What Are Guaranteed Hours — and Why Every Family Should Offer Them

In the nanny industry, guaranteed hours are one of the most important elements of a fair and professional employment arrangement. Guaranteed hours simply mean that a nanny is paid for a set number of weekly hours even if the family doesn’t end up needing all of those hours in a given week. To ensure that they can reserve their time and be fully committed to your family, nannies deserve to be able to count on consistent pay to manage their own budgets, housing, and financial stability.

Offering guaranteed hours not only shows respect for your nanny’s time and livelihood — it also strengthens the working relationship. When a caregiver knows they can rely on steady income, they can show up focused, supported, and committed to your family long-term. It also promotes trust, transparency, and a professional standard that elevates the entire industry. In short, guaranteed hours help families attract and retain high-quality caregivers, while ensuring nannies are treated as the essential professionals they are.

Guaranteed hours ultimately come down to two key factors: the established schedule and choice. Every family–nanny relationship should be governed by a clear contract outlining the weekly schedule and number of guaranteed hours. If a nanny is available, willing, and able to work during her contracted hours, but the family chooses not to use her services during any portion of that time, the family is still responsible for paying those hours.

So what exactly does this look like in everyday situations? Here are a few helpful examples:

Scenario 1: Family Doesn’t Need Coverage

A nanny’s scheduled hours are Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. The family goes out of town Thursday night and tells her she doesn’t need to come in on Friday. Should she receive her full pay for the week? Absolutely. Because the nanny is willing, able, and available to work her contracted hours, she is entitled to full pay — even if the family doesn’t need care that day. This is the essence of guaranteed hours.

Scenario 2: Nanny Chooses to Take Time Off

The nanny is planning a personal vacation and will be unavailable to work for three days.
In this scenario, she would use her PTO or personal time, because the decision to take time off is hers. When the nanny is not available to work, those hours fall under time off — not guaranteed pay. Guaranteed hours cover employer-driven changes, not the nanny’s elective time away.

Scenario 3: Nanny Is Asked to Come In Early, Then Is Sent Home Early

The nanny typically works 9am–5pm. The family asks if she can come in an hour early to help get ahead of a busy day. She agrees to arrive at 8am, and works through the morning. Later that afternoon, things slow down and the family says she can head home at 3pm. Even though she left early, she should still be paid for the full day, plus the extra hour she worked that morning. Why? Because she agreed to work outside of her contracted hours, and it was the family’s choice to end the day early—not hers. Guaranteed hours protect her income in exactly these situations, ensuring stability when schedules shift on the employer’s side.

Ultimately, Guaranteed hours are more than a simple industry-standard benefit. They provide stability for caregivers, strengthen trust on both sides, and ensure that families can attract and retain high-quality, long-term support. At Flower City Nannies, we’re committed to fostering meaningful, lasting partnerships between families and providers — and ensuring that our families and candidates understand key benefits is a major part of that commitment. 

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us any time — we’re always here to help.