Understanding Guaranteed Hours: The Industry Standard
What are Guaranteed Hours?
"Guaranteed Hours" (GH) is the standard whereby a nanny is paid for a set number of hours every week (e.g., 40 hours), regardless of whether the family needs them for all those hours, provided the nanny is available to work.
Why do nannies require this?
Imagine you have a full-time job. One week, your boss says, "We're going on vacation, so don't come in. We also won't pay you." You wouldn't be able to pay your rent.
Nannies sell their availability. If you reserve their time from 8 AM to 5 PM, they cannot sell that time to anyone else. Therefore, they must be paid for it.
How it works in practice
- Scenario A: The family goes to Hawaii for a week. Result: Nanny is paid full GH.
- Scenario B: The nanny calls out sick. Result: Nanny uses a sick day or takes unpaid leave (GH does not apply if the nanny is unavailable).
- Scenario C: Grandma comes to visit and watches the kids on Friday. Result: Nanny is paid full GH.
Offering Guaranteed Hours is the single strongest signal that you are a professional employer who respects your caregiver's livelihood.