them through different activities and pastimes.
Usually, nannies build a close relationship with the families they work with, and they act as partners with the parents to help nurture and raise the children. Some nannies are hired to watch the kids or toddlers even when the parents are home, while others only when the parents are busy or working.
This ensures that the children are always receiving careful attention and that other important tasks around the house are also being taken care of.
Nanny vs Babysitter
Some child care providers and families use the terms “nanny” and “babysitter” almost interchangeably. While there are similarities between the two, and the exact role can differ from family to family, overall, they have some key differences.
In general, nannies are considered household employees, and they take care of the children on a consistent schedule, while babysitters are hired on a short-term basis as needed. This means that nanny responsibilities often go beyond child care, while babysitters typically focus more on children’s safety rather than development.
Here are some of the main differences between nannies and babysitters:
| Nannies | Babysitters | |
|---|---|---|
| Work schedule | Regular, either full-time or part-time | On an as-needed basis |
| Job duties | Child care and safety, child development and learning, planning of activities and other household chores or everyday activities | Child care and safety |
| Contract duration | Long-term | Short-term |
| Compensation | Salary or hourly wage | Per hour or per day |
| Extra benefits | Vacation days, holiday pay, accommodation, food, and other benefits | No specific benefits |
| Taxes | Not always responsible for their own taxes, depending on the contract | Responsible for their own taxes |
How to Legally Hire a Nanny
Trusting another person to look after your children can be a difficult decision. However, by taking the necessary steps when hiring a nanny, parents can feel confident and secure that their children will be properly taken care of.
Follow the instructions below to find and legally hire a nanny for your kids:
Ask friends and family for nannies they know and trust. If they aren’t able to reference anyone, search online through a trustworthy and verified website.
Interview potential candidates to learn more about their experience, skills, and approach to child care.
Observe the top applicants interact with your children to get a better idea of how they will perform as nannies.
Perform a background check and call or meet any of the references they listed in their resume. Also, find a service that can conduct a criminal background check online.
Check the average nanny salary in your area to help you when negotiating the nanny’s pay. Remember to always be respectful and polite, as whichever nanny you eventually hire will form a long-lasting relationship with your children and family.
Write up a nanny contract by following the steps in the next section.
Set up payment and tax processes as defined in your contract.
Luckily, legally hiring a nanny is a relatively straightforward task, and you can do it on your own without having to pay for a lawyer.
However, to ensure that you don’t miss any important considerations and that your children are taken care of exactly how you want, use one of our nanny contract templates. By using a pre-made agreement, you can be safe in knowing that all the crucial points are included and that there are no misunderstandings with your nanny.
What to Include in a Nanny Contract
A nanny contract requires various details in order to be legally binding and to ensure it holds up in court. Having all the necessary information also helps avoid future misunderstandings and conflicts between the nanny and the family.
Below are the most important points that should be included in most nanny contracts:
Start and end dates
Address of the worksite
Live-in accommodations (if applicable)
Work schedule and maximum hours per week
Job duties and responsibilities
Performance reviews
Compensation, additional payments, and raises
Payment terms and schedule
Holidays, sick days, and paid time off
Additional benefits
Photo and social media policy
Confidentiality clause and non-disclosure agreement (NDA)
House rules, forbidden acts, and nanny cameras
Transportation policy
Tax rules
Contract amendment and termination policy
Nanny Contract Sample
We recommend looking at a 100% verified sample nanny contract before starting your own.
Use our example below to get a feel for the points to cover and details to include in your own customized agreement.
Other Types of Service Contracts
You might be interested in other services as well. If so, use a service contract to formalize the service.
A service contract is designed to protect both the person providing and receiving the service.
It adds security if the contact is terminated or terms aren’t respected.
Examples of service agreements LawDistrict can help you create:
FAQs About Nanny Contracts
A nanny contract needs to be prepared carefully, to ensure no crucial provisions are missing when it’s signed. To find out more about how these agreements work and must be prepared, check our FAQs below.
How much does a nanny cost?
Nanny salaries usually vary significantly depending on the nanny’s experience and reputation. The more parents can vouch for their abilities, usually the higher they’ll charge you.
However, the cost of a nanny can also differ based on the range of work duties they’ll have, the number of children in care, the neighborhood in which they’ll be working, and various other factors. In general, most nanny salaries are between $15-20 per hour.
What are the duties of a nanny?
Nanny job responsibilities and duties differ from family to family. Some parents will want a live-in nanny that helps with tasks around the house as well as child care, while others will look for a nanny more specialized in child development and learning working on a part-time basis.
Overall, nanny duties usually include some or all of the tasks mentioned below:
Keeping the children safe
Providing everyday child care
Preparing meals
Helping with learning and development
Teaching basic manners
Cleaning and organizing the house
Watering plants
Feeding pets
Doing laundry
Bottle-feeding
Changing diapers
Planning activities for the kids
Transporting the children
Running errands
Carrying out other household chores
Do I have to disclose the use of a nanny camera?
Legally, you are not required to tell your nanny that you’ve installed a hidden camera in your home for video-only recordings. However, depending on your state, it may be illegal to record their voice without their permission. In general, it’s recommended to check the specific rules in your state before installing a nanny camera to ensure you don’t break any privacy laws.
Either way, you may still want to let your nanny know before setting up a video camera, explaining that it’s just for your peace of mind and the child’s safety, rather than due to a lack of trust. It’s important to foster honesty between both parties and establish trust from the start of the professional relationship, as nannies typically work on a long-term basis.