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---------------------Nanny Net News------------------------
A newsletter for Parents, Nannies and Agency Owners
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Vol. 2, No. 5 April 2001
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Deborah Smith, Editor
Parents With Nannies, Inc.
Deborah@4Nanny.com
This newsletter is distributed by subscription only. If you
wish to unsubscribe, you can find instructions at the end of
this newsletter.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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> A Note from the Editor
> April Sweepstakes
March's winner
> Year-End Tax Tips for Nannies
> Anatomy of a Work Agreement
by Deborah Smith
> MUST SEE SITES
> GREAT DEALS
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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
Hi everyone,
This month I'd like to start with a public service
announcement. Three years ago this past March my best
friend of 25 years died of cancer at the age of 32.
She and I were as close as sisters, sharing many, many of
life's ups and downs. We lived together after college,
she was my Matron of Honor at my wedding and we delivered
our babies 3 weeks apart from one another. It was after
the birth of her second child while recovering from labor,
that Doctor's discovered a lump in her breast. Many of
you may be thinking, "Oh, Breast Cancer." As was I when
she first told me about it. But she did not die of
Breast Cancer, it was Skin Cancer, Melanoma. Before my
friend was discharged with her new born baby girl she was
told that she had tumors in her liver and her lungs. The
Doctors gave her 6 months to live. She died 6 months to
the day her daughter was born and it was the saddest day
of my life. I tell you all this story as my way to remind
each and every one of you to protect your children, your
charges and yourself from the sun. With summer just around
the corner, now is the time to start getting into the routine
of regular sunscreen applications. You will be doing the
children in your lives an invaluable service by protecting
them from irreversible sun damage. If they put up a fuss
and ask why they have to where the stuff tell them
"it's because you love them."
I hope you enjoy this month's issue of Nanny Net News.
As some of you know I am expecting my second baby in mid-May.
Since my last baby showed up 4 weeks early, I want you all
to know that if next month's issue doesn't hit your inbox on
time, there may be a very good reason. :)
Enjoy,
Deborah Smith
Editor
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MARCH'S SWEEPSTAKES WINNER
The 2 winners of the ABC's of Hiring a Nanny Handbook
donated by ABCNanny.com are Melisa Thompson of
Tennessee and Patsy Pelton of Alabama.
Congratulations Melisa and Patsy!
The author will be contacting you to
arrange for the delivery of your prize.
APRIL SWEEPSTAKES
Enter to win a beautiful sterling silver
"You Grew In My Heart" pendant by HeartbeatDesigns.com.
This lovely pendant makes the perfect gift for Mothers Day,
newbirth and adoption, nannies, midwives, doula's, infant
nurses and just about anyone with a career involving babies.
Show Mom or your special nanny you remember them this
Mother's Day. Enter to win NOW.
http://www.4nanny.com/Sweepstakes.htm
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Year-End Tax Tips for Nannies
by Stephanie Breedlove, Breedlove & Associates, L.P.
1-888-BREEDLOVE
April 15th is just around the corner - a day that most
of us dread. If you have prepared your 2000 tax returns,
you are ahead of most Americans. If you are still
procrastinating like most of us, good luck over the next two
weeks. Here are a few facts that may answer some of
the questions you may be having this time of the year.
Are you an independent contractor, and what does
that really mean? An independent contractor is an
individual who is truly self-employed. They have
complete control over their work - hours, environment,
tools, direction, etc. A good example of an independent
contractor is a free-lance writer. From a tax point
of view, an independent contractor assumes responsibility
for all employee taxes, as well as employer taxes.
Independent contractors pay approximately 10% more in
taxes than employees. By law, nannies are NOT independent
contractors, they are household employees. This means
that the families they work for are required to withhold
payroll taxes; it also means that the families must pay
employer taxes equal to approximately 10% of their nanny's
salary.
What if a family withholds only Social Security and Medicare?
Household employers are required to withhold only Social
Security and Medicare each pay period. They do not have
to withhold federal and state income taxes. We encourage
families to withhold income taxes so that their nannies
will not have to come up with a tax payment in April - but it is
not required by law. If your family withheld only Social
Security and Medicare, you (the employee) are responsible
for paying federal and state income taxes with your income
tax return each year. If you cannot make the payment in full,
the IRS will allow you to establish a payment plan.
Your employer did not withhold any taxes throughout the
year, but you want to "be legal" and file your income tax
return. What do you do? As a household employee, you are
responsible for federal and state income taxes only.
All other taxes are your employer's responsibility. You may
prepare and file your tax returns without a W-2 and pay your
income taxes on April 15th. The IRS and your state match
employers and employees each year. In this case, your income
tax return (without a W-2) will not match with a registered
employer. It may take several years, but your employer
will "get caught". They will have to pay both employer and
employee portions of Social Security and Medicare, additional
federal and state employer taxes, plus penalties and interest.
It truly is easier to take care of the tax process throughout
the year.
by Stephanie Breedlove, Breedlove & Associates, L.P.
1-888-BREEDLOVE
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ANATOMY OF A WORK AGREEMENT
For many nannies and families the written work agreement is
becoming an expected and normal practice in the world of
nanny employement. Why a work agreement? What really is a
work agreement? Do they even hold up in a court of law?
These are all questions we get over and over again through
the website. So, I will attempt to answer these questions
and to give you an outline of what should be covered.
First, to answer the question Why a Work Agreement? I think
Ann Douglas puts it best in her book The Unofficial Guide
to Childcare when she says "One of the best ways to avoid
future problems with your child's caregiver is to put as
much as you can in writing right from the very beginning."
Secondly, What is a Work Agreement? A work agreement, also
know as a contract or employment agreement is a signed
document between nanny and employer that outlines the framework for
nanny's job and work environment. A typical work agreement
should contain the following components.
* A List of the Job Conditions
Including:
Salary
Benefits
Hours
Overtime
Time Off
Evaluation Schedule
Notice requirements
* Job Responsibilities
This is basically a "Job Description" you can include this
discription within the work agreement or as an attachment.
Responsibities might include:
Meals for Kids
Dressing Charges
Learning activities
Outings
Guidance/Discipline
Etc.
* General House Rules
Establishing rules is very important and should be thought
out way in advance of hiring a nanny. It is much easier
to set the ground rules before an incident arises rather
than having to back track and establish a new rule as a
direct result of your nanny's behavior. If you have
experienced problems in the past with huge phone bills
or uninvited visitors, now is the time to avoid the same
mistakes twice. The house rules should also include rules
pertaining to your children. If TV is restricted to certain
hours of the day or if homework must be done before play time,
these should be spelled out so that nanny and parent can
present a united front when it comes to enforcement.
The work agreement located on our site gives you a list of 16
different house rules to give you food for thought.
Some you may choose to delete and others you may choose to add.
* Employer Obligations
In this section the employer needs to outline their
Insurance and Tax responsibilities. Household employers
are required to withhold only Social Security and Medicare
each pay period. They do not have to withhold federal and
state income taxes although some employers will withhold federal
and state income taxes with the nanny's permission. Some even
choose to pay nanny's share of income taxes as an added
benefit. This should all be outlined in the work agreement.
Also, a clause that states "parents will provide Worker's
Compensation insurance and unemployment insurance" which
are required by many states should be incorporated.
* Live-In Agreement
If you are planning to employ a Live-in Nanny there are
several issues unique to this arrangement that should be
outlined in the work agreement.
Furnishings
Responsibilities for damages to property
Repairs
Telephone
Keys
Guest Policy
Privacy
Living Arrangments (room, bath, etc.)
To answer the question "Are Work Agreements enforcable in a court
of law?" we consulted a Labor and Employment Attorney who told
us the following: If either party breaches the contract, the
other party can sue for money damages. Parents could not sue to
make the Nanny continue to work, but could prevent her from working
during the notice period. The problem is that you'd have to go to
court for an injunction, an emergency proceeding, and the cost
would be thousands of dollars. On the other hand, the Nanny
could sue for lost wages if she is fired without the required
notice and the parents could sue for the cost of temporary child
care if the Nanny quit without notice. Either case likely would
be a small claims action (the small claims limit varies from state
to state.) and neither party would be required to have an attorney.
For a copy of a comprehensive Work Agreement compliments of
LifeWithNanny.com go to
http://4EverythingNanny.com/work_agreement.htm
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T-SHIRTS FOR THE NANNY AND KIDS IN YOUR LIFE!
Check out our adorable T's for the Kids too
***Nanny T's are now available in Navy.
I had to share this great note we received from a mom who
purchased one of our shirts for her nanny. It says it all!
"Got the shirt today. Love it! Thanks for your promptness.
But most of all, thanks for a truly unique gift that I
can give to one of the most important people in my child's
life (and mine!)!!!!!"- Deborah, Nanny employer
http://www.4nanny.com/products.htm
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MUST SEE SITES
ONLINEPLAYGROUP.COM
http://www.onlineplaygroup.com
OnlinePlaygroup is the Internet resource for finding, starting
and managing a playgroup! OnlinePlaygroup offers an extensive
directory of hundreds of playgroups worldwide, plus practical
information on how to start a playgroup and free online tools
you can use to manage your playgroup.
RaisingADaughter.com
http://www.RaisingADaughter.com
Tackle the daily challenges of raising your daughter in today's world!
From late-night feedings to late-night curfews, our community is here to
support each other every step of the way.
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GREAT DEALS
FREE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO WORKING WOMAN MAGAZINE
Rewarding and Celebrating Moms--Every Day--is the goal
of ClubMom.com. Join now and receive a free one-year
subscription to Working Woman magazine (no strings attached).
http://www.4EverythingNanny.com/pwn.html
Get $20 in FREE Gifts for Your Child from Brighter Vision
Learning Adventures (TM) that Child Magazine highlights as
a "gotta-have 'em, can't live without 'em" parent product!
Brighter Vision invites you to try out the LEARNING ADVENTURES
program with a free shipment of educational books and activities
that are worth over $20. Get fun, educational, and age
appropriate activities designed to prepare your child aged
1 through 6 for success in school. Click here for this free offer!
http://www.learningadventures.com/4nanny-DXT4
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I hope you have enjoyed this month's issue of Nanny Net News.
See you next month, if I'm not having a baby. :o)
************************************************************
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(www.4EverythingNanny.com)
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