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Morgan & Mallet is a luxury household staffing agency in New York, placing housekeepers, private chefs, nannies, butlers, chauffeurs, and estate managers with families across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Tri-State area.
The private household staff in NYC we recruit bring skill, discretion, and genuine dedication to their roles.
Our recruitment team in our office on Madison Avenue handpicks individuals with a high level of prior, proven, verifiable experience in a household similar to yours.
Morgan & Mallet was founded by Morgan Richez and Laurine Mallet, both of whom worked in luxury household service before building the agency.
They understand what principals looking to hire household staff in NYC need because they have delivered it themselves.
Contact us today to hire the domestic staff in NYC you need.
Household Staffing in New York City (NYC) Tailored to Your Home
- New York Client Loyalty 91% of New York City nanny clients come back to us for more staff or refer the agency to other families within 18 months.
- Confidentiality The agency is built on discretion, trust and confidentiality. We ensure all candidates we place follow this without fail.
- Professional Experience We handpick proven, experienced candidates who know how to work in high-net-worth homes and have strong references from past employers.
- Three-Month Guarantee Written into every placement contract, protecting your investment. If the placement isn’t right we will replace the candidate.
What Happens After You Contact Our Domestic Staffing Agency in New York?
When you contact Morgan & Mallet about staff for your New York home, a recruiter from our New York office calls you the same day wherever possible.
New York clients move fast and we match that pace.
“Here the pace is faster. Clients like to interview candidates quicker,” says Jonathan de Vanderbilt, recruiter in our New York office. “In-person interviews are a big thing,” he adds. “When they call, they do have the need, and it’s always: can we start interviewing right away?”
We also know that hiring in New York rarely goes through one person.
“The family office interviews them first, then the estate manager or the chief of staff, then the house manager, and then they meet the principal,” Jonathan says.
- Family office
- Estate manager or chief of staff
- House manager
- The principal
We coordinate every one of those steps, confirm every interview, and keep the search moving on so a good candidate doesn’t take another offer while you are thinking about it.
The brief we build for the role is normally based around how New York households actually run.
Most Manhattan apartments and townhouses have no staff quarters, so we’ll ask early on whether you need live-out staff who know the city, can do the school run, and can move with you to the Hamptons or Connecticut for the summer.
“The typical client does not have a ten-bedroom apartment,” Jonathan says. “New Jersey, yes, Long Island, yes, outside of the city, but the city’s limited with space. So when they say live-out, it might be because their apartment has three or four bedrooms and no extra staff quarters.”
Then we search our database of thousands of candidates and send you profiles in a way that is easy to browse and choose who you think would suit you.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job briefs, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026. How we count
What Checks Does a Candidate Pass Before You See Their Profile?
Every profile that we give to you has had a 90-minute structured interview, and reference checks made directly with past employers.
For every four people who apply to join our database, around one gets in.
We are highly selective and filter candidates in our database based on your needs. So we can find someone with the right experience for your particular role.
The interview we do is designed to get past the rehearsed answers.
“You need to make the candidate comfortable first. If they’re scared of you, they won’t tell you anything,” says Laurine Mallet, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet. “By the end, if the candidate feels like it was a conversation with a friend rather than an interview, that’s when you’ve done it right.”
For New York roles we do more checks. A nanny taking your child across the city or a housekeeper doing errands in Manhattan needs to really know New York well, so we check for those things.
Local knowledge, how well a candidate knows the city, and whether their references confirm they’ve done it before all get checked before their profile gets sent to you.
| What families asked for | Share | Briefs counted |
|---|---|---|
| Candidates already authorized to work in the US | 45% | Our job briefs for New York City families, 2022 to June 2026 |
| Candidates who sign a non-disclosure agreement | 22% | Our 2026 briefs |
Source: Morgan & Mallet job briefs, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026, and our candidate database, October 2026. How we count
Household Staff Roles We Place Across NYC
Nannies
Families in New York City are often interested in bilingual nannies as well as someone who can do school runs and who can deal with New York traffic.
Being clear about what you want from a nanny when you first speak to us is how you help us find one that has the qualities and experience you need.
In the childcare searches we’ve carried out for New York City families, 43% included school runs. A governess role we recruited for needed someone who could take sole charge of the children for 7 to 10 days whenever a parent traveled.
Estate Managers
The New York City property will probably be one of many for an estate manager. These roles are becoming more popular for us as our clients need expertise to deal with their growing estates.
Some Manhattan families combine roles instead. For example, in 2026 we placed a house manager who also runs the housekeeping for a Chelsea apartment.
Private Chefs
We find that private chefs in NYC today need to be able to be flexible with the menus they create. We’re often asked for chefs with experience in wellness food, or for a certain diet.
It’s a popular role to hire for here.
All the private chef searches we’ve done for New York City families set firm rules about the diet the family wants to follow, from vegetarian-focused menus to specialty diets.
Two of our private chef searches in New York had 138 applicants each, which is well above our average of about 79 for US private chef searches.
Housekeepers
Housekeepers are our most requested role in Manhattan. One of our searches for a part-time housekeeper in downtown Manhattan had 121 applicants, more than three times our average of about 34 for US housekeeper searches.
Read about our housekeeper agency in New York for salary ranges, the neighborhoods we cover and how a placement works.
Butlers
Butlers here need to be able to take on lots of roles and multi-task. This isn’t just a trend in New York; we see it with butlers in most areas now.
In 2026 one New York family asked us to hire a chauffeur for them who could also give butler-style support to the family at home.
Read more about our butler agency in New York to see the specifics of hiring in the city.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job ads and applicants, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026, and all our US job ads in every role, May 2022 to June 2026. How we count
Estate & Residential Staffing in Manhattan
A large amount of our New York work is estate and residential staffing in Manhattan. This can be penthouses in doorman buildings, or townhouses with five staff or more.
We know that families in the area need discreet professionals who can work under pressure, live-in or live-out.
Each neighborhood has a preference toward different staff:
Upper East Side – nannies are employed here for school runs to Dalton and Spence. Formally trained housekeepers, and estate managers run Manhattan homes with Hamptons properties.
Our four Upper East Side searches since 2025 were for experienced housekeepers, one of them also a nanny for a family that spends summers in the Hamptons.
West Village – live-out housekeepers, nannies and pet-care staff. Smaller properties here so fewer staff and normally not live-in.
Soho – house managers and personal assistants for families, plus housekeepers who know how to look after luxury textiles.
Tribeca – nannies and housekeeper-nannies for young finance, tech and creative families in its lofts and waterfront buildings. Our 2026 Tribeca search was for a family assistant and nanny.
Brooklyn Heights – estate managers and domestic couples for larger brownstones.
We also place live-in and live-out staff in Greenwich Village, Sutton Place, Park Slope, Midtown’s luxury towers, the Hamptons, Long Island’s Gold Coast, and across the greater New York region.
We have also recruited for families on the Upper West Side and in Gramercy Park, Chelsea and Lower Manhattan.
Outside the city we recruit in Westchester, on Long Island’s North Shore and in New Jersey, and some of the New York City families we work with also have homes in Westchester or New Jersey, with staff who travel between them.
Many of our New York placements come through family offices, and our recruiters work with them directly.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job briefs, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026. How we count
What New York Families Ask Us For
Since 2022 we have carried out many candidate searches for families in New York City and its suburbs, and 2,665 candidates applied.
| Search | Year | Applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Live-out housekeeper, New York City and the Hamptons | 2025 | 174 |
| Part-time personal assistant, New York City | 2025 | 171 |
| Private chef, Upper West Side | 2025 | 138 |
| Family chauffeur, New York City | 2026 | 128 |
| Part-time housekeeper, downtown Manhattan | 2024 | 121 |
| House assistant and nanny, Manhattan | 2025 | 104 |
| Household manager and personal assistant, Long Island North Shore | 2024 | 101 |
| Governess and nanny, Westchester County | 2022 | 86 |
For those placement searches, 62% were for New York City families, and 2,048 candidates applied.
Families asked us most often for housekeepers (38% of them), then nannies and family assistants (24%), private chefs and house managers (10% each), and personal assistants and chauffeurs (7% each).
Every search that named a neighborhood was in Manhattan, and about two in five of the homes already had other staff, like a chef, nannies or housekeepers.
The other 38% were for families in Westchester, on Long Island’s North Shore and in New Jersey, and 617 candidates applied.
Apart from one family’s two-week team in New Jersey, most roles were live-out and the majority of the homes had staff employed already, and half had driving as a task, but none needed the candidates to have their own car.
Our North Shore search for a household manager who needed to also be a personal assistant had 101 applicants, more than our average of about 75 for US house manager searches.
Some roles have far more candidates applying than others. Our part-time personal assistant candidate search in New York City had 171 applicants, about twice our average of about 88 for US personal assistant searches, and our Westchester governess and nanny search had 86, about twice the average of about 41 for our US nanny searches.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job ads and applicants, our searches for families in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey, 2022 to June 2026, with 2,665 applicants, and all our US job ads in every role, May 2022 to June 2026. How we count
Household Staff Salaries in New York City (2026)
The competition for good full-time household staff in New York is intense, especially for personal assistants and housekeepers.
You need to offer competitive pay and strong benefits packages to attract the best people.
“Salaries are going up a lot, especially for nannies and housekeepers, because we’re missing candidates,” says co-founder Morgan Richez. “In New York, it’s not easy to find a very good housekeeper.”
Below are the current salary ranges:
| Position | US Salary Range | Morgan & Mallet Agency Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Nannies | $60,000 to $120,000 | Certified Early Childhood Educators, used to traveling to the Hamptons, command 15 to 20% premiums in NYC. |
| Housekeepers | $90,000 to $160,000 | Executive Housekeepers in Manhattan penthouses now need expertise in smart-home technology. |
| Private Chefs | $100,000 to $300,000 | Michelin-background chefs specializing in personalized wellness are on the rise. |
| Estate Manager | $150,000 to $250,000 | Ultra-High-Net-Worth (UHNW) families in NYC increasingly need EMs to hold Family Office or Project Management certifications. |
| Chauffeur | $80,000 to $130,000 | Security trained Chauffeurs have seen the highest demand. |
| Security (Property and Personal) | $90,000 to $150,000 | Discretion and experience with tech-sector or high-profile clients get a premium here. |
| Role and place | Year | Pay as advertised |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | ||
| Family assistant and nanny, Tribeca | 2026 | $110,000 to $130,000 a year |
| Private chef, Upper West Side | 2025 | $120,000 to $150,000 a year |
| Personal assistant, Manhattan | 2025 | $100,000 to $140,000 a year, plus paid time off, paid holidays and health insurance |
| House manager, Manhattan | 2022 | $120,000 to $160,000 a year |
| Housekeeper, Upper East Side | 2026 | $45 to $55 an hour |
| House manager and housekeeper, Chelsea | 2026 | $45 to $55 an hour |
| Family chauffeur, New York City | 2026 | $40 to $50 an hour, plus health insurance |
| Nanny who travels with the family, New York City | 2025 | $35 to $45 an hour, plus benefits |
| Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey | ||
| Household manager and personal assistant, Long Island North Shore | 2024 | $90,000 to $100,000 a year, plus live-in housing and a car |
| Private chef, Bergen County, New Jersey | 2025 | $50 to $70 an hour |
| Part-time housekeeper, Rye, Westchester | 2025 | $40 to $45 an hour, plus a medical stipend |
| Housekeeper, Long Island North Shore | 2025 | $35 to $45 an hour, plus benefits |
Hourly rates are as advertised. At 40 hours a week, $45 to $55 an hour is about $93,600 to $114,400 a year before overtime.
The Tribeca family assistant and nanny role went up to $130,000, above the top of the nanny range in the table above.
Of our New York City searches, 66% stated pay in the ad.
Source: our 2025/26 Household Staff Salaries Annual Report, and the pay in our job ads for New York area families, 2022 to June 2026. How we count
What Our New York Recruiters Say
Have you ever handled a placement with a very unique request?
“Yes, we had a client who asked for something unusual. They wanted a butler from outside New York, somewhere like California or Palm Beach.
The reason was simple but important. They didn’t want someone who’d worked for their business contacts or friends before.
Butlers hear everything that happens in a household. In New York’s tight social circles, hiring someone who’s already worked for people you know creates privacy risks.
The client wanted fresh talent from outside their network to keep household matters completely confidential.”
Are New York families leaning toward live-out staff?
“In New York, I would say yes. They would rather have someone local who lives out, who knows the city and can go back and forth, nine to five, nine to six, nine to seven. If it’s a nanny, you’re trusting that person to take your child to school. You have to be a New Yorker, meaning thick-skinned, and know the city: when to take a cab, when to walk, and to be careful with someone’s child on the subway.”
One of the Leading Domestic Staffing Agencies in NYC
Our ability to recruit experienced full-time household staff in New York comes from the hands-on knowledge of our founders.
Before launching Morgan & Mallet, our co-founders worked in private households themselves. Morgan was a chauffeur and butler, and Laurine was a nanny.
This personal experience gives us insight into the demands that most household staffing agencies in NYC don’t have.
We are now the only domestic staffing agency with offices worldwide, including New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
We also recruit for families based abroad who keep a home in New York.
What NYC Employers Must Know About Household Employment Law
New York has some of the strongest domestic worker protections in the country, with requirements at both state and city level.
Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights
The state’s Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights has mandatory rest periods, overtime protections, and anti-discrimination safeguards that go further than federal law.
Minimum wage
As of 2026, minimum wage in New York City is $17 per hour.
Live-in Overtime
Live-in staff qualify for overtime after 44 hours a week, compared with 40 hours for live-out staff. Employers should avoid assuming “exempt” status, as most domestic roles do not meet the strict legal criteria for salary-only compensation.
Paid Family Leave
Paid Family Leave and disability insurance are required once staff work 20 or more hours a week.
Payroll
Payroll obligations include Social Security, Medicare and New York unemployment insurance. Withholding New York State and New York City income tax is optional.
Workers' compensation
Part-time roles are common here: 17% of our New York City searches were part-time, most of them for housekeepers. Workers’ compensation is required once someone works 40 or more hours a week for you.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job briefs, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026. How we count
Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Families should consult legal or HR professionals for definitive guidance specific to their circumstances.
Meet Your New York
Recruitment Team
NYC Household Staffing: Frequently Asked Questions
Call us on +1 (646) 965-2308 or tell us about your home and a New York recruiter will get back to you.
How to legally pay a housekeeper in New York?
To legally pay a housekeeper in New York you have to register as a household employer, withhold payroll taxes, and carry workers’ compensation insurance once staff work 40 or more hours a week, plus disability and Paid Family Leave cover from 20 hours a week. Most families add 8 to 9% to the base wage to cover it.
Morgan & Mallet has a payroll service that does the paperwork, tax filings and compliance, and our recruiters can share draft employment contracts. For how a placement works and what it costs, read about our housekeeper agency in New York.
As a guide to pay, one Upper East Side family’s 2025 ad offered a full-time live-out housekeeper $75,000 to $95,000 a year, plus health insurance and paid vacation.
Is it free to use a NYC staffing agency?
No. “You’re calling us for a service, so of course there’s a placement fee,” says Jonathan de Vanderbilt from our New York office. “It’s like insurance. You want insurance, it’s not free, you have to pay for it.”
Most reputable staffing agencies charge fees for their services. The cost normally covers candidate screening, background checks, and the expertise needed to make successful placements.
Some agencies work on a success fee basis, meaning you only pay when they place someone. However, many clients prefer paying upfront fees because it shows the agency’s commitment to finding the right match.
Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet, believes working for free sends the wrong signal. When agencies invest time without compensation, they may rush placements or prioritize easier fills over finding the perfect candidate for your specific needs.
At Morgan & Mallet, our fee structure shows the thorough vetting process and personalized service we give. This makes sure we’re focused on quality matches that last, not just filling positions quickly.
How long does it typically take to find and place the right household staff member?
It depends on the role. Our New York City searches had about 71 applicants each on average, but senior roles are harder to fill. Three Upper East Side housekeeper searches that asked for at least five years’ experience had only 14 to 20 applicants each.
For common placements at expected times, like nannies in September, we start recruiting ahead of demand and can fill roles in days rather than weeks like other roles.
More specialized or remote roles may take between two and five weeks.
Speed depends on how clear the family’s brief is. Families who give us lots of information about salary, schedule, rest days, live-in versus live-out arrangements, and reporting lines before the search starts see faster results.
What happens if a staff member doesn't work out after the placement?
Our support doesn’t stop once the contract is signed.
Our recruiters stay in touch during the first three months, checking in with you and your new hire regularly.
Some families need more support, others tell us everything is running smoothly after two weeks. Either way, we are available.
How do you handle situations where our household needs change and we need to adjust staff roles?
It happens a lot in New York: 17% of the searches we’ve done for New York City families combined two jobs together, like house manager and housekeeper, or family assistant and nanny.
Role changes happen quite often in private households.
If a duty becomes regular, it should be added to the employment contract. That protects both sides by clarifying expectations, giving the right insurance coverage, and giving the staff member grounds to discuss compensation during their annual review.
We can help you look at whether a change of role makes sense or whether you need another hire instead. For example, asking one person to manage housekeeping and full-time childcare only works in certain situations.
If your household grows or your needs change a lot, we can return to recruiting and find the extra staff you need.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job ads and applicants, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026. How we count
Call us on +1 (646) 965-2308 or tell us about your home and a New York recruiter will get back to you.
New York
office address
260 Madison Avenue, 8th Floor, 10016, New York, NY – United States
phone
+1 (646) 965-2308
opening hours
Monday - Thursday : 9AM - 6PM
Friday : 9AM - 5PM
Saturday & Sunday : Closed
Ready to Build Your New York Household Team?
Contact our US team to talk us through the staff you need.
We start with a detailed consultation to understand your lifestyle, property portfolio, and family culture before matching you with candidates.
Trust is the foundation. You’re inviting someone into your personal world, and that comes with risk.
Our recruiters understand this because many worked as household staff themselves. This is where our 11 years of experience counts.
Whether you’re staffing a Manhattan penthouse, managing a seasonal rotation between the city and the Hamptons, or building teams across multiple properties in Tribeca and the Upper East Side, Morgan & Mallet structures staffing solutions that work for you.
It’s quite common: 41% of our New York City briefs mentioned another home, most often in the Hamptons, and in one case a weekend house in Connecticut.
Source: Morgan & Mallet job briefs, our New York City searches, 2022 to June 2026. How we count