Nannies and Transportation
A Vancouver Nanny has sent us some really great questions around transportation. This blog entry is to help answer any questions around transportation and your caregiver.
Here are some guidelines that I personally feel are fair around transportation:
Do/Will I (the nanny) receive compensation for driving or taking public transportation to a nanny/babysitting job?
It has been brought to our attention that some parents do pay for the nanny/babysitter's public transportation to and from a job. I personally feel that this is a kind bonus for a parent to provide for a nanny. This is not something that a parent must do, and should be seen as part of the income received from the parent. However, I do feel that it is essential for a parent to provide their sitter with a safe ride home after they have worked for the evening.
Do I (the nanny) receive compensation for driving children in my own vehicle?
Yes, this should be compensated. Some parents will pay for a weekly fill up of gas for a nanny, while others will provide the nanny with money for the number of kilometers driven. We strongly recommend that this be discussed and agreed upon before the employment starts. It should also be revisited as the price of gas goes up and down, and as driving needs change.
What is my liability if I (the nanny) am driving around with children in my vehicle?
We strongly recommend that you discuss this with your auto insurance company. If your payments go up due to the extra liability coverage, we recommend discussing this with the family; I’m sure most parents would help the nanny with this expense.
Should I (the parent) allow the nanny to drive our family vehicle?
Sure, many parents across Canada allow their caregiver to drive their vehicle. Some parents even provide a vehicle just for the nanny. However, we do recommend that you check with your auto insurance company to ensure that the nanny can be covered under your plan. All expenses related to this car are usually covered by the parent (including gas) unless the nanny uses the vehicle for personal use; if the nanny uses the vehicle for personal use, then the expenses may need to be shared between the family and the nanny.
Should I (the parent) let the nanny use our vehicle for personal errands during the day?
If you are providing the nanny with a car, it is your decision on what that vehicle is being used for during work hours. A professional nanny should be able to organize herself so that she can do her personal errands on her time, away from the children. Again, we recommend that this is discussed and agreed upon before employment begins.
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