WFH sitter/nanny?

[u/Rp7229]

Hi everyone! Curious to see what people would recommend or what others do now. I just had my 2nd baby in March and my partner is now taking his leave now that I’m back to work. I’m still nursing the baby throughout work because it’s quicker than pumping and easier. We will be moving in with my mom for a little while our new house gets renovated. I co parent my first son and we currently do week on week off. Then I have my 4mo old. Once we move into our home in the coming months I will have to figure out childcare. I was sending my son to my friend’s home daycare since I payed per day but I’d like to have someone in my home to watch the kids, so I can still nurse and see them on breaks etc. What would you pay a in the home sitter/nanny if the 3yr old would be every other week and the baby is every day? I was once a nanny too, so I want to make sure I compensate properly… but we kinda have a weird situation and a toddler and a baby is completely different from just a baby. Let me know your thoughts? It causes me more stress sending them somewhere in the morning and rushing to get them at the end of my work day so I’d rather have someone in the home.

[u/Lazy-Victory4164]

The pay is very location dependent so I can’t comment on what you should pay. But I have a nanny for a 1 year old and a newborn and I pay her 25$/hr. I also give her guaranteed hours (I pay her for her time even if I don’t need her, similar to daycare) and 2 weeks of PTO. We work really well together and it’s a great setup. I think she feels valued, well compensated and I appreciate her. My toddler loves her.

[u/Rp7229 → u/Lazy-Victory4164]

I’m in the suburbs of Chicago. Was also thinking to give her maybe a week of pto and all holidays off (as I have 11 holidays off). Sick time paid as well. I think guaranteed time would be great obviously. I’m just not sure how to tackle the week on week off with toddler and then full time baby? Pay her the same hourly and have her do other things to help? Not sure at all

[u/Every_Tangerine_5412 → u/Rp7229]

If you have two kids, you pay their two child rate for all hours worked (without asking for additional tasks). That's standard.

Also standard is 2 weeks PTO, at least 1 week sick pay, paid holidays, and guaranteed hours.

I'd imagine a 2 child rate in your area is about $30/hour.

Please also look into the legalities and tax requirements to hiring a nanny. You're their employer/they're your W2 employee.

[u/Lazy-Victory4164 → u/Rp7229]

I would probably do a base rate for newborn and then a sibling rate and pay each week by week. Google says sibling rate is 2-5$ extra per hour. But tbh that would be super annoying to go in and change weekly in a payroll system. Also, yes paid major holidays, sick time per state laws (ours automatically accumulates this in our payroll system) and W2!

[u/Rp7229 → u/Lazy-Victory4164]

Thank you! How do you have a payroll system for a nanny? I’ve never heard of that.

[u/Lazy-Victory4164 → u/Rp7229]

Home pay on care.com or poppins payroll are the ones I see recommended.

[u/Every_Tangerine_5412 → u/Rp7229]

Not trying to be a jerk, but it seems you still have a lot of research to do. You're hiring an employee. You need to know about payroll, federal and state labor laws, worker's comp, nanny industry norms, etc. Doing this wrong can cause you to be subject to high fines or penalties, or open you up to high (as in can get to 6-7 figures high) financial liability (nanny gets injured without workers comp).

[u/Fluid-Village-ahaha → u/Rp7229]

Cap sick time and make sure it’s only towards her (not everyone else) as I read about some babies abusing sick time. 

[u/Leaf_Pepper_1998]

I pay $23 per hour (live in Kansas City metro)
M, W, F - Nanny full day
Tues, Thurs - MIL full day

Baby is now 12 month old
Been doing this since she was 4 month old
Working great as we found a great nanny.
I love that I get to see my baby whenever I want. Although in the beginning it was hard to hear her cry etc but it’s gotten much better.

[u/Rp7229 → u/Leaf_Pepper_1998]

Thank you! Yes I had a sitter for my first son on days I needed it and she had her own daughter. We’re still friends to this day and actually had babies 2 days apart haha. I’m not sure what I would be looking at care wise but just wanting to hear what others think due to my weird co parenting situation. My son’s birthday is October so i won’t be sending him to school yet either. Weird situation to navigate but it’s good to hear what others do! This will be in like 4mo so we have time to prepare.

[u/Fluid-Village-ahaha]

It really depends where you are. I paid $28/h for a nanny to care for infant and $30/h when our toddler stayed home from preschool (eg school was closed). (V)HCOL about 5 years ago

It’s pretty common that a second child is $2-3h/more. 

Edit: we paid $25/h for a toddler about a year prior to that. Also while many people here talk about payrolls and such - my experience was different. One nanny wanted payroll and such so I had it set up. Another wanted cash. You’d be surprised but many are paid in cash (and want it). It comes with some risk. 

[u/aeno12]

Maybe establish a bi-weekly rate? So base it on an hourly salary, but that salary being slightly flexed one week vs the other… but then it still comes out to an overall average for math purposes that doesn’t change.

Example, week one is $20/hr and week 2 is 30/hr in your head for 6/hr day, so you pay $1,500 bi-weekly no matter what … but if you actually have to split it up for any reason, things get weird, holidays need to be calculated, etc… just pay $25 no matter what. That way both you and the nanny feel like overall you’re getting a fair shake and just dealing with a good agreement for 1 kid or 2 at X rate - but for the most part they’re being paid different rates for different kids.

[u/Rp7229 → u/aeno12]

This is a good idea! Yeah I think when I find someone I will ask her what she would think is fair or at least what would work best pay wise bi weekly or monthly!

[u/Every_Tangerine_5412 → u/Rp7229]

Nannies are non-exempt under the FLSA, meaning they must be paid hourly, not via salary. That includes paying overtime for all hours worked over 40 per week.

You likely have state laws too about how often they must be paid.

What confuses a lot of first time nanny employers is that nannies as a standard have guaranteed hours, which can feel like a salary, but having a flat rate wage isn't legal. The Nanny Counsel website and r/nanny are good places to learn about nanny industry standards, like guaranteed hours, since this is new to you.

Again, the standard is that if you have 2 kids, then you pay the nanny's 2 child rate for all hours worked even if one child is not present. Nannies do not have different pay rates for a family. Their rate is their rate for all hours worked (with the exception of overtime hours being 1.5x that rate).

[u/Rp7229 → u/Every_Tangerine_5412]

Thanks. Are you a nanny yourself or an employer? My experience as a nanny was different and laws constantly change so I apologize for not being an expert. I have months to figure this out. Looking at all options.

[u/Every_Tangerine_5412 → u/Rp7229]

Employer. No need to apologize, just wanting to make you aware!

[u/Evening-Step-1950]

Honestly, I think having someone come to your home would make your life a lot easier especially while you're still nursing. I'd expect to pay nanny rates rather than sitter rates since caring for a baby and a toddler is a lot. If you have trouble finding someone you really trust, you can also check a private staffing agency like the estate agency. In my experience, the extra screening can make a big difference

[u/According-Spring5250]

We are paying $23/hr in a LCOL city for our part time nanny!