Holiday Bonus for your Housekeeper or Nanny

Household employers are confused about what to give to their housekeepers or nannies during the holiday season. The question is whether to give a gift AND/OR a bonus check or nothing at all. Here are some guidelines to assist:

1) During the holidays, it is very nice for all household employers to acknowledge their employees even if by a very small gesture.

2) If your employee has been with you several years, a bonus check AND a gift is definitely the right thing to do.

3) If you just hired an employee, you may not want to provide a bonus check, but a gift of some sort would be in order.

4) The bonus check is normally equivalent to 1 week's pay when the employee has been with you for 1-3 years. Anything above 3 years usually turns into 2 weeks worth of pay and can work itself all the way up to 4 weeks pay depending on the number of years worked.

5) If money is tight and a bonus check cannot be provided, then perhaps splurging a bit more on the gift would be appropriate.

6) If your employee is leaving you after the holidays and the employee/employer relationship has ended, it would still be appropriate to give the employee something to show your appreciation for the years of service.

7) If you are ending your relationship not on good terms, then my advice would be to find a way to mend these ill feelings so that in this holiday season, everyone moves forward in a positive manner. (This may be easier said then done, but still worth the effort.)

Giving during the Holiday Season is part of what Christmas and Hanukkah is all about: showing others in your life just how much you appreciate them. Your appreciation cannot always be measured by the gift - sometimes just the gesture is enough!