Nanny-cam advice/help!
My parents have a new live-in aide that we suspect is not the greatest.
We’d like to get a nannycam.
They have just recently gotten wi-fi. (I Don’t know the wifi details)
Unfortunately I am very technologically challenged and need help choosing a camera and perhaps installing it and setting up on my phone.
Doesn’t need to be an elaborate system. 1 camera from Amazon will be fine.
I know everyone will say “it’s easy, just do this…”
But that’s the problem, I don’t understand any of it.
Anyone out there in HL land that can advise (or better yet help!!!!)?????
Help! Get a new aide immediately, if you don’t have trust in him/her.
Then do your homework about cameras.
Weedwacker 
AJMS Care.com is good. I've gotten tons of jobs from then. The person looking for help has to pay, though. I believe they run criminal & driving records for people applying for jobs.
Joyce Polack Just be careful if you “nanny camera” their house. It breaches privacy rights on the aide and they may come back and sue or something else to you/your parents because of them having privacy rights.
Check the laws before setting up cameras to watch someone.
NaileditI would think privacy rights are out of the window if they agree to come into a private residence to work, especially when working with a person either an adult or child. Even a contractor should expect surveillance in a private home these days. I mean heck there are cameras everywhere both on public and private property. With the exception of a bathroom I say smile your on camera!
I did find this on Google:
Are nanny cameras legal in New Jersey?
It's legal to install a nanny cam in all 50 states, even if you choose to videotape your nanny without her consent.
I would have them in plain site. personally.
I also found this:
Can I sue someone for recording me without my permission in New Jersey?
New Jersey Civil Charges
It is also possible to face civil legal charges when recording or videoing without consent. In New Jersey, this is considered a violation of the Invasion of Privacy Act.Sep 9, 2019
This is about as clear as mud it appears.
Greg Since NJ is a single party consent state, that means that only one of the parties involved in the conversation needs to give consent. Since your child is a minor and can't technically give their consent, you are allowed to give consent for them to be both video and audio recorded. If anything IS found, it should be reported to both the authorities AND to the place you hired your nanny from.
The law Greg is referring to came about because while audio recording wasn't allowed without one of the parties to the conversation giving their consent, video recording of someone without their knowledge had no such protections. The tenant whose landlord had hidden cameras and was recording the tenant in their bathroom and bedroom found that the police had a difficult time trying to find a law to actually charge the landlord with.
I think they finally settled on trespassing, since the landlord has to give the tenant notice of when they would be on the property for inspection or repair purposes. The landlord had surreptitiously entered and placed the cameras, thus violating that part of the landlord/tenant act. That's to the best of my memory. It was also a way to prosecute people taking so-called "upskirt videos" of unsuspecting women or girls (perhaps even men in kilts, "upkilt videos"...).
In a private place, such as a bathroom, the nanny cam couldn't be used, since the nanny may be recorded in private moments. That would be forbidden by the law Greg states, but in general areas of the house where the Nanny would be taking care of the child, such as a living room, the nanny cam would definitely be allowed.
The technology has advanced since we used to make them and other hidden cameras and recording devices, but your best bet would be as Weedwacker states. Hire someone from an agency that's does background checks on their people and make sure it's a nanny that isn't afraid to allow you to contact former clients. If they complain a lot about their other clients, be wary that it may not be the clients' fault, but their own attitude, etc.
I would recommend someone, but he may be retired now, or may be doing mainly alarm installation. It's best to buy something from someone who can walk you through setting it up, or will set it up for you on your phone when they sell it to you, depending on what type of system you get.
Phil D. Thanks everyone.
If we go forward with this we completely intend on having it in plain sight and letting everyone know it’s there. We would advise the aide, the agency and all visitors.
Help! of course, get the camera, and find a neighborhood young adult to install. You don't mention what the issue is with the aide. Perhaps they are unaware of your expectations. As with any employee, a conversation should be had. Any help is hard to find. Maybe this employee can be better trained/coached.
I just ordered screw in lightbulb security cameras for my son. He should get them next week. If they work, and are easy to set up on his phone, I'll post details.
maja2 maja2, Why a 'young' adult? Plenty of people that aren't 20 know these things.
To the original poster, instincts are usually right. Get a new aide NOW. Trust is everything. Then, concentrate on a cam, even a Ring cam and a Cam Master to hide it in.
Quick solution, get a cheap one, put it on the shelf, tell them its there, it doesn’t even have to work to be a deterrent.
Roywhite First of all, I agree with with everyone else, if you have a bad feeling, go with your instincts. For the future:
There's plenty on Amazon. Some are disguised as other things, i.e. clocks, smoke detectors, phone chargers, some are obviously cameras.
When I worked security, all that had to be done was signs needed to be posted that people may be recorded. Its recording sound that becomes the issues, due to federal wiretapping laws. And you absolutely cannot record in a bathroom. It's about removing expectation of privacy. I think if you post a sign on your door that the premises may be recorded at any time, you should be covered.
Better safe than sorry with the whole situation.
Rayann Leave a Reply
To comment on this topic, fill out the form below. If you would like to comment directly to one person, you may click on the envelope next to the posters name if they provided their email.