When you hire household staff—nannies, housekeepers, estate assistants—you’re not just bringing on help; you’re building the team that supports your home, your family, and your lifestyle. At Town + Country Resources, we believe that a well-supported household professional is more consistent, more engaged, and ultimately adds far more value to your household. That’s why supporting your household staff’s healthcare is not just an employee benefit—it’s a strategic decision for your household’s operational excellence.
Here are three big reasons why:
- Retention and stability. Offering or facilitating access to healthcare signals that you value the person you hired not only for what they do, but for who they are. That helps reduce turnover, which in the household-staff world means fewer disruptions for you.
- Productivity and peace of mind. A staff member who is healthier and has fewer worries about access to care shows up more focused, less stressed, and more able to carry out their role at the level you expect.
- Compliance and reputation. In California in particular, legal changes are ongoing for domestic service workers and household employers. Being proactive about health, safety and benefits positions you ahead of the curve.
Elements of Supporting Healthcare for Household Staff
So what does it look like in practice? Here are five key areas:
- Access to medical insurance or health-care fund. While many households cannot offer full employer-sponsored group plans, you might explore stipends, refundable accounts, or high-quality individual plans.
- Paid sick time and absence coverage. Household professionals appreciate knowing they won’t lose their job or income if they become ill—and you’ll benefit from a reliable system for coverage when they’re out.
- Safety, training and wellness. A healthy workforce includes safe working conditions, an environment that supports physical and mental wellness, and regular check-ins or orientation.
- Transparent totals and clear communication. Make sure your staff understand how their health benefit works (if you offer it), what is expected, and what the resources are.
- Integration with your staffing partner. At Town + Country Resources we help you find and vet professionals; supporting healthcare is one more way we ensure that your household team is built to be sustainable.
What California Families and Employers Should Know
CalSavers isn’t just for retirement — but it matters
Although the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program is a retirement-savings auto-IRA for California employees, its relevance underscores the broader point: California is increasingly regulating workplace fairness and benefits. For example, employers with one or more eligible employees in California must register unless they already provide a qualified retirement plan. While CalSavers is not specifically a health-benefit plan, it signals the trend toward regulation and the need for households to be thoughtful about benefits for staff.
New health and safety protections for domestic workers
Effective July 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 1350 (“SB 1350”), California extends the protections of Cal/OSHA to many domestic service workers employed by businesses (such as staffing agencies) and, in certain circumstances, private households. CalDIR This means employers must implement injury-and-illness prevention programs (IIPP), inspect working areas for hazards, provide safe equipment, and comply with broader worker-health rules. For household staffing, this means a heightened standard for health and safety practices—which ties directly into how you support your staff’s holistic wellness.
Household employer duties
If you hire household staff directly, California’s Employment Development Department (“EDD”) describes the “household employer” classification and explains when you must register for payroll taxes, disability insurance, unemployment insurance, etc. Recognizing this classification helps you understand your obligations (and opportunities) for wellness support.
How Families Can Take Immediate Action
Here are steps you can take today to strengthen your household support system via healthcare-oriented measures:
- Assess your current team’s benefit needs. Ask your staff what health-care access, wellness support or training they feel would help them do their job better.
- Offer a healthcare stipend or reimbursement allowance. If full insurance is not feasible, a monthly stipend toward an individual plan or wellness fund shows commitment.
- Create a “health & safety” orientation handout. Include your staff in your household’s safety plan: first-aid, hazard reporting, ergonomics, basic wellness routines.
- Ensure backup coverage. When a staff member is ill, you’ll want reliable temporary coverage to preserve your household functioning—and your staffing partner can help.
- Partner with an agency that supports both sides. At Town + Country Resources, we help you find professionals who are not only qualified, but supported via training, oversight, and wellness considerations. This ensures your household team is built to perform at a high level long-term.
Partner Spotlight: Stride Health — A Resource for Caregivers
For many household professionals—especially nannies, newborn care specialists, and private staff who work independently—navigating health insurance can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re pleased to recommend Stride Health as a trusted resource for caregivers seeking affordable, personalized health coverage.
Stride simplifies the process of finding and enrolling in health insurance plans that fit each caregiver’s needs and budget. Their team offers:
- Free enrollment guidance to help caregivers understand their options.
- Easy online tools for comparing and purchasing plans.
- Live member support Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM PST at (415) 466-8295.
Town + Country Resources will be sharing Stride’s insurance guides and open enrollment materials with our candidates this fall to help them make informed healthcare choices. By empowering your staff with access to these tools, you’re not only supporting their well-being—you’re building a stronger, more secure home team.
Why This Matters for Your Household Success
When you support your household staff’s healthcare and wellness, you’re investing in more than just a benefit—you’re investing in peace of mind. A well-supported team shows up, performs, remains loyal, and aligns with your family’s rhythm. At Town + Country Resources we’ve seen that families who treat their employees as valued partners benefit from smoother operations, lower turnover, and stronger harmony in the home.
Stay ahead of California’s evolving legal landscape, empower your household professionals, and ensure your home runs at the level you expect. Because when you support your household staff’s healthcare, you’re building a home that cares for everyone inside it.
Ready to build your household’s next-level team?
Connect with Town + Country Resources to learn how to create a household team supported by wellness, benefits, and long-term success.
Related Resources
- CalSavers – https://www.calsavers.com/ calsavers.com
- Cal/OSHA Domestic Service Workers Guidance – https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Domestic-Service-Workers/Guidance-and-Resources.html CalDIR
- California Household Employer’s Guide – https://www.edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/Household_Employer Employment Development Department