Just like at home, staff should be paid their regular rate plus any overtime worked; in some instances, a daily travel fee may be appropriate. Our best advice is to discuss fees and hours before leaving for the trip. Try to be as realistic as possible when talking to your staff about the hours needed while traveling (they will likely be more than at home) – and ask the staff to prepare for some unexpected additional hours. 

The employer should cover all travel, accommodations, and meals – in many cases, families will give employees a set daily stipend to cover meals and miscellaneous expenses. Make sure you consider the cost of living in the destination city and accessibility; for example, if the meal options in the area are more expensive than in your hometown, that should be taken into account when deciding on the stipend amount. Finally, note that travel time is always paid – time in the air getting to and from the destination should be billed as regular working hours.

While the first choice is always that a familiar caretaker travels with the family and the child, it is not always possible. In these cases, we recommend hiring a temporary travel nanny to help with this trip. If possible, have the nanny spend time with the child before embarking on your journey to build a bond at home before traveling together. In the future, be sure to discuss travel expectations with all new hires.

Our number one tip is to aim for clear communication early and always. So many problems can be solved or avoided by managing expectations around schedule, accommodations, and compensation ahead of time. For more tips on traveling with staff, visit our blog here.  

If you’d like to find and hire a nanny for travel, British American Household Staffing has a large roster of candidates based in the U.S. and abroad. Contact us today.