Complete our New Hire Request form below, or get in touch to get started today!
Connect with top candidates in as little as 3-7 days. Gain access to Old State Staffing’s exclusive database of pre-screened candidates and quickly find the right fit for your home.
At Old State Staffing, there are no application or retainer fees. Only pay if you hire one of our candidates—no hidden costs, just straightforward hiring.
If you’re not fully satisfied with your new hire within the first 90 days, we’ll fully replace them at no cost to you.
Set up an introductory meeting—we’ll get you up to speed, so when the time is right, you’ll be ready to move forward with confidence.
Get access to a curated pool of highly qualified, pre-screened candidates. Our search process is built from the ground up, to be as efficient as possible—cutting down the time it takes to find the right match. Beyond that, we actively market our openings across 20+ industry-specific platforms where top talent is already searching, so your role reaches the right people, right away.
With decades of experience in household staffing, we’re able to provide regional and national benchmarks for compensation, benefits and more. We’ll help you navigate the unique challenges that come with employing private staff, through document templates, discussing relevant employment laws, and providing professional guidance from start to finish.
With access to an exclusive database of active job seekers, as well as a wide range of local, regional and national contacts, we leverage our connections to find applicants that meet your exact qualifications. Candidates we present will be the most qualified individuals among their peers—cutting down significantly on the time, money and effort needed in a “do-it-yourself” approach.
Finding a trustworthy candidate is critical. At the same time, it can be difficult to fully trust a new hire in your home, without simply “handing them the keys”. We conduct in-depth screening, assess fit, and manage all negotiations on your behalf. With our expertise, you can confidently welcome the right professional into your home.
We stand by our placements with an unconditional 90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee. If a candidate doesn’t work out, we’ll find you a replacement—no questions asked. And our rigorous screening exceeds industry standards, so you’ll always know you’re only meeting the best of the best.
In most situations, household staff are not classified as 1099 independent contractors. The IRS has strict criteria for this designation. Independent contractors typically:
Control their work environment
Set their own schedule and fees
Provide their own tools or equipment
May delegate the work to others without approval
Are responsible for their own taxes
If you are setting a worker’s schedule, directing their duties, and providing the environment where work takes place, then they are likely a W-2 employee, not a contractor. Misclassification can result in penalties, so it’s important to get it right.
We are a referral agency—our role is to source, vet, and present qualified candidates to you and offer guidance throughout the hiring process. We do not provide payroll or tax filing services directly, however, we have deep experience with household operations and can introduce you to our dedicated representative at GTM Payroll Services. GTM is the nation’s leading provider in household payroll, insurance and benefits administration.
We’ll introduce you to our dedicated payroll specialist, where you’ll receive a complimentary consultation as well as free account setup. You’ll have access to curated resources covering everything from offering healthcare stipends to maximizing tax savings, so that you know that you employing others with total confidence.
Most household staff are non-exempt, meaning they must be paid overtime for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. However, certain administrative or management-level roles may qualify as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), if they meet all of the following:
Paid at least $684/week
Primarily perform non-manual, administrative tasks related to managing the household
Use independent judgment and discretion in their duties
Examples might include: Executive Personal Assistants, Estate Managers, or House Managers whose primary work is supervisory or administrative—not hands-on housekeeping. Remember, job duties, not job titles, determine exemption status.
Yes—as long as the compensation structure complies with FLSA overtime rules. Employers often want to simplify payroll and offer stability for both parties, and that’s possible by setting a guaranteed weekly wage based on expected hours.
For example: “$1,500/week gross, based on a $27.28 hourly rate and a 50-hour workweek. This includes 10 hours of overtime at $40.92/hour. Any hours over 50 in a week are paid additionally at that same overtime rate.”
This structure offers the appearance of a salary while staying compliant. We can help you tailor an agreement that meets both your goals and legal requirements.
Yes. If you’re employing someone in your home, you’re responsible for payroll taxes—just like any other employer. We can recommend cost-effective payroll services who will handle everything: withholdings, filings, and annual forms. Many providers also offer bundled services like insurance and benefits administration to simplify your role even further.
Benefits can vary by position, hours, and your budget. We encourage you to visit our Positions page for guidance on industry-standard compensation and benefits for each role.
If you’d like help navigating healthcare, retirement savings, or other benefits for household employees, your placement specialist will walk you through these details during your consultation.
Possibly. If your staff member provides childcare or senior-care, you may qualify for the Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) through your employer, allowing you to allocate up to $5,000/year tax-free for care expenses.
Alternatively, you may qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit when you file your federal return. We can provide detailed information during our consultation to help you determine what’s best for your situation.
Every situation is unique, so check with your auto insurance provider. In general, we recommend that employees using their own vehicle for work maintain liability limits of at least $250,000/$500,000. Additionally, ask your insurance provider:
Will my policy cover me in the event of a lawsuit or claim exceeding my employee’s limits?
Should I consider a personal umbrella policy for extra protection?
It’s a good idea to request written confirmation of coverage and keep it on file.
Employment has changed drastically the past few years—how we work, the type of work we do, and even where we work. Yet, while the world adapts, solutions for hiring private staff seem to be stuck in the past.
At Old State Staffing, we believe the status quo is not enough, and that those who decide now is the time to settle will be left behind. In the face of great change, tinkering around the edges simply won’t do. Since Day 1, our approach has been built on four key principles:
We’ve built Old State Staffing from the ground up, implementing the same cutting-edge recruiting tools used by the nation’s largest family offices. Historically inaccessible to smaller clients, these tools improve the tracking and management of talent, utilize machine learning for smarter searches, and intuitively compare compensation and qualification benchmarks both regionally and nationally. This allows us to find and match families with the best candidates quicker and more efficiently than ever before.
We knew from the start that our team would be our greatest differentiator. That’s because our agency is composed entirely of family office professionals who know what exceptional candidates look like; because we’ve applied to, managed, and hired for each of those positions ourselves.
Building and maintaining relationships is important today, more than ever before. We place immense value on our relationships, not just with our clients, but our candidates, and the community at large. We spent our “pandemic years” building partnerships with local universities, to open the doors of private staffing to recent college graduates in the most educated metropolitan area in the world.
Change is inevitable, yet private staffing has historically lagged in both hiring and employment standards. We’ve always been disruptors, first to adopt AI and machine learning—ensuring smarter, faster, more accurate matches for our clients.
We know that choosing an agency is a personal decision, and we’re honored for the time you have spent considering us as a partner in your search. If you haven’t spoken to us yet, let me be the first to say that we can’t wait to introduce you to our contacts, to guide you through the hiring process, and to introduce you to the perfect candidate. We know the stakes are high, but so are the rewards. With Old State Staffing you’ll be empowered to make informed, meaningful hiring decisions, so you can continue to thrive in a world that’s spinning faster every day.
Adam Cook
Founder & Managing Director
