How to Ethically Hire a Nanny
The maddening paradox of childcare in this country is that daycare and babysitting are indeed expensive – at least more expensive than state college tuition – and that childcare workers tend to be poor . The domestic work industry is largely unregulated and workers are vulnerable to exploitation, a direct consequence of the fact that domestic work is rooted in slavery.
Ilana Berger, director of Hand in Hand , a network of domestic employers, says: “The conditions that domestic workers face today are a direct result of the legacy of slavery and racism in this country. In the 1930s, both domestic and agricultural workers – mostly blacks – were not subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Fast-forward to a day where exploitation occurs because most domestic workers still work in the shadows in an unregulated part of our economy and do not have full rights or predictions. Even when there are laws, these laws are practically not applied. “
This means that choosing and hiring a nanny is a more ethical process than, say, choosing a pediatrician or an electrician.
First, the biggest question is: Is it ethical at all to participate in such an unfair system, especially if the potential employee has no paperwork? Putting aside the question of what middle-class families would do if the answer were no , is it ethical to enter into a professional relationship when the power gap is so great?
Yes, says Randy Cohen, host of the Person Place Thing podcast and former author of anethics column for the New York Times . “As a rule, in every relationship between employer and employee, there is a huge difference in power … [especially for undocumented workers], it is a difference in degree, not in character. And people need work . “
Berger confirms this view: “When organizing domestic work (as in most employment relationships), the employer does have all the power. Undocumented domestic workers are most vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, but all domestic workers are vulnerable to unfair treatment. ”
To better understand the responsibilities of a nanny employer, I asked Berger to break down the responsibilities of an ethical employer. Hand in Hand stands for the promise of fair care , a three-pronged strategy for hiring domestic workers: fair pay , clear expectations, and paid leave .
Pay the living wage on time and according to textbooks if you can
According to Berger, this means that in large cities it is at least $ 15 per hour. A good thought experiment is to multiply your hourly wage by 40 and ask yourself, “Can anyone live off this in my area?” She recommends using this living wage calculator to get an idea of the reasonable wages for an adult in your area.
When I tell her that many middle class families I know in New York say they cannot afford to pay, say, $ 20 an hour, she says, “There are other options – you can hire a nanny, you you can find ways to change your budget and priorities to make it work. Saving the person who cares for your children is not the best choice for your child and is simply wrong ethically or morally. “
And if you can pay on the ledgers, you should: “This is best for everyone. It’s better for the employer and better for the employee because he involves them in the system – they get social security and other benefits. ” Now it is clear that undocumented workers may not want to get paid for the books (Berger leads workaround for undocumented – individual taxpayer identification number, but notes that workers may not want to start this process, especially in this political moment in time). She says, “In general, we are saying that you have to do what works best for you and the employee. If you have to pay by the ledgers, you have to clarify this at the beginning of the process. ”
Finally, pay regularly and on time. Don’t make the employee wait for their check at the end of the week.
Write down what you expect and check back regularly
This is where you have to draw up a contract that outlines responsibilities, hours of work (including breaks), pay, sick leave, and vacation days. You should also include things such as contingency plans, guest policies, waiting for screen time and food, waiting for caring for sick children, housekeeping (such as washing baby clothes or dishes), reading to children. , small money, layoffs, etc. Need a sample contract? Start here .
The working agreement should be reviewed regularly, at least every six months. You thought you’d be home by 6, but is it actually more like 6:15? She needs to be paid for that extra time – or is it her opportunity to tell you that she needs you to be home at age 6. “It is very difficult for people to grasp the fact that nannies also have families and may need to get somewhere. take their children, ”says Berger.
Would it be helpful if she started eating dinner on Wednesday night? This can be built into check-in. She needs a mid-afternoon break and isn’t getting it because the baby has stopped sleeping? Registration may be relaxing some of the screen time rules. “It’s a pressure release,” says Berger. “Constant proactive communication is really beneficial for everyone involved.”
Offer adequate leave and sick days
Leave is usually shared with the family – I have heard of some families that offer weekends when they take their own leave, plus additional paid leave that can be taken at the discretion of the employee. Berger notes that this question is often asked among employers: “We have last minute tickets to Costa Rica! Do I still have to pay the nanny? “
Berger says, “Employers often say things like ‘She’s like family! “But it’s also an employment relationship.” The golden rule applies: How would you like to be treated in your workplace? “When your boss leaves, expectations change, but you still get paid.”
need more information? Take a look atthe employer checklist . (As for whether or not you have to pay a nanny when you go on an impromptu trip to Costa Rica, the answer is yes.)
Get sucked in
After speaking with Berger, I found in the living wage calculator where I live now, in Brooklyn, and where I grew up in West Virginia. A single adult raising two children in Brooklyn would have to make $ 37.49 an hour to make ends meet. In West Virginia, that would be $ 28.20. Currently, most middle-class families cannot pay these caregivers’ wages, and that doesn’t even apply to the problems of emergency medical expenses, college savings, or retirement savings. This means that we, as a culture, are trapped in a sick system: families in which middle-class families are stranded by the cost of care (both childcare and elderly care), and domestic workers are exploited and cannot make ends meet. …
Berger believes the guiding principles of her organization (and others) are a temporary solution to a serious problem. She says: “We cannot expect individual employers to close the gaping holes in our healthcare infrastructure in this country. Therefore, we encourage our people to participate in our campaigns and work to create an affordable health care system so that individual employers or workers do not have the burden of compensating for our society’s lack of investment in care. ” People can take part in the National Domestic Workers Alliance or the Sanctuary Homes campaign that advocates for the rights of domestic workers.
Cohen shares this view: “If, like me, you believe that our current immigration policies and the current status of workers’ rights are in fact barbaric, you have a firm commitment to do something about this problem … You are a citizen, and you have to do something. “
Even if, say, you’re not a parent or don’t end up hiring a nanny – even if you’re not part of the system? “Whether you like it or not, you participate in the system. It is impossible to free yourself from the social tendencies of the day. “