www.celebrities-staffing.com July 2013 • Volume 116 Welcome to the July edition of our newsletter, our tool for keeping you informed about the latest happenings in the celebrity service industry. A By Pauline Guy ngelina Jolie is most known for her stunning system of Ms. Jolie. Most of these people are part of the longtime love, and her ever-growing family. “THE HELP”. Many people would be surprised to learn the beauty, her acting, her philanthropic work, her “Angelina Jolie is nothing short of heroic” boasts her fiancé, Brad Pitt. While that may all stand to be true, Angelina is still human. Recently behind closed doors to the public, Ms. Jolie learned of some concerning news. It is news that no woman Jolie-Pitt household staff or what some might refer to it as large number of roles that the household staff plays when one of the parents is “down.” When dealing with an estate that is as large as the Jolie-Pitts’, there usually is an innumerable amount of staff. There are numerous nannies, housekeepers, chefs, drivers, wants to hear: “there is ‘something’ on your breast scan”, personal assistants, etc. All of these people must make very high risk of getting cancer in the future.” In either the situation. or “you are a carrier of the BCRA gene and you are at a situation, the decision to undergo a mastectomy requires much consideration, especially among those with children. Angelina Jolie bravely made the decision to undergo a double mastectomy. As the media has reported, Angelina is very fortunate to have her good friend and doctor Dr. Kirsti Fung, her fiancé and her family to give her all the emotional support that she needed. What has not been as widely discussed however is the fact that there were many others who contributed to the support sure that the estate continues to be well-run regardless of Often, staff members are close with their employers and may be emotionally distraught over the given situation, but it is imperative that the employees disregard their feelings and remain as professional as possible, especially when there are children involved. IN THIS ISSUE ANGELINA JOLIE RECOVERS..1-2 PET WORLD...............................3-4 BUTLER MEMOIRS........................5 STAFFING THE MANSION.............6 DISH UP....................................7-9 LEGALLY SPEAKING............10-11 ADVERTISEMENTS ...........12-13 Celebrities Staffing Angelina Jolie Recovered Continued from page 01 July 2013 • Volume 116 Nannies are faced with situations that demand a lot out of them. They must find ways to keep the children busy at all times. Emotional wellness is key not only for the kids but for the recovering adults. Happy and stress free kids equals happy and patient parents. Reassuring the children that their mommy or daddy will be just fine is only one the nanny’s major tasks. A task, that can be quite a challenge considering the circumstance, but for professional nannies, this task is usually a piece of cake. To help pass time with the children, the nannies should incorporate more creative, outdoor, and off site activities into their schedules. Trips to the science center, arts and crafts projects, trips to the zoo, theme park visits, and of course baking projects are great distractions. There is nothing like baking cookies to help mom or dad feel better; these activities are also fun for the kids! It is also important for the nannies, with the permission of the parents of course, to encourage open dialogue with the kids about mom’s or dad’s progress. It can be very traumatizing for children to see their once healthy parents now hooked up to lots of tubes. It can also be disturbing to have doctors and nurses in their homes. For other members of the staff, such as the housekeepers, extra work is required to keep up with the extra projects. A huge baking project to make mom feel better can be quite messy to clean up! The entire staff participates in helping for one common good: making sure that mom, wife, boss, and sometimes friend gets healthy and back on her feet again! Though this whole process can be daunting, with the right team of household “HELP,” we believe that Ms. Jolie will be well on her way to a full recovery. We wish her all the best! Page 2 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 3 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 4 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 5 butLer memoirs Heroics Under Pressure Narrowly averted tragedies make for strange first impressions by Michael holly i once had a memorable job interview with a family in east Hampton that had a reputation for being, well, temperamental. i was nervous about this interview because the previous butler had lasted only six months. There was heavy snow on the ground, but i arrived on time. After knocking on the front door without getting an answer, i went around back to summon someone. suddenly, i heard howling and the sound of water splashing. A woman’s voice was screaming, “Chaser! Chaser!” The family dog, a golden retriever, had sneaked around the fence and fallen into the pool. Because the snow-drifts created such a whiteout, it was hard to discern anything, so Chaser was surprised by the dangerous water beneath. realizing the gravity of the situation, i lowered myself into the freezing water, managed to pull the animal to the edge, and carried him into the house. The lady of the house (who was supposed to interview me) hurried with me to the bathtub and revived the dog with warm water and dry towels. shivering with cold, i next took a hot bath and was given a terry bathrobe to wear. With the dog stabilized, it was interview time.Without asking a question, the mrs. offered me the job. As it turns out, she was an animallover, and reasoned that since i’d acted so compassionately, she could relate to me as a human as well as a butler. once on the job, i discovered the family’s less-than-desirable reputation to be undeserved. The family members were considerate and respectful. As for the four-legged member of the clan, i didn’t have much contact with him after that, because he had a separate caretaker. This arrangement was fine with me, as Chaser didn’t seem to be impressed by my lifesaving actions, anyway! i found an element of his behavior to be strange: the retriever was always pausing to admire himself in front of the mirror. it seemed this animal was as unorthodox as our first meeting had been. i give myself kudos for ignoring rumors and taking time to discover a family’s true nature. C Michael Holly’s “Memoirs of a Celebrity Butler” is a regular series written How to Ace an IntervIew for a Butler 1. Don‘t act starstruck. 2. Make sure your nails are trimmed. 3. Wear no jewelry, except a plain watch. 4. Absolutely no cologne. 5. When interviewer enters the room, stand and allow him or her to sit down first. 6. Never cross your legs. IdeAl Butler SkIll Set 1. Good conversationalist but not a know-it-all. 2. Computer skills—not a techie, but familiar with common computer programs. 3. Imagines the big picture. 4. Knows about wine and food. 5. Knows about tailoring, fabrics, and their maintenance. 6. Versatile. Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Delicate Situation Working through family challenges Page 6 STAFFING THE MANSION By GLENDA ROSS A s an agency owner, I frequently place candidates with clients who are dealing with what I call the “3 D’s”: divorce, drugs, and death. To an adult, these issues are tragic. To a child, these issues are devastating, all consuming, and life-altering. The employee must be acutely attuned to both the child and parent and know when and how to seek additional support. Nanny positions tend to compensate very well, and for good reason. The right employee must possess solid life experience and a great background in assisting people (social worker, nurse, foster parent, etc.). The employee needs to be mature enough not to cross a professional boundary and also know how to tactfully handle very personal situations. It’s not uncommon for an employer in these situations to attempt to “buy their employee off ” after a rough day or week to keep the employee from quitting. It’s also not uncommon for an employer to see their employee as a close friend or confidante. Families dealing with divorce may view the employee as a “go-between” when the parents do not wish to communicate. The employee may be pushed to take a side or even called to testify on behalf of a parent in a custody hearing. Since the employee is generally a major part of the children’s lives, it is of utmost importance that the employee remain neutral— not an easy task. A couple of sources for employees in this type of situation are www.divorceandchildren.com and www.kidsinthemiddle.org. Families with substance-abuse issues are extremely challenging. Employees should possess a compassionate yet take-charge personality and need to be acutely aware of signs that outside help is needed—all while maintaining confidentiality. More often than not, the employer may share incredibly inappropriate information, require very inappropriate tasks, or the employee may have to explain why Daddy is “too sick to play.” One nanny told me that the most difficult part of being employed with this type of family was that she felt as though she was holding the family together—doing the major tasks to keep the house running and nannying the parent—and that this enabled the parent to fall apart even more. The employee needs to know when he or she has stepped over the line and is taking care of the adult more than the child, and also when to say “enough.” Two resources suggested for this situation are www.nacoa. net and www.helpguide.org. Candidates working for employers who have lost a member of their family should educate themselves on the five stages of grief. That knowledge will greatly assist them while helping the family through the denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. He or she needs to understand that there is a strong chance that the surviving family members may perceive him or her as the “replacement” to the lost parent or sibling, and this comes with both a positive and negative connotation. There are, thankfully, many excellent resources available for families going through trauma related to parental death, such as www.beyondindigo. com and www.rainbows.org. The information found on these sites will be helpful for the employee, also. To succeed in a position such as this, the candidate’s qualities will include strength, dedication, and consistency. Such qualities will be beneficial not only to the child/children, but also to the parent(s). If one is a candidate for a job that includes any one of the “3 D’s,” be aware that it will be incredibly demanding, yet very personally rewarding. The specifics of the situation should be carefully examined; a candidate should weigh the pros and cons of the position prior to accepting the job. A family in either of these crises needs a high level of stability, and one should take note of the additional responsibilities that will come with the job. Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 7 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 8 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 9 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Page 10 Celebrities Staffing Keeping Your Private Life Private July 2013 • Volume 116 Ad verti sem ent s Continued from page 10 The wage and hour claims are another story. These laws are technical and specific. The Lowes could face liability for not paying their employees properly. The damages could be over $100,000, and there might be incometax consequences, as well. For all these reasons, the Lowe case is a wake-up call for all employers of household staff. Employers must consult an attorney before employees are hired, and they must learn what can be done during staff ’s employment to minimize the risk of being sued or maligned by a disgruntled employee. For example, there are strict guidelines about whether you may classify a staff member as an independent contractor or employee. Also, properly- conducted annual reviews and exit interviews can keep claims like this from getting past summary judgment. The key is to have the employee commit to a story repeatedly when he or she is motivated to tell the truth—in other words, while the employee still needs and wants the job—not once he or she has “lawyered up.” Given the state of the law, every staff member is a potential threat and every employer is a target. Embracing that reality means engaging a legal bodyguard before hiring staff. This foresight can be just as important as the precautions you take to safeguard your family’s physical security. C elebrities S taffing S ervices A Celebrities Group, Inc. Company Staffing Estates, Mansions & Corporations Internationally Provides staffing, in-house consultation and event planning for the estates, homes and offices of royalty, celebrities, top executives and professional families internationally. • House Managers • Estate Managers • Chefs • Butlers • Bodyguards • Live-In/Live-Out • Personal Assistants • Nannies • Baby Nurses • Housemen • Nurses • Full-Time/Part-Time • Property Managers • Housekeepers • Couples • Chauffeurs • Home Health Aides • And Much More!!! www.celebrities-staffing.com Page 11 Celebrities Staffing July 2013 • Volume 116 Ad v ert isement s HOUSEHOLD STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE www.householdstafftraining.com Advance Your Career in Your Spare Time with Online Courses from Household Staff Training Institute REGISTER NOW! Offering Affordable Special Rates for 2, 3, & 4–Course Packages Starting for as little as $100.00 $60.00 CERTIFICATES AWARDED UPON COMPLETION • Where Connoisseurs Are Made • REFER A FRIEND AND EARN A $20 GIFT CARD Let me pamper your dog when you can’t. • Pet Sitting • Dog Walks • Taxi to Vet • Groomer • Healthy Homemade Diets For Doggie Longevity (View us on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/doggonegoodtv) Contact Barbara @ 310-271-7442 “I pamper cats too!” Page 12