Why Being Paid Properly Matters as a Nanny

Nannying is real work. You're caring for children, sorting school runs, making snacks, holding the line at bedtime, and quietly becoming a huge part of a family's day-to-day. So the way you're paid should reflect that.

In New Zealand, being paid "properly" usually means being treated as an employee, having PAYE handled for you, getting clear payslips, and having leave and KiwiSaver managed in the background. It's not the most exciting topic, but it makes a real difference to your income, your rights and your future plans.

Here's why it matters.

You get a clear record of what you've earned

When you're paid through payroll, you end up with a proper paper trail. That's not just nice to have, it's genuinely useful.

A good payroll process should show you:

• Your gross pay
• Hours worked
• PAYE deducted
• KiwiSaver contributions
• Leave balances
• Net pay in your account

Employment New Zealand says employers must keep accurate wage, time and leave records, and that employees can ask to see them. Handy to know.

This matters even more for nannies because hours can shift week to week. Babysitting nights, public holidays, school holidays, an extra dash to the doctor. Without proper records, things get blurry fast.

Your tax is handled for you

When you're an employee, your family's payroll deducts PAYE every pay cycle and pays it across to IRD. You don't have to think about it.

Compare that to being paid cash, where you'd technically need to handle your own tax, ACC and end-of-year filings. Most nannies don't actually want to be doing all that admin in their spare time.

If you'd like a clearer rundown, have a read of our guide to PAYE for nannies in New Zealand.

KiwiSaver and leave actually get tracked

These two quietly add up over time, and they're the easiest things to miss when payroll isn't set up properly.

If you're in KiwiSaver, your employer needs to deduct your contributions and pay their share alongside. When you're paid casually, this often just doesn't happen, and you can miss out on years of contributions without realising.

Leave is the same story. Nannies are entitled to the same minimum entitlements as any other employee:

• Four weeks annual leave after 12 months
• 10 days sick leave per year once you qualify
• Bereavement and family violence leave
• Public holiday entitlements

Done properly, all of this is tracked in the background. No awkward maths at the end of the year, no guesswork when a role ends.

Proving your income suddenly gets easy

This one catches people out. You might be earning a steady wage as a nanny, but if you've never had a payslip, it's hard to prove.

That becomes a real problem when you're applying for a rental, talking to the bank about a loan or mortgage, sorting a visa, or buying a car on finance. Payslips show you've got regular income from a real job, not just bits and bobs paid in cash.