A babysitter agreement letter is a document that sets forth the terms of an agreement between a client and a babysitter. It is important for parents and a babysitter to have a legally binding agreement because it can help them prevent and resolve misunderstandings and disputes in the future. Different types of babysitting of child care arrangements require different types of contracts.

Contracts for Full-Time Babysitters

If you are planning to hire a babysitter or nanny on a full-time basis, you should have a written contract that lays out important terms such as salary, hours, and responsibilities. Such an agreement will ensure that there will be no misunderstandings.

According to the IRS, you must pay employment taxes for a household employee if you are paying over $2,000 in wages to him or her over the course of a year. If you use an agency to hire a sitter or nanny, the agency will likely handle the contract and prepare taxes on your behalf.

Contracts for Ongoing Part-Time Babysitters

If you are hiring an ongoing part-time babysitter for, say, eight hours a day for three days a week year-round, you are hiring a household employee. In this case, it is advisable that you have a written contract that includes all the terms you and the babysitter have agreed on. You have to make sure you can count on the babysitter to show up and perform his or her duties satisfactorily. A contract will clearly outline both parties' rights and responsibilities.

Contracts for Casual Part-Time Babysitters

If you intend to hire a casual babysitter on a part-time basis, you should also create a written agreement between you and the sitter. Present it as an “agreement” instead of a “contract” so that it will seem less intimidating. Keep the agreement short and simple, and include information such as:

  • An hourly rate for the babysitter
  • Phone numbers where the sitter can reach you
  • The sitter's responsibilities, such as playing with the children, putting the children to bed, and serving dinner
  • Things the sitter should not do, such as having friends over, speaking on the phone with his or her friends while with the children, and entering certain rooms
  • Things the babysitter is allowed to do, such as eating anything he or she wants and watching TV after the children are in bed
  • Rules the sitter should impose on the children, such as not leaving the house, having no desserts before dinner, and watching only one hour of TV

Draft and print out a generic babysitter agreement. Each time you hire a new babysitter, add some lines at the bottom of the document for information such as the current date and the number of hours you expect to be gone. After reviewing the agreement with the babysitter, sign it with him or her. Also, it is a good idea to ask the sitter to take a photo of the agreement with his or her phone so that he or she has a copy.

Agreement for Child Care Service Providers

A child care service agreement is an agreement between a child care provider and a family. The child care provider agrees to provide care for the family's children, while the family agrees to pay him or her for the service.

The agreement enables the family and the child care provider to define the scope of their relationship and specify the services that will be provided. It is important for a family and child care provider to discuss the specifics of their agreement ahead of time so that they can make sure that their needs and interests will be known and respected. Also, a thorough agreement can protect both parties if something unexpected happens.

A child care service agreement typically includes the following information:

  • Names and ages of the children the provider will care for
  • Days and hours the child care provider will be working
  • Details on the compensation to be paid to the provider, including basic wages, overtime pay, and frequency of payment
  • Responsibilities of the child care provider while caring for the children
  • Holidays and vacations
  • Situations that allow either party to terminate the agreement

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