Traveling With Your Nanny

How to Compensate Your Nanny on a Family Vacation

Before a family hires a nanny, the nanny’s compensation should be detailed fully, including the rate of pay for attending family vacations and any mileage or expense reimbursement that may occur. It is important for families to remember that their vacation time is not the same as their nanny’s vacation time! A nanny who travels with a family and performs work responsibilities should be paid accordingly. Here are some quick tips on compensation if you are traveling with your nanny on your family vacation:

• Before the vacation begins, outline exactly what the nanny’s job responsibilities will be during the trip and the hours she will work.
• Your nanny needs to be paid for all travel time to and from the destination.
• All travel expenses are to be covered by the employer. This includes flights, accommodations, meals, and any other travel related expenses.
• Your nanny needs to be paid her normal salary for all hours they are responsible for the children.
• You do not need to pay the nanny for rest time as long they have appropriate sleeping accommodations, receive 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep in a row, and receive a total of 8 hours rest time.

For example, if the children and the nanny go to bed at 9 pm, and the children need assistance at 1:30 am for 15 minutes and wake up at 7 am, you will need to pay her for the 8 hours she was supposed to be resting. If the children and the nanny go to bed at 9 pm and wake up at 3 am, she tends to them for 15 minutes and then goes back to bed until 6 am, you are able to deduct the 8 hours because she received 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

• You do not need to pay the nanny for any hours where she is free to go off on her own, and not be responsible for the children.
• In accordance with the FLSA, any weekly hours over 40 need to be paid as overtime pay (one and a half times the regular hourly pay).

For more information, please contact GTM’s Household Employment Experts at (888) 432-7972.