Monday, March 16, 2009
Do you have a nanny?
So many people out here in la la land have nannies. Many of those with nannies are stay at home moms who seem capable of having multiple children but incapable of coping without additional at home help. On a daily basis I see requests on a particular listserve for NIGHT NANNIES. Again, women who seem capable of being pregnant and having a baby but incapable of coping without additional help. The requests for night nannies usually is in addition to their daytime nanny, who I might add is expected to clean, cook and do general housekeeping duties in addition to taking care of the children.
Average pay for a nanny out here in la la land is $17 an hour. This is grudgingly paid by the parents employing these women. Many women are looking for what they like to call "Maria Poppins" hoping for a nanny that doesn't speak English as well so they can pay closer to $12 an hour. Almost none of them pay taxes on their nanny leaving the nanny to either pay self-employment taxes or not pay taxes at all.
All that said, the women hiring the nannies also tend to be utterly shocked and angered when their nanny ditches them for a better paying job, demand a week of paid leave or some type of compensation when the family they work for takes a vacation.
Here is an example of where the attitude towards nannies blows my mind...
My kids are going to Maine to visit their cousins. Because of my husband's
illness, the nanny will be escorting them.I am not sure what to pay her. She will be flying out with them, staying overnight and flying back. She will do this again to bring the kids back
here as well.
She has asked for her regular pay for flight out with the kids (I'm fine
with that) and regular pay when she flies back without the kids. (not sure
about this.) She also wants to be paid while she's in Maine, even though the
kids will not be her responsibility. (Not sure about this.)
Can any of you imagine working for an employer who wants to send you on a business trip and ONLY pay for time you are truly working? Think about conferences and conventions, think about trips in which you travel all day one day (hence technically not working) and then only spend a few hours working in an actual office. No pay for travel to and from airport, no pay while in air flying home, no pay for dinner etc. Wouldn't you feel utterly screwed by your company? Wouldn't you demand that the company compensate you for your time?
Why on earth do people look at nannies any differently?
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2 comments:
Can you hear me? I'm on my feet applauding and whooping at the top of my voice.
AMEN.
There is a book called "Domesticas" -- it's one of the only ethnographies with immigrant women out there -- and focuses specifically on women in domestic services in LA. It's very interesting, for the discussion on the reasons you mention, and is based on interviews from both the workers and the households that hire them.
I'm going to have to find that book! There is a website titled NannyWatchLA for all those women who have NOTHING better but to hover and watch for nannies to screw up and then publicly demean them for being human and potentially having done nothing wrong.
We contemplated a nanny for a short while when Wylie was brand new mostly because we didn't think we would get into the USC program and we wanted someone loving to care for him. We interviewed through an agency, our cost would have been close to $24 an hour (agency paid taxes and put cost onto client). I had no problem with the cost as this was someone taking care of my CHILD full time when I wasn't there. Worth every penny.
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