Quick answer: To hire a nanny in Atherton, define the role first (hours, live-in or live-out, travel, duties), then set up as a California household employer before day one. That means at least the $16.90 state minimum wage (Atherton has no local rate), overtime after 9 hours a day or 45 a week for a nanny who mainly cares for your kids, at least 40 hours or 5 days of paid sick leave, workers' compensation coverage, and registration with the EDD. Screen candidates with verified references and a full background check, interview, run paid trial days, and sign a written agreement. Through our agency most searches take 2 to 8 weeks. You can start your family application here.
Last updated October 2026 by Cassandra Harner, founder of The Natural Nanny Collective.
Atherton is a small town with big households. Many homes sit on an acre or more, with guest houses, long gated driveways and staff who already work on the property. Parents here are often running companies, practicing medicine at Stanford or investing on Sand Hill Road, and their calendars change by the hour. A nanny for this kind of family needs to be skilled, discreet and calm under a full schedule. This guide walks through how we'd run the hire, step by step, with the California rules that trip up even very organized families.
Step 1: Decide what kind of help you need
Before you look at a single profile, write down the job. It sounds obvious. It's also where most mismatches start.
Full-time live-out nanny: The most common setup. She arrives in the morning, covers the day, and goes home.
Live-in nanny: A good fit if you have a guest house or private suite and need early mornings, some evenings or overnights.
Rota nannies: Two nannies who rotate in blocks, so you have coverage every day, including travel to Tahoe, Hawaii or a second home. See our rotational nanny service, our guide to rota nanny schedules, and why Atherton families choose rota nannies.
Newborn care specialist: For the first weeks or months with a baby, often overnight. See our newborn care specialists.
Family assistant or household manager: For errands, calendars, vendors and the house itself. Our post on nannies, household managers and estate managers explains where one role ends and the next begins.
Watch the duties list. Under California law, a nanny who spends more than 20% of her time on things other than supervising, feeding and dressing children, like housecleaning, cooking for adults or laundry for the whole family, is treated differently for overtime. More on that below.
Step 2: Budget for California employer costs
California is one of the more involved states to employ a nanny in. Plan for these costs on top of her gross pay:
Minimum wage: $16.90 an hour in 2026. Atherton doesn't have a local minimum wage. Nearby Menlo Park ($17.55) and Redwood City ($18.65) do, which matters if she works at a property there. Experienced professional nannies on the Peninsula earn far above the minimum.
Overtime: A nanny who is a "personal attendant" under the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights earns 1.5 times her rate after 9 hours in a day or 45 in a week. A nanny with heavier household duties falls under Wage Order 15 instead: overtime after 8 hours a day or 40 a week if she lives out, with double time after 12 hours.
Social Security and Medicare: 7.65% from you and 7.65% withheld from her, once you pay $3,000 or more in cash wages in 2026.
Federal unemployment (FUTA): In most states this is about $42 a year per employee. California is different. Because the state still owes a federal unemployment loan, California employers paid a 1.8% net rate on the first $7,000 for 2025, or $126 per employee. The 2026 credit reduction is expected to be at least 1.5%, which would bring it to $147. The Department of Labor confirms the figure after November 10, 2026.
California unemployment insurance: New employers pay 3.4% on the first $7,000, or $238 per employee, plus the 0.1% Employment Training Tax ($7).
State Disability Insurance: 1.3% of all wages in 2026, withheld from her paycheck, not paid by you. It funds her disability and Paid Family Leave benefits.
Paid sick leave: At least 40 hours or 5 days a year.
Workers' compensation: Required for a household employee hired for more than 52 hours and more than $100 in wages, which covers essentially any regular nanny. Ask your insurer if your homeowners policy already includes it, and get it in writing.
Benefits: Paid vacation, holidays, a health stipend and a year-end bonus are standard asks for top candidates. See our nanny benefits guide.
For numbers in neighboring markets, our Palo Alto nanny cost guide is the closest comparison. For current Atherton rates, ask us on your consultation call.
Step 3: Get your paperwork in order
Federal EIN: You'll need one to file as a household employer.
EDD registration: Register as a household employer with the California Employment Development Department once you pay $750 or more in cash wages in a calendar quarter.
Form I-9: Verify she's eligible to work in the U.S. within three days of her start date.
New hire report: California requires it within 20 days of her start date.
Written wage notice: California's Wage Theft Prevention Act notice lists her pay rate, pay day and sick leave terms.
Income tax withholding: California doesn't require household employers to withhold state income tax, but you can if you both agree.
Year-end: W-2 for her and Schedule H with your federal return.
A household payroll service handles almost all of this. It's money well spent in California.
Step 4: Think about the Atherton logistics
Some details are specific to this town, and good candidates will ask about them.
The commute: Few nannies can afford to live in Atherton. Most drive in from San Mateo, Redwood City, San Jose or across the Dumbarton Bridge from the East Bay. The Atherton Caltrain station closed in 2020, so she will almost certainly drive. Morning traffic on 101 and Woodside Road adds real time. Build that into start times and pay.
Parking and gates: Give her a parking spot, gate codes and a way in that doesn't depend on someone answering the intercom.
School runs: Families here juggle Menlo School, Sacred Heart in Atherton, the Menlo Park City and Las Lomitas districts, and Menlo-Atherton High School. Drop-off and pickup windows shape the whole day.
Your staff: If you have a housekeeper, chef or estate manager, make clear who the nanny reports to and who does what. Our housekeeper placements and family assistant placements can fill gaps.
Privacy: Many Peninsula families want an NDA and a firm social media policy. That's normal, and good nannies expect it. See our high-profile family service.
Travel: If she comes along on trips, decide how travel days, flights and hotel rooms work before you book.
Step 5: Screen candidates carefully
A warm interview is not a background check. In California we'd look at:
References: At least two recent full-time family references, spoken to by phone, with specific questions about reliability, judgment and why the job ended.
Criminal and identity checks: A county, state and national search that matches her identity history. Our background check page explains what we run.
Driving record: Her California DMV record, if she'll drive your kids.
TrustLine: California's registry for in-home caregivers who have cleared a fingerprint check through the California Department of Justice, the FBI and the Child Abuse Central Index. A candidate already on TrustLine is a plus.
Certifications: Current infant and child CPR and first aid. Water safety matters if you have a pool.
Step 6: Interview with Atherton-specific questions
Our top 10 nanny interview questions cover the basics. Add these:
You'll drive in from where? What does that commute look like at 7:30 a.m., and what's your backup if 101 is jammed?
How have you worked alongside other household staff? Tell us about a time you disagreed with a housekeeper or house manager.
How do you handle a parent who calls in from a board meeting with a change of plans?
What does discretion mean to you? Have you signed an NDA before?
Our kids have a packed activity schedule between Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Woodside. How do you protect downtime?
How do you feel about traveling with us to Tahoe in winter or Hawaii in spring?
What would you do if one of the kids got hurt near the pool while you were also watching the baby?
Step 7: Run paid trial days
Pay her for every trial hour, at her full rate. Plan the day around your real routine, not a quiet afternoon. Watch how she talks to your kids, how she handles a transition, and what she does when nobody tells her what to do next. Our nanny trial day guide has a full plan.
Step 8: Make the offer and sign the agreement
Your Atherton work agreement should cover:
Schedule and guaranteed hours: Including what happens when you travel without her.
Pay and overtime: Hourly rate, overtime under the right California rule, and pay day.
Duties: Child-focused duties versus household tasks, keeping the 20% line in mind.
Paid sick leave, vacation and holidays: In writing, with how she requests time off.
Travel: Travel days, overnight pay, flights and rooms.
Driving: Whose car, insurance and mileage.
Confidentiality: NDA and social media policy.
Live-in terms: If relevant, her room, meals, guests and off-duty time.
Trial and notice: Notice on both sides and what severance, if any, looks like.
Red flags we watch for on the Peninsula
Asking to be paid in cash: In California this puts you at real risk with the EDD and the Labor Commissioner.
Name-dropping past employers: A nanny who tells you whose kids she watched will tell the next family about yours.
A commute she hasn't tested: Late arrivals in week two usually mean she never drove it at rush hour.
Short stints with no clear reason: Several jobs under a year each deserve a direct conversation.
Pushback on a written agreement: Professionals want one.
How The Natural Nanny Collective helps Atherton families
We serve families in Atherton and the towns around it, including Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Woodside and Portola Valley. More on our Atherton nanny agency page. Here is our process:
Personal vetting: Every candidate is personally interviewed and vetted by a licensed social worker.
References first: We check references before you meet anyone.
Profiles by email: We email candidate profiles, and you reply with the nannies you want to meet.
Interviews: We schedule Zoom or in-person interviews.
Offer: We send our offer template and deliver the offer on your behalf.
Background check and agreement: We run the background check, then customize the employment agreement.
Paid trial days: Before anyone commits.
Timing: Most searches take 2 to 8 weeks.
Replacement guarantee: With every package. Details on packages and pricing.
Read what other families say on our testimonials page, meet our team, or browse all our services, including temporary nannies and special needs nanny support.
Related guides for families
Frequently asked questions
Does Atherton have its own minimum wage?
No. Atherton follows California's statewide minimum of $16.90 an hour in 2026. Some neighboring cities, like Menlo Park and Redwood City, set higher local rates.
Do I have to pay my nanny overtime in California?
Yes. A nanny who mainly supervises, feeds and dresses children earns overtime after 9 hours in a day or 45 in a week. Different thresholds apply if more than 20% of her time goes to household work.
Do I need workers' comp for a nanny in California?
Yes, for any household employee hired for more than 52 hours and more than $100 in wages. Many homeowners policies include it, but confirm with your insurer.
What is TrustLine?
California's registry of in-home caregivers who have passed fingerprint checks through the state Department of Justice, the FBI and the Child Abuse Central Index. It's a good extra layer, not a replacement for references.
How much paid sick leave does a California nanny get?
At least 40 hours or 5 days a year.
How long does it take to hire a nanny in Atherton?
Most of our searches take 2 to 8 weeks. Live-in and rota roles can run toward the longer end because the match has to fit your home as well as your kids.
Can you place a nanny who travels with us?
Yes. We place travel-ready and rota nannies for families who split time between homes.
Ready to start your Atherton search? Fill out the family application and we'll reach out to talk through your schedule, your home and the kind of nanny your kids will love. Prefer to browse first? See our nannies.
Sources: California Department of Industrial Relations, minimum wage and Domestic Worker Bill of Rights FAQ (dir.ca.gov); San Mateo County, 2026 minimum wage reference chart (smcgov.org); California EDD, 2026 rates and withholding (edd.ca.gov); IRS Publication 926 (irs.gov); U.S. Department of Labor, FUTA credit reduction (oui.doleta.gov); California Labor Code section 3351 (workers' compensation); TrustLine, California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (rrnetwork.org). This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
