Town & Country | Written by Jim Brosseau | June 1999

“Have your tried to hire household help lately? It may never have been a simple proposition, but it’s never been more complex than it is today. A robust economy has made the luxury – if not the necessity – of hiring cooks, nannies, gardeners and others available to more and more Americans. Many of them, though, understand bytes better than butlers. And even those who’ve grown up in the company of beloved maids or trusted drivers are now faced with the new realities as they go about suitably staffing their homes: changing attitudes about service; a culture with fewer ties to the past; and a work force in which women hold nearly 50 percent of the jobs. (These days, the lady of the house is as likely to be in the boardroom as she is in the drawing room.) Against this backdrop, would-be employers want to know not only how much to pay household workers, but how to treat them. Even the semantics present new challenges: yesterday’s butler is today’s household manager – except, that is, in the U.K… And just as crucial are the issues of privacy, security and the legality of being an employer – especially when your employee is not a U.S. citizen.”

Word of mouth may be invaluable when you’re starting to search for a maid, nanny or other household worker. But there are also a number of agencies that discerning families turn to when it’s hiring time…

“Celebrities & Executives Domestic Services … has been placing nannies, household managers, chefs and other workers in full-time positions across the U.S…”