It has been one month since we revamped our procedures for posting recommendations for nannies on the PSP Classifieds, so it’s a good time for an update (See those here). In that time there has been coverage in the news media about nannies posing as employers to get jobs. We at PSP feel that, in some cases, the media have exaggerated the problem, particularly on a moderated community such as ours. We want to reiterate that the vast majority of nannies and employers are honest people who represent themselves accurately and that we are almost always able to spot those who aren’t. For help in finding your nanny a new job visit the PSP website here.
We want to thank everyone who has helped in this effort and wish, in addition, to thank those of you who are posting recommendations and cooperating with the new procedures. We ask for your patience in responding to questions from the nanny moderator about your posts, and ask that you keep in mind we do this to protect everyone involved. We definitely feel that the problem is decreasing with the new procedures.
This remains a difficult job market for nannies and we understand that people looking for work can be tempted to take unethical and illegal steps if they feel that will increase their chances of getting the job they want. (Nannies can access PSP resources specially written for their needs here). We sympathize with the difficulty in finding work but cannot condone misrepresentation. We have consulted with the Kings County District Attorney’s office and have been informed that those nannies who pose as recommending employers are committing a Class A misdemeanor known as "False Advertising", punishable by up to a year in jail, under Section 190.20 of the New York State Penal Law which states in pertinent part “a person is guilty of false advertising when, with intent to promote the sale or to increase the consumption of property or services, he makes or causes to be made a false or misleading statement in any advertising…”
Please rest assured that we will continue to vet all recommendations for nannies to ensure that they comply with our procedures and that we determine, to the best of our ability, that the postings are legitimate. If you have any questions or comments on nanny postings, please direct them to us by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Becca, Susan, and Dale
The Nanny Moderation Team
Disclaimer: This post has been written for educational purposes only by Park Slope Parents and is not meant to be legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice or be relied upon. The post may contain errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions. We recommend checking with a professional for specific advice.
