Monday
Am I underselling myself?
Hello out there! I am hoping to get some feedback on my current situation. I recently started working a FT nanny position with a family who has 3 children. The youngest just turned 1 and the oldest is 7 (in school all day until summer). The middle boy is 5 and only goes to school until around 11.30 a.m. I was hired to work 45 hours per week with OT pay for every hour over 40. So far I have only worked one 45 hour week. On average I have been working around 42 hours per week. I make $13/hr before taxes and $19.5 OT. All this after taxes figures out to $11/hr ONLY IF I am working the full 45/wk. Any fewer hours and I make slightly under 11. I am there 7.30 a.m. till 3.30 or 4.30 everyday and do all the kids laundry and all the dishes for the household, everyday (which means an overflowing sink everyday). I also tidy up the kids rooms and playroom downstairs which is LOADED with, not kidding, probably thousands of toys. I also drive the kids around to school and activities, however, a vehicle is provided for me. I work in a very fancy area filled with wealthy families. I believe having a FT nanny (who cares!) and PT housekeeper is a luxury and is worth more than $11/hr. Especially when considering I do not have any benefits and must buy my own health insurance. Am I way off base? Everyone in my life including a few nanny friends keep telling me I am underselling myself. I like the family but I am 26 (27 soon) and feel that if I work 40-45/wk I should be able to afford to buy decent health coverage and put at least a little money away for the future. I would appreciate any in-put on this! Thank you!
I think part of nanny pay rates really does depend on the area you are working in, care.com has a great calculator that factors in average pay rates in the area. How much experience do you have? It sounds to me like you deserve at least 15 especially if you are doing more than just cleaning up after the kids (which I see as just part of the nanny job, doing the kids dishes and basic little jobs cleaning up after them- but some people view this differently) If you are getting into doing the families dishes, multiple loads of laundry a week, cleaning the floor, bathroom or cooking for the entire family etc you are definitely a combo Nanny/Housekeeper and deserve closer to $20 if not more depending on the area.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't really think hourly rates after taxes are something to base this move on, it needs to be based off of your hourly rate before taxes, which should be at least 15 in my opinion, especially if you are CPR/First Aid certified and so on.
Wait why are you cleaning up the kids rooms and playroom!? The older ones should be doing that for themselves before lunch/nap/dinner/TV time - something! That should be the kids issue not yours, minus things like vacuuming or taking out the trash. Cleaning up toys should 100% be the kids job (unless they're ill or ridiculously over tired), your part is simply to teach them to clean up after themselves.
ReplyDeleteI always worked salary never per hr!!!! Ever!!!
ReplyDeleteI would work out a weekly salary that both you and your employer feel is appropriate.
ReplyDeleteFrom the employer's standpoint, they want to pay as little as possible because even if you see it as a luxury, to them it's a paid service. They don't want to pay for hours they don't need so if they can cut a half hour here or there, that money does add up... as a loss to you personally, but as money saved for them.
If you agreed upon the figure for 45 hours originally, I would approach them and let them know you budgeted for that amount and coming up short each week is problematic. If they are reasonable people they will stick to the original weekly amount and if they can let you go a half hour early a few days a week, great.