Frequently Asked Questions

Our philosophy: Our goal is to make lasting matches. We’re always in it for the long run. We want clients for life and candidates who return to us when their employer’s needs change and they are looking for a new position. We’ll never do anything to make a sale that will jeopardize your long-term satisfaction.

Our process: Our thorough, proven process takes much of the uncertainty out of making a hiring decision. We hold your hand through every step of the process: defining your job description, conducting interviews, arranging your trial period and making your offer. We stay in touch with you and your employee to help your match stay as successful as it can be.

Our pool of exceptional candidates: We have the largest pool of experienced, qualified candidates to draw from when conducting your search. Because we have been making successful matches for over 40 years, candidates know our reputation and register with us because we offer them great opportunities. It’s a virtuous cycle.

The longevity and dedication of our staff: Many members of our placement team have been with Town + Country for a decade or more. They are committed to our clients and our candidates. They have deep experience in creating long-lasting matches and will guide you to find The One.

By the time a candidate has completed their interview process, we know them quite well and have a good sense of the kinds of clients they will work with best. Second, we check the candidate’s references and speak at length with each of their previous employers. This reference check both verifies employment and provides important information about the candidate and their work. We write a detailed summary of what each reference says. You can review the references of candidates you are considering. And, we encourage you to speak with these references as well.

Third, we complete a thorough background check. As part of our placement process, we conduct several background checks. Our background checks include:

• Criminal background check
• Social Security scan
• Driving record check
• Confirm I-9 documentation which provides legal authorization to accept employment in the United States

If the candidate is placed in a childcare position, we request the candidate’s CPR certification and TB test results.

After you and your candidate have agreed on employment terms, we arrange to have the candidate apply for a registration with TrustLine, California’s registry for in-home childcare providers. Their Trustline application includes having their fingerprints registered with LiveScan.

Additional background checks can be ordered on an a-la-carte basis.

While the final hiring decision is yours, we don’t skip any steps when referring suggested candidates. We’ll take the time to get to know you and your needs, to answer all your questions, and to present candidates whose strengths and capabilities will be suited to you and your family’s needs. We will hold your hand through the entire process – interviewing, navigating the working trial, helping you write a detailed work agreement, making your final offer – and we’ll still be there after you hire to answer any questions.

If you do decide to hire a candidate we refer to you, our Referral fees are as follows:

Temporary Placement Fees For Unsubscribed Clients

•  Temporary Nanny Placements
  • Booking Fee: $250 for each group of bookings which must be booked at the same time
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $50/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Childcare Event Booking
  • Booking Fee: $250 for each event
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $100/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 6-hour minimum booking
• Childcare Hotel Booking:
  • Booking Fee: $100 for each group of bookings which must be booked at the same time
  • Referral Fee:
    • $20 hourly fee in addition to Candidates agreed-upon rate for bookings that are made with more than 24 hours’ notice. 
    • $25 hourly fee in addition to Candidates agreed upon rate for bookings that are made with less than 24-hours’ notice. 
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Estate Booking
  • Booking Fee: $250 for each requested help
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $100/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 8-hour minimum booking
• Party Helper Bookings
  • Booking Fee: $250 for each event
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $50/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Housekeeping Bookings
  • Booking Fee: $250 booking fee for each group of bookings which must be booked at the same time, provided that the group of bookings do not exceed seven bookings
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $50/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking

Temporary Placement Fees For Members

• Temporary Nanny Placements
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $50/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Event Nanny Placements
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $100/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 6-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Childcare Hotel Nanny Placements
  • Referral Fee is calculated as follows:
    • $20 hourly fee in addition to Candidates agreed-upon rate for bookings that are made with more than 24 hours’ notice. 
    • $25 hourly fee in addition to Candidates agreed upon rate for bookings that are made with less than 24-hours’ notice. 
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Housekeeping Placements (including Party Helpers)
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $50/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 4-hour minimum booking
• Temporary Executive & Estate Staffing Placements
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $100/day, whichever is greater
  • Minimum: 8-hour minimum booking
• Newborn Care Specialist Placements
  • Referral Fee: 35% of Total Gross Compensation or $100/day per placement, whichever is greater. This referral fee is based on the total hours booked with the Newborn Care Specialist. If additional hours are needed, the Client must notify T+C and additional Referral Fees for the added hours will be due immediately.

Temporary Placement Referral Fee Calculation Example: 

• $50 hourly x 20 hours weekly = $1,000 weekly  
• $1,000 weekly x 2 weeks = $2,000 gross income  
• $2,000 x *35% of placement type = $700 
• $700 in T+C Referral Fees would be due in this example*. 

*The above is an example. Your Referral Fee may be different depending on the type of placement and role you are seeking. 

Long Term Placement Fee for Members

• Long-term Childcare Placements:
  • Referral Fee: 18% of Total Annual Gross Compensation or $3,000 per placement, whichever is greater.
• Long-term Housekeeping Placements:
  • 18% of Total Annual Gross Compensation or $3,000 per placement, whichever is greater.
• Long-term Executive and Estate Staffing Placements*:
  • 25% of Total Annual Gross Compensation or $3,000 per placement, whichever is greater. 
  • *Estate & Executive Candidates are all (i) candidates not included in any other fee category and include without limitation Personal & Executive Assistants, Household & Estate Managers, Butlers, Executive Housekeepers, Housemen, Chefs, Drivers, Private Educators and (ii) some uniquely qualified Nannies. 

Long-term Placement Fee Structure Example: 

• $50 hourly x 40 hours weekly = $2,000 weekly  
• $2,000 weekly x 52 weeks = $104,000 annual gross income 
• $104,000 x *18% of placement type= $18,720  
• $18,720 in Agency fees would be due in this example*.

*The above is an example. Your Referral Fee may be different depending on the type of placement and role the Client is seeking.  

The Referral Fee includes basic background checks and, for childcare positions, fingerprints & fees for the TrustLine application.

In the event that you and your employee separate during the first twelve months of employment for any reason, we will offer you a partial credit of your original fee to be applied towards agency fees for any future search. This credit is pro-rated based on the employee’s last day in the position.

We provide our services under a written Referral Agreement, and our Placement Counselors can provide a more detailed outline of all of the terms and fees mentioned.

We place qualified Childcare professionals, Housekeepers, Personal Assistants, Chefs and Estate Staff in:

• San Francisco
• The Peninsula: Santa Clara County (including Campbell, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Saratoga and Sunnyvale) and San Mateo County(including Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, San Carlos, Portola Valley and Woodside)
• The East Bay: Contra Costa County (including Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Orinda and Walnut Creek) and Alameda County (including Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and Piedmont,
• Marin County: Including Kentfield, Mill Valley, Ross, San Rafael, Sausalito and Tiburon
• Wine Country: Including Healdsburg, Napa, Sonoma and St. Helena
• Monterey County: Including Carmel, Monterey and Pebble Beach
• Los Angeles County
• Orange County
• San Diego County
• Austin, TX

We are constantly recruiting to build our candidate pool with individuals having a wonderful variety of professional and educational backgrounds and experience levels. This diversity allows us to offer you a wide range of profiles to match your unique needs. The candidates represented by our Agency must also have authorization to work legally in the United States.

Our reputation as the leading domestic staffing agency helps us attract top quality professionals. We are proud to work with and represent candidates who have completed long-term assignments through us and have returned to us for further placement. We build lasting relationships with our great candidates, and they proudly refer other professionals to us. We also use a variety of other resources, including online resources, social networking, newspapers, campus recruiting, as well as partnering with other leading agencies to conduct nationwide searches for qualified candidates.

You can simply complete this form and a Placement Counselor will get in touch with you.

If you would prefer to reach out to our Placement Counselors directly, you can reach us during our business hours, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time at 415-567-0956.

Through our distinctive 8-Point candidate vetting system and the expertise of our dedicated staff, we ensure that each candidate undergoes thorough vetting before being considered for representation. Rest assured, your peace of mind is at the forefront of our mission.

1. Application Review:
   • Our process begins with a meticulous review of each candidate’s application, ensuring that their qualifications align with our standards and your expectations.
2. Phone Screening:
   • A thorough phone screening is conducted to assess communication skills, gauge enthusiasm, and discuss initial details to ensure candidates meet our criteria.
3. Individual Interview:
   • Virtual face-to-face interviews allow us to delve deeper into a candidate’s background, experience, and personality, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of their suitability for placement.
4. In-Depth Reference Check:
   • We conduct a comprehensive reference check to verify past performance, work habits, and overall character from previous employers, ensuring transparency and reliability.
5. Online Presence Check:
   • An evaluation of the candidate’s online presence provides insights into their professionalism and compatibility with the role, adding an extra layer to our vetting process.
6. Background Check:
   • A thorough background check is performed to verify credentials, identify any red flags, and ensure the candidate’s history aligns with our commitment to safety and reliability.
7. Communication, Reliability, Character, and Punctuality Assessment:
   • Our assessment covers essential attributes such as communication skills, reliability, character, and punctuality, ensuring that the candidate possesses the qualities crucial for a successful placement.
8. Education Verification:
   • To guarantee the accuracy of educational credentials, we verify the candidate’s academic background, providing you with confidence in their qualifications and expertise.

Additionally, in the state of California, our nannies are registered and fingerprinted through Trustline.