Ranging from required 13-hour workdays to ensuring a specific brand of bagels are available for Sunday breakfast, these are just a few examples of the extreme requests made by the nation’s elite towards their employees.
Many of New York’s wealthiest families reside in the city itself and the adjacent Hamptons area, where they employ numerous staff members to uphold their grand estates and legacies.
However, along with money come some bizarre requests.
Of course, many families count on discretion and extensive experience from their staff, yet some also impose several particular conditions for them to meet. It goes beyond merely maintaining clean footwear—though that’s certainly part of the list as well.
A family from Southampton is offering to pay $125,000 annually for a nanny who possesses ‘intelligence and common sense.’ They assert that these qualities are more important than ‘many years of experience,’ as stated in their job listing.
Hampton Domestics
said.
They similarly favor hiring employees with a college education who are ready to work seven days a week for a minimum of two weeks each month.
A family from Sag Harbor isn’t seeking the most innovative talent in the culinary world when they’re hunting for a summer chef; instead, they want someone who will adhere strictly to their specific weekend morning menu.
The post stated, ‘Weekend breakfasts ought to feature an array of bagels (such as those from Goldbergs), lox, egg sandwiches, cream cheese, and grilled fruits/prepared sides like steaks from Red Horse, salmon, salads, burgers, among others.’
The Goldbergs is a longstanding fixture in Southampton, having begun operations in 1949 with a significant presence across Long Island. Meanwhile, Red Horse steaks originate from Red Horse Market, which prides itself on offering the ‘finest selections of meat’ in the Hamptons region.
A prominent New York City family is seeking to employ both a butler and a driver with an annual compensation of up to $100,000. The ideal candidate must possess a demonstrable flair for fashion and design since they’ll be assisting with hosting dinner gatherings and transporting visitors.
A family from the Hamptons searching for a professional chef duo has specified a particular style requirement for their staff, mandating that the female member must wear a dress along with gloves, according to a job listing.
Other families also have specific needs, like those related to getting around.
A single family from California has expressed concern over ‘finger dexterity’ as well as the capacity to bend down—metaphorically or literally—to manage every aspect of their household’s accounting and finances, according to an advertisement.
Even though the job description doesn’t specify what constitutes the ‘competitive’ salary, you must have a CPA license along with the capability to remain ‘discrete and composed.’ Additionally, dexterous hands are essential for this role.
Don’t overlook kneeling, bending, sitting, vision sharpness, and the capacity to handle up to 12-hour shifts. Piece of cake!
Even though the tasks often include unusual requests and exacting specifications, requiring constant agreement, many of these assignments offer substantial compensation, health insurance, and paid leave.
However, those lucrative salaries didn’t used to be commonplace and only emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world.
“The market is experiencing an unparalleled situation,” said Anita Rogers, CEO of British American Household Staffing.
Daily Beast
In 2022, due to COVID, a significant number of our clients relocated to the Hamptons, with many choosing to remain there.
The change led to an increase in salaries for housekeepers from approximately $60,000 per year to a minimum of $85,000.
Most of the postings on Hamptons Domestic featured job opportunities with salaries exceeding $100,000 annually.
The hourly wage of $25 no longer exists,” Vincent Minuto, owner of Hampton Domestic, stated to The Beast. “People aren’t interested in working only during the summer; they’re looking for full-time positions throughout the year, paying somewhere between $40 and $50 per hour.
Minuto, the author of a domestic staff handbook, has assisted affluent households in hiring personnel for many years. He even gained experience by overseeing a private residence himself.
Minuto served at New York City’s biggest private residence in Manhattan for 18 years, and after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he also lent his expertise to a globally recognized eatery.
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