You’re happy with the services your household employee provides for you and your family, so why not show them how you feel? The holiday season is here and this is a perfect opportunity to show them just how grateful you are. When it comes to holiday tipping, there are no hard and fast rules. How much you give largely depends on what you feel you…

Whether you hired your nanny or other in-home employee through Town + Country or by some other means, you’ve undoubtedly invested a good deal of time and effort to make the right hire. Now make sure you keep your valued employee. Communication and showing appreciation are “musts” in all facets of a domestic staffed household. If you are currently a domestic employer, annual reviews, bonus…

Town + Country Resources is proud to join with Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) members from across the country to sponsor the first annual SPARK Awards for Excellence in Nanny Care. The SPARK Awards, created by Lora Brawley of Nanny Biz Reviews, celebrate everyday nannies doing extraordinary work to support parents, care for children and strengthen families. In recent years, Lora Brawley started noticing…

This past Saturday evening, as our beloved Giants were playing in Detroit in the much-anticipated & possibly final game of the series, one of our Peninsula clients called our after-hours temp line (415-508-TEMP). Her family’s baby-sitter hadn’t shown up, and tonight was our client’s long-planned birthday night out with her husband! Last minute, Saturday night emergency Nanny coverage … on the evening of a Giant’s…

Last weekend we attended the DEMA Convention in Los Angeles. We all know working in private service is a challenge, so the presentation by Bonnie Low-Kramen provided some wonderful insights for candidates and employees! Bonnie is a well-respected educator in the field and worked as Personal Assistant to Olympia Dukakis for 25 years. Here are her eight secrets to help you through tough times in…

We were recently asked by a client whether they & their household were subject to OSHA requirements now that they had hired (in their case) a new Housekeeper. The short answer is “no.” While we’re not legal experts, our basic understanding is that the U.S. Department of Labor is authorized under applicable federal law to develop OSHA regulations, including regulations regarding who is covered and…

If you’re about to hire a household employee or already have existing household staff, here are a few things you should keep in mind regarding the payroll & tax process: The person you have hired will be considered your “employee,” and you will be considered to be their “employer.” Treating them as being “self-employed” or as a “1099” contractor is difficult and risky. The IRS…