Are you planning a family vacation for spring break? This is a time that many people – especially school age children and young adults – look forward to. Whether you are planning to stay close to home, or you’re booking a trip that is a little bit further away, it is important to plan, so your household staff is prepared, and so things run smoothly while you are away. Here are some tips.

Plan for guaranteed hours

If you don’t plan on taking your nanny with you on vacation, you need to let them know ahead of time. If they are available to work and you choose not to use their services because you are away, you are still required to pay them for the regular hours that they are scheduled to work. This term ‘guaranteed hours’ is an industry benefit for nannies. If they decide not to work or wants to take time off while you’re away, then you don’t need to pay the regular wages. If your nanny wants to use their paid time off during this time, be sure you talk through that with them, so you can be sure there is no interruption in payment.

Outline duties

If you are leaving for the week and you have household employees staying back – such as an estate manager or a housekeeper – be sure you talk through any specific to-dos that you want them to work on while you’re away. This is often a good time for home repairs or other maintenance tasks to be scheduled, or you can plan for your housekeeper to do a deep clean. Giving them time to schedule these things in advance makes things easier and will allow you to come back to a home that has everything clean and up to date.

Make sure your work agreement is current

It is important to outline all the details of your employee’s work with you in a written work agreement. There should be details regarding paid holidays, vacations, time off, sick days, duties, and more when you first hire your employee. Having things agreed on and in writing ahead of time helps avoid frustration and confusion around guaranteed hours. It also ensures there is no confusion when you are away from the home for an extended time.

If you want to ensure your home has the employees needed to keep your household running smoothly all year long, contact us today to get the hiring process started. Our experts will help place experienced employees in your home in as little as 10 days.