COMPETITIVE HOURLY RATE:   

Every NANNIES NORTHWEST candidate is invited to  set their own asking rate and this may vary based on a candidate's experience and individual needs.  The  Seattle market currently supports a rate range starting at $23-28+/hour; jobs that require more specialized care or experience (for a newborn, multiples, large families or a child with special needs, for examples) will bump rate expectations as well.

PAID OVERTIME: 

In Washington state, all live-out domestic employees are non-exempt and must be paid for each hour worked. In accordance with state law, your nanny must be compensated at a rate of 1.5x their regular hourly rate for all hours in excess of 40 worked in a single work week. For example, a nanny who works a 45-hour workweek at a base rate of $25/hour will be paid for 40 hours @ $25/hour and 5 hours @ 

$37.50/hour (1.5x base). Find out more about how overtime may affect your bottom line by using our Nanny Pay Calculator!

GUARANTEED HOURS & PAY:​

To stay competitive in a market that moves quickly, it's important to offer guaranteed minimum hours. We strongly encourage our clients to guarantee 100% of your nanny's scheduled hours; if they are scheduled to work 42 hours per week then they should be paid for 42 hours per week (though overtime pay is not required unless a nanny is physically there working). If a family goes on vacation, grandparents come to town, or anything else happens that reduces the nanny's scheduled hours for the week, they is still paid for her guaranteed minimum. 

PAID TIME OFF & HOLIDAYS:

It is market standard to offer at least two weeks of paid time off annually with any full-time position. It is not uncommon to designate some of that time off to be on dates chosen by the family (to overlap with a family vacation, for example) and the rest to be taken at the nanny's discretion. Most positions also offer at least six paid Federal Holidays each year; New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Some families choose offer additional "bonus" days like Christmas Eve or the day after Thanksgiving as extra paid (or unpaid) days off. If your nanny is asked to work on a holiday, she should be compensated at 2x her regular rate for those hours. 

SICK TIME:

In accordance with Washington State law, sick time is accrued at a rate of 1 hour per every 40 hours worked, though your family may choose to provide additional sick leave. Nannies are eligible to begin using their accrued sick time after 90 calendar days of employment. Families are required to carry over any unused sick time (up to 40 accrued hours) from one year to the next. 

HEALTHCARE STIPEND (OPTIONAL):

It is becoming increasingly popular for families to offer a healthcare stipend on a monthly basis and families who wish to attract top-notch candidates should consider making a meaningful contribution toward the cost of their nanny's healthcare. These stipends generally range from $100-300+ monthly and may cover some or all of your nanny's monthly healthcare premiums. This benefit is tax-free for both the family and the nanny as long as the nanny can provide proof of valid health coverage. 

OTHER COMPENSATION:

If a nanny uses their own vehicle for work-related driving, they should be compensated according to the federal mileage rate, which is currently $0.575/mile. Some families also opt to offer additional perks such as an auto insurance stipend to boost their nanny's coverage, or access to the family YMCA membership as part of their compensation plan.