Benefits That Matter: What Nannies and Housekeepers Should Ask For (and Why)
Benefits That Matter: What Nannies and Housekeepers
Should Ask For (and Why)
If you are a professional nanny, housekeeper, or household
manager, your work matters. You care for homes, children, and families every
day. Long-term domestic jobs are real careers, not just side gigs. That means
you should feel confident asking for benefits that protect you, support you,
and help you stay in a role for years to come.
At MoniCare Nannies and Household Staffing, we believe great
jobs come with clear expectations and fair benefits. Here are the most
important nanny benefits and housekeeper benefits to ask for — and why they
matter.
Guaranteed Hours
Guaranteed hours mean you are paid for a set number of hours
each week, even if the family goes on vacation or comes home early. This is one
of the most important benefits in long-term roles. It gives you steady income
and peace of mind. In Chicago and across the U.S., guaranteed hours are a best
practice for professional household jobs. At MoniCare, we include guaranteed
hours in our official Hire Forms.
Paid Time Off
Everyone needs time to rest. Ask for paid vacation days,
paid holidays, and paid sick days. These benefits help you stay healthy and
happy, which makes you a better caregiver and employee. For a full-time nanny
or housekeeping position in Chicago, the standard is 2 weeks paid vacation, 6
paid holidays, and 1 to 3 sick days. It is customary for the family to ask that
at least one of the vacation weeks matches their own vacation time. Paid time
off for part-time positions will vary, as you can read about below.
Paid Holidays
Most long-term nannies and housekeepers receive pay for
major holidays, especially if it was a day that the employee was scheduled to
work. This is common in professional roles and shows respect for your position.
The “big 6” holidays in the United States are New Year's Day (January 1st),
Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4th), Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
and Christmas Day. These are the standard 6 holidays in an employment package.
For part-time positions, employees will generally only be
paid for days they otherwise would have been working. For instance, if you are
a part-time nanny who works on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, you would not
be paid for Memorial Day or Labor Day (which fall on Mondays), but would be
paid for Thanksgiving, which falls on a Thursday.
If you are looking to negotiate other paid holidays off,
common ones include Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day,
Indigenous People’s Day, the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), and
Christmas Eve. Also think about if there are any other holidays that for
cultural or religious reasons you would like off. If you are working with a
domestic staffing agency like MoniCare, then your placement counselor can help
negotiate paid holidays for you.
Paid holidays can vary widely with families and can depend a
lot on the employer’s personal work schedule. It is best to record in writing
on your Hire Form or Family-Candidate Agreement exactly what holidays are paid
and in what circumstances.
Health Support or Stipends
Not all families can offer full health insurance, but some
may offer a monthly health stipend. This helps with medical costs and shows
long-term commitment. The health stipend can either be paid as an extra lump
sum to your paycheck (which would make it taxable income) or paid directly to
your insurance company. This is a relatively new benefit for employers, so not
all families will offer this. The typical amount for a full-time nanny or
housekeeper in Chicagoland is between $75 and $150 per month.
Clear Pay and Legal Employment
Being paid legally on a W-2, with proper payroll and taxes,
protects you. It also helps you qualify for loans, housing, and future jobs.
Legal pay is a sign of a professional household.
Why Part-Time or Short-Term Jobs Are Different
Short-term or part-time roles may not include the same
benefits. These jobs are often flexible by design and may not meet the legal or
financial requirements for full benefits. Long-term positions are where
benefits are most common and most important.
Part-time positions, for instance, may offer 1 week of paid
vacation instead of 2. As mentioned, they also may only pay for holidays when
the employee was already scheduled to work.
How to Ask for Benefits
If you work with a domestic staffing agency like MoniCare,
your placement counselor will help negotiate the benefits for your hire. MoniCare’s
clients are generally professional families who offer a strong benefits package
from the start. But if you need or want to negotiate additional benefits, communicate
clearly with your placement counselor and let them work with the client.
If you want to revisit your benefits after you have been
working for awhile (perhaps at your annual evaluations), then ask to meet with
your employer to specifically discuss benefits. Think carefully about what
benefits are most important to you and why. Prioritize the most important asks,
as this conversation will be a negotiation where you and your employer will hopefully
find some middle ground. For instance, is a bigger salary raise more important
than more benefits? Or if an employer is not giving you a large raise this
year, perhaps they can compensate by adding 2 or 3 paid holidays.
Bring up your wishes in a calm and professional way. Share
that benefits help you stay committed long-term. A good employer will listen.
At MoniCare, we help nannies and housekeepers find roles
where they are respected, supported, and paid fairly. You deserve a job that
works for your life long-term, and that includes important benefits.
