Like no other city in the world, Manhattan residents depend on doormen, building staff, delivery people, assistants, caregivers/nannies, housekeepers and such!  As Pamela Skillings wrote for the online website, About.com, “ Tip giving/Holiday bonuses is a sign of appreciation for good service, not an obligation, but tips are counted on by many NYC service providers. If you don’t tip, it could be seen as a sign of dissatisfaction or just plain stinginess.”

I get asked by many families and caregivers what the standard/expected holiday bonus is and the answers vary some, but in my own unofficial survey, the majority from both sides said the standard Holiday Bonus is 1 week salary.  Skillings also reported, “If you employ a full-time nanny, the New York rule is at least one week’s pay plus some paid holiday vacation days.”

A few of the families and nannies I spoke with gave/received additional gifts like: extra holiday paid vacation, luxurious gifts, handmade crafts from the kids, warm heartfelt thank you cards, gift cards and spa gift certificates. Less than 1% of the people I survey said they gave/received more than the 1 week salary bonus. About 10% said they received less than a week salary bonus.

Based on a survey done by UrbanSitter.com in 2012 on Holiday gift giving, “97% of families reported to give their full-time nanny a holiday bonus or gift.  66% gave 1 week salary, 28% gave 2 weeks’ salary and 6 % gave 3+ weeks pay.

In my professional opinion, it’s never a bad thing to give and show appreciation to the people in your children’s life some holiday love!!!

-Ali Sheppard is our Nanny Care Coordinator and the author of the Chronicles of Modern Mary Poppins!

Source: UrbanSitter. The UrbanSitter Holiday Bonus study was fielded in November and December 2012. It includes results from 395 parent respondents.