Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does your nanny referral work and what are the fees?

A: We will first meet in your home to discuss your childcare needs. All family members should be present. Solutions Home Staffing will assess the qualifications and personality of a candidate needed to best serve the needs of your children and family lifestyle. When we mutually decide to proceed with a nanny search, we will ask for an application fee that will get us started on the search for your candidate. At the time the agreement is signed a Family Registration fee is collected of $275. This fee allows for services to be used through SHS for each calendar year and is non-refundable. Other services that may be used aside of the permanent placement are: vacation nannies, short-term placement, summer nannies and emergency needs staffing.

We will interview and screen many, many applicants to narrow down the field to just a few candidates who match your needs, and are an exact fit to your expectations. You will interview the prospective nannies and we will help you with questions and follow up with your results.

Once you have decided on the candidate you would like to hire, we will help you to write out the offer, along with details about the position such as, full description of duties, salary offered, specific expectations, vacation, and other benefits. At this time, you will pay Solutions Home Staffing the remainder of the referral fee. This amount is 10% of the gross salary or $3000, whichever amount is greater. For personal assistants, executive placements or live-in staff, this fee is 20% and requires a retainer of $1,000 to start the search. This amount is due before the nanny's start date. Through this process, we will provide you with many resources to help you with maintaining a great relationship with your new employee and also help out with questions you may have about taxes, insurance coverage and conducting performance evaluations.

Q: How does your referral agency work?

A: The main benefit to you is the peace of mind that any candidate that you spend time talking with has been meticulously screened and cultivated from a large pool of people considering your needs exactly. Your time saved and the security of knowing that we have scrupulously searched for someone tailored to your expectations, is why our referral service works.

Q: Do I need to file employment taxes or can the employee file on their own?

A: You will need to take out the required employment taxes, and we can help this process to be easy and legal for everyone.

Q: What if is it doesn't work out, is there a guarantee?

A: Yes, we have a referral fee credit that applies to any hire that is terminated, for any reason, to apply to another long-term employment search. This credit is prorated for the duration of the staff’s time with a family and will be honored if either party decides it is not working out.

Q: What advantage do I have using an agency rather than hiring on my own?

A: The hiring process is extremely time intensive; there are hundreds of applicants who will call on a single employment ad. From that, there are only a few who will meet higher expectations for experience, excellent references, strong employment history and match geographic requirements for living near you. We do all of this with years of experience for interviewing candidates and asking questions that reveal the suitability for a particular position. Interviewing is a skill that requires experience and being a novice can result in hiring someone who turns out to be a disappointment.

Q: There are on-call agencies for Companion Care, how are you different from these?

A: The on-call, agency staff member is not guaranteed to be the only service provider who may show up to work. Through Solutions Home Staffing, you will have a professional relationship with one individual who is rigorously screened for reliability, experience, references, and selected to your exact requirements. With one dedicated person, true caring and loyalty develops, and also a level of trust that occurs with someone you see and talk to on a regular basis.

The advantage of developing a relationship with one person rather than a revolving door of on-call service providers is immeasurable, with communication being consistent, clear and reliable. For the individual or family who needs to know that the candidate is seriously committed to their unique needs, hiring of your own elder assistant is the better choice.

Q: How can I find a position through Solutions Home Staffing?

A: There is an application form that you can submit through our website. We are always looking for the very best candidates. All positions are currently in Indiana. Each SHS application form also requires a separate submission of your resume and professional references. Details about our process is outlined on the News/Jobs page.