Nanny Training | 19 June 2019
Starting a new job as a nanny will be hugely exciting, giving you the opportunity to nurture a future generation and get to know a new family. However, before you start you need to make sure you are covered as an employee.
The family you are going to be working for will be your employer and have to treat you as an employee, as any business treats its employees. You have a number of rights, so please ensure you know what these are before you start!
Agree a salary
It is recommended that you agree a gross salary with your employer – this is the amount you will be paid before you pay tax, national insurance or student loan repayments. Your tax obligations could be 20% of your salary and NI will also be deducted, so bear that in mind when you negotiate.
You will need to give your new employer your tax code in order for them to setup their PAYE obligations and enable you to be paid. They will be responsible for the tax and national insurance payments in relation to your employment.
Your employer is legally obliged to give you a regular summary, or payslip which details the breakdown of salary, tax and NI and pension payments each time you are paid.
You are legally obliged to a contract
Your new employer MUST give you a contract of employment before you start, or on your first day. Ensure you read all it contains and make sure you are happy with the details relating to your notice period. Make sure you feel it is fair – is notice the same for you both? Is it reasonable? Also check redundancy clauses, holiday entitlement and agreed hours/duties.
Should you employer wish to make changes to details of your employment, for example working hours, salary, address etc, you are entitled to have a new contract or an addendum to your existing contract.
Background checks & DBS
Your employer will want to check your references and that your DBS is up to date. A DBS check is carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service and this will ensure you have no criminal prosecutions or anything undesirable in your background. You may wish to arrange this yourself, but many employers will cover the cost of this check themselves.
Whilst first aid certificates are not compulsory for nannies, if you are up to date you may be viewed more favourably by potential employers. There are many first aid courses available and take just a few hours to complete.
Insurance – Employer
Your employer must have insurance to cover their liability in relation to your safe employment. This is a statutory requirement and they should show you their certificate of insurance and ideally have it on display within your main working environment. This should cover your employer should anything happen to you while you are working which is down to their negligence. If you cannot work, you can claim against their insurance.
Insurance – Nanny
It is not compulsory for a nanny to have their own insurance, but it is not expensive and can be useful in case of claims made against you in relation to injury sustained while in your care. Many nanny insurance companies offer a discount to those nannies who are OFSTED registered.
Once you have all the legalities out of the way we hope you enjoy your new position and have a long and positive experience with the new family.
Parental Choice are experts in childcare and offer a very personal nanny recruitment service for candidates and families. If you are looking for a new nanny position anywhere in the UK please get in touch candidates@parentalchoice.co.uk or call us on 020 8979 6453.
If you have a new role and the family are looking to set themselves up as an employer, then Parental Choice Payroll can help. Our knowledgeable team can handle all aspects of payroll, autoenrollment pensions and can create bespoke legal employment contracts. Contact us on info@parentalchoice.co.uk or 020 8979 6453.