What is an NDA and Do I Need to Sign One?
A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may be something you think is only reserved for when you’re working with the ultra-wealthy or Hollywood A Listers but you may be surprised to discover that many household employers request that their staff sign one. Here we’ll discuss why it’s important you know exactly what you’re signing and how to ensure you can continue to provide accurate references on your resume, even if you can’t disclose who you’re working for.
What is an NDA?
Put simply, a non-disclosure agreement or NDA is there to ensure the privacy of your employer, be that a family, couple or individual. An NDA will specifically state what can and cannot be disclosed with the public, media, or friends and family of the employee. Typically, it may include parameters around what can be shared in terms of photos of the home, children, or family members but also it will ensure that you can’t disclose the specific location of the family’s children, family home, details of the family’s assets, private conversations, etc. Understandably, many celebrity employers will insist on an NDA so that you can’t “sell your story” to the media, but equally you can expect any household employer to request the highest level of confidentiality.
Sometimes it may be that you don’t sign a separate NDA document, but rather a confidentiality clause is inserted into a work agreement or nanny contract. This can also extend to a social media policy that you have to sign before beginning employment. If this is the case, be sure to read it carefully to make sure you know exactly what can and cannot be shared. Typically, things that cannot be shared include photos, conversations, documents, family names, and specifics of your job. It could also be that a confidentiality clause specifies areas of the house that are off-limits to you like the master bedroom or home office.
Whether there is an NDA or confidentiality clause in place, it is essential that employers also clearly state what could happen if the agreements are violated.
Remember that above all, an NDA is there to promote a healthy and respectful work relationship where everyone knows what the limits and boundaries are. For more advice, read this article from Estate Management Systems.
Who Writes an NDA?
An individual, family, or family office can curate their own NDA based on their needs. As mentioned above, it may be a separate specific document detailing the intricacies of an NDA, or it could be an additional clause within your working agreement or contract. A family law attorney can also help write an appropriate clause or document to be included.
Do I Need to Sign an NDA?
If you’re looking to work with an ultra-high-net-worth family, you should expect to sign an NDA. Typically you would sign upon acceptance of employment, but sometimes, more stringent NDAs require signature before even visiting the home for an interview, or equally as a vendor, you may have to sign an NDA before coming to the home to perform work.
Even if you’re not working with a UHNW family, it may be that your principal asks you to sign an NDA or includes a social media/confidentiality clause within your contract. Ultimately, when you work within a household you are in a position of immense privilege and trusted with highly confidential information, such as financial records, work and vacation schedules, schooling and medical information. Therefore it is not uncommon for families to insist that their staff legally state they will not share any information outside of the household. It may seem cold and impersonal for what is a highly personal job, but most experienced household staff understand the need for an NDA or confidentiality clause. If you are newer to the industry, rest assured that your employer doesn’t expect staff would ordinarily share this kind of information, rather the NDA is in place to keep everyone protected and ensure that all staff have the same expectation.
As with any household employment position, communication is key and this is no different when it comes to the necessity of an NDA. If you’re an employer, be upfront if you are requiring your staff to sign an agreement and what the consequences are of breaking it. If you’re a prospective employee and you haven’t been asked to sign one, check through your contract for a confidentiality clause as this will work in a similar way. Either way, be clear of expectations on both sides so that there is no ambiguity what can and cannot be shared.
How Can I List Experience on a Resume if I Have Signed an NDA?
If signing an NDA is the expectation within the household employment industry, how then can employees list references and experience? This is a question we get asked a lot at My Household Managed both from clients and candidates. Ultimately as an agency, we are here to respect clients’ requests for privacy and respect NDAs but it is vital that as a recruitment agency we can verify who candidates have been working for so that there is no risk of fabrication on a resume. This is why we, and many other agencies, insist that even when an NDA has been signed, candidates provide us with details of employers so that we can do appropriate background checks. This ensures that candidates and clients are all receiving the best level of service and that only the most suitable candidates are put forward.
Whilst it is of the utmost importance that we check your employment history in order for us to do our job correctly, we also respect NDAs and understand that some of the job specifics cannot always be shared upfront. There is always a fine line where you want to highlight your experience and the details of the home (sq footage, ages of children, etc), but you do not want to reveal too much personally identifiable information about the family. We advise that you list what you can on your resume to showcase your skills and here are some of the best ways to include your experience:
Oftentimes you will be able to share a family’s last name on your resume without revealing too much information to give away their identity, especially if the name is common. If this gives away too much information, you can say “private family” or “confidential employer” or “HNW individual in the___ industry”
Example: Confidential employer in the entertainment industry, named in the top 40 under 40 in fortune magazine; Private CEO in the airline industry; Private Household; Jones Family
List your job responsibilities with the family’s details removed
Example: Managed multiple residences spread throughout the U.S. and abroad, ranging in size from 10K sq. ft. to 30K sq. ft. Provided expert oversight of the ocean-front properties, luxury apartments within 5-Star hotels, $MM art collection and private jets.
If you can, be explicit about the fact you have signed an NDA on your resume to explain the lack of specific details.
Example: Household Manager for a UHNW Forbes 400 principal employer (NDA in place)
Our top tip is to re-read your NDA before writing your resume to check exactly what you can and cannot share and also, if appropriate, speak to your employer/agency before signing an NDA about whether they will be willing to verify your employment in the future, even if you can’t say exactly who they are on your resume.
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If you are a family looking to hire a house manager, estate manager, or other home service, submit an application with My Household Managed.
If you are a professional house manager, estate manager, or other household employee looking for a job, apply at My Household Managed.