Nanny Confidentiality Clause in the Work Agreement

A client called incensed that her former nanny was awarded unemployment benefits by the state. The back story is this same client was earlier hurt and upset that her neighbor knew about a recent marital infidelity - because the neighbor and the nanny chatted frequently at the neighborhood play ground. She fired the nanny, in her mind for cause.

When the nanny filed for unemployment, she contested the claim, asserting that the nanny was fired for cause. The unemployment board did not see it the same way. This might have been avoided if the client had a work agreement with a confidentiality clause in it that the nanny agreed to as a condition of employment. Confidentiality clauses are not just for the rich and famous - every family should take the time to put a nanny work agreement in place that includes as one of its essential components a nanny confidentiality agreement. Every family has information and circumstances that the nanny may become privy to that they clearly would not want broadcast about the neighborhood, to the nanny's next employer, or to the nanny's friends and family.

HomeWork Solutions publishes tips on writing the Nanny Work Agreement in our popular Ten Tips Series. An important point is that you want to make sure the confidentiality agreement survives the work agreement.

Clients and site visitors can find sample Nanny : Family Work Agreements at the 4nannytaxes.com website in the Nanny Tax Forms area.