Knowledge Center

Caregiver Basics

• Overtime Rules for Senior Home Care Workers

  Direct hiring of senior caregivers by families continues to increase, and families have questions about minimum wage, overtime rules for senior home care workers, and questions about what constitutes payable hours during the care day. Senior Home Care Overtime Law and Minimum Wage The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies minimum wage and overtime rules… Read more »

• I Want to Apply for Unemployment Benefits. Will I Get Them?

  Your nanny family let you go. You think to yourself: how do I get unemployment benefits? The working arrangement between you and the family is considered employment at-will under U.S. common law unless the written work agreement specifies a term of contract (which is a horrible idea). In broad terms, at-will employment means that employment is… Read more »

• Why Does My Nanny Family have to Pay Me Hourly? I Want a Salary.

  You landed a new job but you’re getting paid by the hour. You can’t help but ask yourself: “why does my nanny family give me hourly pay? I want a salary.” Nannies and other domestic employees are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as non-exempt. The term non-exempt employee refers to a worker who IS subject to the… Read more »

• What is New Hire Reporting? I just hired a nanny.

  What is new hire reporting exactly? The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 requires that all employers file a new hire report on all newly hired workers and re-hired workers within a specified period, generally 2 weeks, or incur a financial penalty. Each state has designated an agency responsible for the collection of… Read more »

• Why Professional Nannies Want to be Paid Legally

  In the “nanny world,” the temptation to accept a job that pays CASH (off the books, no payroll or income tax reporting) is faced by every nanny. After all, who LIKES to pay taxes? Professional nannies, however, understand nanny tax compliance and know that being paid legally is ultimately in their own best interest. Unemployment... Read more »

• What payroll taxes does a nanny, or other household employee, pay?

  Nanny payroll taxes, what are they?  First it is important to understand that the so called “nanny taxes” apply to ALL household employees, not just nannies. The proper collection and remittance of payroll taxes protects the employer and the employee from the possibility of penalties and interest associated with unpaid back taxes. The employer is... Read more »