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The Search for a Yaya (Part II)


Hello, mommies! Here's Part II of my list of tips for hiring helpers for our homes, especially yayas who will take care of our little ones.

5. Know how much their salary should be. As a general thing, provincial referrals will get lower wages compared to those from agencies. Last I heard, the going rate for a yaya, especially one that knows how to care for newborns, starts at P6,000 in agencies. Midwives and qualified nurses cost quite a bit more. But ask around to determine what a fair wage should be so the wage you offer will be competitive, but won't blast a hole into your budget.

6. Make your major policies clear to the applicant during the interview. After letting them know how much they will be getting in monthly wages, you should tell them about your non-negotiable policies. These days, a celphone policy should be made clear to your helpers from the onset. Will they be allowed to keep it with them during the day, or will you keep it and give it to them when the day's work ends? Believe it or not, for some helpers, this is actually a deal breaker. Other policies to cover: days off in a month and borrowing money.

7. Once hired, have them sign a contract agreeing to your policies. The agency will have a contract with them and with you, but a contract between employer and employee is always a good idea. I had my helpers sign a contract I made on my own, which discussed their general tasks and more specific house rules. On example: my house rules included helping me economize at home by being mindful of their usage of electricity and water. I also stipulated that all helpers in the house are tasked to help ensure the safety of my children at all times. To avoid problems with illiterate helpers, I made sure to read through each line of the contract and explain it to them, then I asked them to sign when we were finished.

8. If possible, hire the yaya before you give birth. A month is a good allowance for me. Two weeks is cutting a bit close. The reason for this is that it will give you some time to check out their work ethics, their general disposition, how they fit in with your household and most importantly how you two will get along. You don't want to hire a yaya two days before you give birth and then realize that she doesn't meet your standards when the baby is there already. Better to have a buffer period where you have time to look for a replacement. For budget-conscious mommies, you can negotiate with the yaya to take a reduced salary for the time that the baby hasn't arrived yet. You can tell her that the salary you agreed on will take effect on the day you give birth. Usually they agree with this request, since they barely have anything to do if the baby hasn't been born yet.

Check back on my previous post for the first four tips on hiring yayas and helpers.


Good luck with the yaya search, mommies!

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