What Belongs in a Nanny Contract

A clear written agreement is the single best protection for a placement, on both sides.

The most common source of trouble in a household placement is not bad intent; it is unspoken assumptions. A family assumes one thing about hours or duties, the nanny assumes another, and the gap surfaces months in, when it is harder to address. A clear written agreement, settled before the first day, prevents most of this, which is why it is worth taking seriously even when everyone starts out on warm terms.

A good nanny agreement covers the practical core first: the position and its responsibilities, spelled out specifically enough that the scope is clear; the schedule, including regular hours, expectations around overtime, and how additional or changed hours are handled; and the compensation, stated as a gross figure, with pay frequency and method. Naming gross rather than net pay from the start avoids one of the most common and costly misunderstandings.

It should then address the benefits and the terms that make a role real: paid vacation, sick and personal days, holidays, and any health insurance or allowance; mileage or travel reimbursement; and, for live-in roles, the arrangements around accommodation and any vehicle provided. Where travel or overnights are part of the job, how those are compensated belongs here too.

A thorough agreement also sets expectations that prevent later friction: confidentiality, since a nanny becomes party to a family's private life; guidelines on how the household runs and how decisions are made; the boundary of the role, so that childcare does not quietly expand into housekeeping or management; and how reviews, raises, and feedback will be handled over time. It should note the legal frame as well, that the nanny is an employee with taxes handled properly, and reference the at-will or term nature of the arrangement and what notice each side will give.

The point of all this is not to make a warm relationship feel transactional. It is the opposite: a clear agreement frees both people to relax into the relationship, because the foundational questions are settled and neither is guessing. A good agency helps structure this agreement at the outset, and many families find the conversation of writing it down is itself valuable, surfacing assumptions while they are still easy to align.

A note of caution: employment terms and what an agreement may or must include vary by state and change over time. This is general guidance, not legal advice; have your agreement reviewed by a qualified professional to ensure it fits your situation and your jurisdiction. It is the standard we hold at Nannies + more…® on every search.