Brooklyn Nanny Survey Sheds Light On Your Burning Questions

Remember when Hulk Hogan was in Mr. Nanny??

Have you ever wondered what the average Park Slope nanny makes in a year? If they're paid on the books or off? Are they allowed to take paid vacations? I'm pretty nosy, and because Park Slope parents seem to be financially well-off, I often wonder how that reflects on the way that they pay the men and women who watch after their Dave Eggers-lovin', well-dressed babes.

Park Slope Parents, "your resource for raising children in Park Slope," recently published the results of their third annual Nanny Compensation Survey. They surveyed 1,000 Brooklyn families about everything from wages to what behaviors are acceptable while babysitting the children (watching TV while the children sleep? Cool. Using the Internet while the children are awake? Not cool.) Nearly half of the parents surveyed were from Park Slope. Color me shocked. Here are some highlights:

* The average hourly rate to care for 1 child is $14.22, 2 children $15.96 and for 3 children $16.32. I imagined the difference between children would be much higher, but nay. Minimum wage in New York City is $7.25. 

* 30% of employers believe that they pay "above average" for a nanny because of the following reasons: flexible schedule, the nanny is paid on the books, teaching a second/third language to the children, full time availability for a part time job and heavy housecleaning. 

* 61% of employers supplied their nannies with a bonus in the last year. 60% of these were rewarded with 1 week's pay as bonus. 14% are rewarded with more than two weeks pay, and 14% less than one week's pay.

* Only 40% of employers have a written agreement with their nannies. This one is kind of tricky. The New York Times, which featured the survey in The City Room, explains:

In the 2010 survey, 58 percent of respondents who paid off the books said they did so at the nanny’s request. By law, people who pay a domestic worker more than $1,700 a year are required to pay employment taxes that amount to about 10 percent of the worker’s salary. The nanny, too, is legally required to report her wages and pay tax on them.

“The situation is complex,” Park Slope Parents’ founder, Susan Fox, said in a release. “Paying on the books is more costly and more complicated than paying off the books. On top of that, many nannies are not legally able to work on the books. However, the best thing to do for all parties is to pay your nanny on the books (and it’s the law).”

* On average, nannies are given 11 days paid vacation. In addition, 80% of employers pay their nannies for the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

* 40% of employees pay for their Nanny's Metrocard (which costs over $1,500/year).

* 86% of employers give their nanny total kitchen access.

* Since less than one-quarter are paid any of their income on the books, Nannies receive no Social Security benefits from their work situation

* 50% of all nannies work over 50 hours a week, but only one in four of these Nannies is paid overtime. 

* 22% of employers gave their nanny 3-4 weeks notice for termination, while 21% gave no notice: the nanny was fired on the spot.

You can read the entire survey HERE.