Q. What background screenings do you run on the sitters?
A. As a minimum we:
- Personally interview each candidate in our Wilmington office
- Verify a minimum of three references
- Criminal background checks are performed in national repositories.
- In person court house searches are conducted on the local level
- Every candidate has their social security information verified
- Every candidate must provide documentation that she can legally work in the US
- The sex abuse registries are checked
- We check the driving record of each candidate
Q. How much notice do you need when I need a sitter?
A. The more notice we have, the better chance we will have of reserving a sitter for you, especially if you are requesting a specific sitter. In most cases, we are able to reserve a sitter for you with 24 hours notice.
Q. How does the sitter get paid? Do I have to withhold taxes?
A. Sitters are paid at the end of the job, or the end of the week, whichever occurs first. You are not required to withhold taxes, unless you pay one particular sitter more than $1500. in a calendar year.
Q. Can you recommend a service that specializes in household employee taxes and payroll?
A. Many of our clients use Breedlove and Associates. Breedlove can remove this burden for you and are much more fairly priced than some of the others. Breedlove offers a free consultation to our clients. Just mention that you are working with us!
Q. Should I tip my sitter?
A. Tipping is optional. If you thought your sitter did a fabulous job, by all means give her a few extra dollars.
Q. Am I required to pay overtime?
A. Federal law requires overtime at a rate of time and one half to be paid to live out employees who work more than 40 hours in a week. Live in employees earn their usual hourly rate.
Q. Do you have sitters available to work 40-50 hours per week?
A. Sitters can work a full week, or several months. When a regular full or part-time caregiver is required, we change the category to nanny. Please call us for more details and fees.
Q. My neighbor asked me for my sitters number. Can I give it to her?
A. No. In the agreement you sign, you will be asked to sign a statement about introducing our sitters to others. Sitters are also instructed to phone in if a private job offer is made. Please give your neighbor our contact information, so she too can sign up for services.
Q. At the last minute, we needed a Saturday night sitter. I called the sitter who we always request, since the office is closed. Now what?
A. Simple. Just call our office so that we can record and bill the sit.
