June 16, 2003: Thanks to everyone who completed this survey. Click here for results
Please complete this survey only if you currently have a nanny, since we are trying to determine current pay practices. This survey takes about 8 minutes to complete. Please contact us to report problems.
What's a nanny? For the purposes of this survey, we define "nanny" as someone whose main job is childcare, and who is paid to take care of the children of one or a few families on a regular basis, usually in the home of one of the children. The following are not considered nanny situations: 1. short-term or occasional care (such as high school & college students and au pairs), 2. unpaid care (such as friends, relatives, neighbors, or co-op agreements), 3. care that usually takes place in the babysitter's home or business (such as home-based daycares and centers.)
There are exceptions - please use your best judgement!
Disclaimers (1) For convenience, we have assumed a female nanny, but we acknowledge there are male nannys too! (2) Every nanny situation is different! Some of these questions, or some of the choices, may not quite fit your own situation. We tried to cover as many different situations as possible while still keeping the survey short and quick to answer. If you don't see the exact reply that you would make, please pick the choice that's closest. You can use "Other" and "Comments" to explain. The more replies we get, the more useful this is to everyone. Thanks! These are the questions that are required: zip, email, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 22, 23, 24, 25
- What's your zip code?
- (we'll use this for summarizing pay rates by areas.)
Please enter the email address you are subscribed under:
- (case is unimportant)
Privacy note All replies are anonymous. No names or email addresses will be saved or displayed, and results will only be available as total numbers. We need your email address to make sure that only subscribers respond, and that only one response is recorded for each email address. Your email address will not be stored with your response. The only information stored with your email address is whether a response was received to the survey, and even that will only be available to the survey author, Ginger Ogle.
Background
Hours and Rates- 1. How did you find your current nanny?
- How many months did it take you to find your current nanny once you started looking actively for one?
- months
- 2. How long has your current nanny cared for your child(ren)?
- 3. How many of your own children does your nanny usually care for?
- child(ren)
- 4. How many total hours a week are your own children usually cared for by this nanny? (for live-in nannys, include only "on duty" hours)
- hours a week
- Of this total, how many hours a week is a parent or other adult usually in the home (working or not) while the nanny is on duty?
- hours a week
- Of this total, how many hours a week is a parent or other adult helping with childcare while the nanny is on duty?
- hours a week
- 5. Does your nanny also care for the child(ren) of another family?
- yes no
- 6. What is the maximum number of children (including your own) your nanny is usually caring for at one time ?
- child(ren)
- How many of these children are ...
-
0-6 months? 7-12 months? 13-18 months? 19-24 months? 25-36 months? 3-5 years old? older than 5?
- 7. Counting all the families she works for, how many total hours a week does your nanny usually work as a paid childcare provider?
- hours
- 8. Does your nanny live at your house?
- yes no
- 9. Do you pay your nanny ...
- by the hour
a flat weekly rate
a flat monthly rate
a yearly salary
some other way
- 10. Do you pay your nanny ...
- in cash by check some other way
- 11. What is the total hourly rate your nanny is actually paid?
- Please give us the total, not just your part of her salary.
- Please estimate if you don't pay hourly.
- Add back any withholdings from her pay such as taxes and insurance.
- Don't include room and board, bonuses, gifts, paid leave, transportation, meals, etc. (later questions will cover these)Please complete any hourly rates that apply to your nanny.
for one child: $ per hour two children: $ per hour three children: $ per hour four children: $ per hour
- 12. As far as you know, is the hourly rate you pay your nanny more than is typical because of any of the following special situations:
- not applicable
twins/triplets
high-need child
odd hours
long hours
nanny's training/experience
other:
- 13. As far as you know, is the hourly rate you pay your nanny less than is typical because of any of the following special situations:
- not applicable
nanny is live-in
I provide other perks
I use her few hours
inexperienced nanny
children are older
another adult is there
other:
- 14. How many raises have you given your nanny since she began working for you?
- raise(s)
- 15. Do you give (or do you plan to give) your nanny an end-of-year bonus?
- no
no, but I give her a gift
yes, a flat amount: $
yes, the equivalent of what I pay her for week(s)
- 16. Do you take the childcare deduction on your income tax or use pre-tax withholding for childcare?
- no yes
- 17. Do you and your nanny have a written contract?
- no yes
Taxes, Insurance, and Other Withholdings
- 18. Do you usually withhold or pay or cover any of the following for your nanny? (please check all that apply)
- none
state and/or federal income taxes
state disabilty/unemployment insurance
medical/dental insurance or expenses
Social Security & Medicare
workers' compensation
other:
- 19. If you don't do withholdings, what's the main reason? (please choose the one that best describes your situation.)
- I can't afford it
nanny didn't ask me to
a family I share with does the withholding
nanny wants to be paid "under the table"
it's too complicated
I pay a higher rate instead
some other reason:
- 20. If you do do withholdings, how do you calculate/pay them?
- I do it myself
I use a service:
- 21. What other kinds of non-salary benefits do you provide? (check all that apply)
- car cell phone meal
room transportation expenses
other:
Payment for non-work days
Note: if your agreement with your nanny is to pay for some total number of days per year regardless of whether it's sick, vacation, holiday, please divide up the total hours among the following categories as best you can!
- 22. Do you pay your nanny when she or her family is sick?
- no
yes, as many days as needed
yes, a set number of days each year: days
- 23. Do you pay your nanny for federal/legal holidays?
- no
yes, all the holidays I get paid for
yes, a set number of holidays each year: days
- 24. Do you pay your nanny for her own personal vacation days?
- no
yes, a set number of days: days
yes, but only if nanny takes them while we are on vacation
yes, but we try to schedule our vacations at the same time
- 25. Do you pay your nanny when you don't need childcare on her regular day? (For example, if your child is sick, or you are on vacation, or you are away for some other reason)
- yes, always
yes, depending on the circumstances
no
no, because she works few hours for me
no, but I give her advanced notice
Out-of-town and Overnight Rates
- 26. Have you ever taken a nanny with you on an out-of-town trip?
- no yes
If yes, what did you pay? (check/complete all that apply)
- transportation/airfare
lodging
most/all meals
nanny's usual salary
flat daily rate: $
other:
- 27. Overnight rates: if a nanny has ever provided overnight care in your home or hers, how much do you usually pay?
- not applicable
flat fee: $ per night
hourly rate: $ per hour
nothing (nanny lives in)
nothing (nanny does it as a favor)
other:
- If your nanny has stayed at your home overnight, did you invite her partner or friend to stay also?
- no yes
Expectations and Practices
- 28. Do you expect that your nanny will provide other services besides child care? (assume "child care" includes preparing meals for the child, taking child on outings, putting away child's toys & clothes, etc.)
- yes, it's part of her job
yes, but I pay her extra for other services
yes, but at her discretion
no, I only want her to provide childcare
- If you said yes, what other services has your nanny provided? (check/complete all that apply)
- cooking for the family
shopping, running errands
laundry
light housework (picking up, folding laundry)
heavier housework (vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms)
other:
- 29. How often does your nanny take your child(ren) on outings such as to a park or the zoo, a long walk, or to a playmate's house (who isn't sharing the nanny)?
- most every day that my child is with her
frequently
occasionally
rarely or never
- If your nanny regularly takes your child(ren) on outings, how long are they typically gone?
- less than an hour
an hour or two
several hours
most of the nanny's workday
- 30. How often does your nanny take your child(ren) to appointments and activities that you yourself have arranged, such as doctor and dentist appointments, music & art lessons, playgroups, other events?
- most every day that my child is with her
frequently
occasionally
rarely or never
- 31. If you said that your nanny does take your child(ren) on outings or to appointments, how does she usually get them there?
- not applicable
drives them in her or my car
takes them on the bus/BART
they walk
other:
- 32. Does your nanny have a car she can use while she is working for you (either her own car or yours)?
- yes no
- 33. About how many hours a day on average would you say your child is engaged in activities with the nanny that take place away from the home where the care is taking place?
- hours a day
- 34. About how many hours a day on average would you say your child watches TV or videos while the nanny is there?
- hours a day
- 35. What is your policy about your nanny socializing and running personal errands while she is caring for your child(ren)? (please check all that apply)
- no socializing or personal errands while she is on duty
socializing with other nannys at the park is OK
inviting friends or other nannys to the house is OK
taking my child with her to visit friends or other nannys is OK
taking my child shopping is OK
personal calls on my phone are OK
personal calls on her cell phone are OK
- 36. What is your policy about how your nanny passes the time while your child is napping, or at an appoinment, or not at home for some other reason while she is on duty and being paid?
- nanny should use the time to tidy up, fold laundry, etc.
nanny can use the time however she likes
Languages Spoken
For the purposes of this survey, please assume that "native language" means the language that the person usually uses aorund their own friends and family. For example, if the nanny was born in a French-speaking country and French was her first language, but she now speaks English exclusively to her own family and friends, then her "native language" is English for the purposes of this survey.
- 37. My nanny speaks my native language ...
- as a native
- fluently
well enough
not very well
not at all
- 38. I speak my nanny's native language ...
- as a native
fluently
well enough
not very well
not at all
- 39. What language does your nanny speak to your child(ren)?
- we all speak the same native language
mostly nanny's native language
mostly my native language
both our native languages equally
some other language, neither mine nor my nanny's
Comments
- 40. On the whole, how happy are you with your current nanny?
- couldn't be happier - my nanny rules
satisfied - nanny is competent
think I could probably do better
actively looking for alternatives
- 41. Any other comments you'd like to share with other parents? (max 255 chars)
note! comments will be on the website so please don't include your name, email, phone, etc.