For families
Temporary and seasonal staff
For a dinner, a summer on the islands, a winter abroad, or the week the housekeeper has the flu.
What we place
About a third of our placements each year are temporary. Households ask us for:
- Event staff: butlers, waiting staff and kitchen help for a dinner, a party or a weekend of guests.
- Cover for permanent staff who are on holiday, unwell or on parental leave, from a day to six months.
- Seasonal staff for summer houses on the San Juans and Bainbridge, and for winter in Switzerland.
- Staff for a house being opened, closed or sold, including caretakers who will live in an empty house until it is.
- Newborn care for the first weeks, and nannies for a family’s travel.
Our temporary staff are, almost all of them, people who have worked for us for years and prefer variety to a single household. Many are former permanent staff who have retired from full-time service and come back for the occasions they enjoy.
A guide to rates
| Role | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Butler, events | $48 to $65 |
| Waiting staff, events | $32 to $40 |
| Private chef, events | $600 to $1,100 a day |
| Housekeeper, cover | $34 to $45 |
| Nanny, cover | $36 to $48 |
| Newborn care specialist, nights | $45 to $65 |
| Caretaker, live-in | $260 to $340 a day |
Rates paid to the member of staff. Our fee is added; see fees.
Booking
For events, please give us a week’s notice where you can, and two to three weeks in December. For the summer season, please send briefs by the middle of May. For cover, call the office; for cover tomorrow morning, call the duty line tonight.
Who employs temporary staff
Temporary staff are employed by the household for the length of the booking. Households who would rather not run payroll for a weekend can ask us to employ the member of staff for them through our payroll service, for a further fee.
Engaging a temporary member of staff permanently
It happens often, and we are glad when it does. The permanent fee applies, less half of the temporary fees already paid for that member of staff.