Pay, length of service... what to include in the contract.

You must establish a legal employment contract, that is intelligible and complete. A real challenge! Some clauses, such as compensation, are essential. This guide will help you not to omit essential points.

Your contract should include the following information:

• family name, first name, and contact details of the employer
• family name, first name, contact details, social insurance number of the nanny
• nature of the job held (family employees with children) and qualifications of the employee 
• place of work
• hiring date 
• start date

The contract specifies the terms of the employment

State here the nature of the duties you require of  your nanny (supervising, bathing, outings, meals...), indicating the name and date of birth of the child.

The terms of employment; here you will detail:

• the trial period (or probationary period): it is a period during which the employer or the nanny may terminate the employment contract freely, without particular procedure, but still respecting a notice period. This period can not exceed a period of three months.
• the hours and duration of employment: it is appropriate here to mention the number of hours performed weekly or monthly, to establish a schedule specify the day off and holidays. You can also specify the maximum daily and weekly hours.
  
• paid vacation: The number of days of paid vacation and how they are to be organized (also whether vacation pay will be accumulated or paid out on each paycheque).

The clauses relating to remuneration

The wage clause must include the hourly wage: the gross hourly rate can not be lower than the set minimum wage in your province. The payment schedule must be set with your nanny (biweekly or monthly)

Add to the salary:

• gas allowance if your nanny transports your child in her car,
• vacation pay (4% or accumulative until vacation is taken),
• statutory holiday pay if worked (regular pay if not worked),
• if you have a live-in nanny you can also subtract room and board charges.

Additional clauses

Here you can specify all the points that you think are important for a successful care relationship.

For example, note here whether the nanny is expected to care for your child when he is sick or whether she will take him in her car...

You can also add a privacy policy so that your nanny does not disclose your personal information...

You can also specify here certain rules of conduct for your employee (no smoking, no use of the phone for personal reasons...) or rules concerning the children (no television, no candy... )

Miscellaneous authorizations

The employment contract is also the place where you can state different permissions you give to your nanny:

• to take pictures of your child,
• to administer medications,
• to entrust the child to emergency services,
• to entrust the child to his grandmother...