Philadelphia’s new Domestic Worker Bill of Rights became effective on May 1, 2020. Domestic workers include nannies, house cleaners, caregivers, and others who provide services in the home.  Philadelphia’s new law, passed on October 31, 2019, requires among other things that nannies, house cleaners, and other household employees be provided a written agreement expressly outlining the terms of their employment, such as pay rates, work schedules, and benefits.  The new law also guarantees that nannies and other in-home workers accrue paid leave and sick days even if they work for multiple employers.   Although the City was unable to set [...]

In a recent New York Times article, “What Should You Do About Your Babysitter During Coronavirus?”, the author, Melinda Wenner Moyer, describes the chaos suffered by working parents during the coronavirus lockdown. She raises important questions: If you’re practicing social distancing, is it OK to invite a babysitter into your home? Should you be offering your sitter time off — and if so, should it be paid or unpaid? What if you’re worried that your caregiver might get your family sick? It's only natural to worry about our children, she states, but for reassurance, available statistics demonstrate that the majority [...]

According to a 2016 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 61.1 percent of households with children under 18 (56.3% of children under 6) had two parents who worked.  With over half of American households having two working parents, childcare is in demand.  You’ve considered all of your options, but realizing that you are looking for childcare that is flexible enough to work around your schedule, provides individual attention, and can take on some additional responsibilities, like shuttling your children back and forth from activities, you’ve decided your best option is to hire a nanny.  While hiring a nanny is [...]