July 23, 2010, Newsletter Issue #227: Confidentially Speaking

Tip of the Week

If this is your first time hiring a nanny you may have heard people talk about a nanny confidentiality agreement. You might think of a confidentiality agreement as something signed by health care workers, or people employed by the government. You might think there’s nothing terribly exciting going on in your house, at least nothing exciting enough to have the nanny sign a confidentiality agreement. But think again. There’s probably a lot more going on in your house and in your family than you realize. If you’re not sure whether a nanny confidentiality agreement is appropriate for you, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you sometimes bring work home with you? If so, there may be sensitive and confidential documents that the nanny could possibly come across. Do you have any medical conditions that want to keep quiet for the time being? What do you talk about in your home? Finances? Trip plans? Plans to go back to school? These are conversations you might not want to get back to certain people, especially if the conversations you have at home could negatively impact your work. What’s going on with your friends and/or extended family? A lot happens in a family, and a lot of things are said in the comfort of the home. Think about some of the conversations you’ve recently had with friends and/or family. Was there anything said that you’d rather keep quiet? Creating a confidentiality agreement doesn’t require the handiwork of expensive lawyers. Create your own with a simple statement, like:

I (nanny’s printed name) understand the necessity of discretion and confidentiality for all matters pertaining to the (insert family name) household and will not discuss (by any means, including electronic messaging) any personal information related to the (insert family name) family.

An Internet search will generate other sample nanny confidentiality agreements to choose from as well.

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