How to Hire & Retain Your Household Help: A Household HR Handbook

What I liked most about this book is that it not only covers the full range of domestic help issues, but it also breaks the subject down into easy-to-understand language. I have employed both domestic help and nannies for years and have searched for information - a handbook really - that would make the hiring and employment process smoother and more professional. This is that handbook. At last! Guy Maddalone really IS the nation's household help expert and he's done us all a favor by writing this book.

I have never taken the time to write a review of a book. This one was so awesome that I had to write. Thank goodness for this book. It has saved me hours of frustration in trying to do what is legal and right. In the process of hiring domestic help, I have encountered too many people (i.e. gov't or employment agencies) who should know the answers to my questions but were either to lazy or dumb to search them out. This book answered more questions than I had even considered. I now know that I am hiring not only ethically but also legally. I am so glad that this book had been recommended to me. Buy it today, it could save you thousands later.

With this book, I now have one place where I can get all of the information I need for household help. This book is already saving me hours of researching all of this information on my own. What a great resource for anyone with a nanny, housekeeper or other employees at their home. This is something that I will use and refer to for a long time!

I was hiring a nanny and thought it would be easy -- not much harder than a babysitter, right? However, I found it very difficult! A babysitter is short term; if it doesn't work out, you just don't have them back. It doesn't involve payroll, benefits, holidays, work agreements, expense reimbursement, termination, etc. This book took a confusing situation and made it a simplified, yet thorough process. It really saved me a lot of time and money. It also made us more professional from the nanny's point of view, which influenced her decision to choose us over the other families that offered her a position. Well worth the read!

I have had several nannies for my childern (ages 3 & 1) and have had numerous problems with discipline, timeliness to work, etc. and this book really helped me get control of the situation. I feel better leaving for work now that I can manage my home life (and my children's home life) more effectively. I would highly recommend it.