UPPER WEST SIDE — Nannies on the Upper East Side are more likely to get longer vacation time and daily lunch money — but a greater proportion of Upper West Side nannies receive a yearly raise and are paid at higher rates, according to survey.
DNAinfo asked local parents on the Upper East and Upper West Sides, as well as in Downtown Manhattan and several Brooklyn neighborhoods, to weigh in on their approaches to hiring and working with a nanny.
Comparing the neighborhoods on either side of Central Park is a favorite pastime — there are dozens of forums devoted to the topic — so we took a look at the differences and similarities regarding nanny practices.
Nanny Pay
As of last week, 31 percent of Upper West Side survey respondents said they paid their nannies $50,000 a year or more, compared with 28 percent of Upper East Side survey respondents.
Half the respondents in both neighborhoods reported paying their nanny between $25,000 and $50,000 a year, with 51 percent of parents on the Upper West Side and 50 percent on the Upper East Side saying they offered salaries within that range.
But there were greater differences when it came to hourly rates.
A nanny on the Upper West Side was more likely to get paid a higher hourly wage, with 74 percent of Upper West Side parents paying $15 or more, versus 63 percent of Upper East Side respondents.
And 19 percent of Upper West Side parents said they paid their nannies between $10 and $15 per hour, compared to 24 percent of Upper East Side respondents.
Yearly Raise
More Upper West Side parents reported giving a yearly raise than their Upper East Side counterparts.
Sixty-four percent of Upper West Side respondents said they gave their nanny an annual raise, versus 51 percent of Upper East Siders.
Vacation and Sick Time
However, Upper East Side nannies were more likely to get a larger number of vacation days, the survey showed.
On the UES, 63 percent of parents gave their nannies 10 or more vacation days (not including federal holidays and sick time), versus 49 percent of Upper West Side respondents.
Yet UWS nannies got slightly more sick time, with 42.5 percent of parents there offering five or more sick days, compared to 36 percent on the Upper East Side.
Lunch Money and Perks
Respondents in both neighborhoods reported giving their nannies cash for museum outings and other incidentals, as well as stocking food and granting open kitchen access, at similar rates.
However, there was a discrepancy in the practice of giving lunch money: 13 percent of Upper East Side parents gave their nannies lunch money, compared with just 6 percent on the Upper West Side.
Upper West Siders were more likely to give a monthly MetroCard as a benefit, with 61 percent of UWS parents saying they did, versus and 55 percent on the Upper East Side.
