Need some advice - thanks in advance

[Anonymous]

I took 2 months unpaid leave and will resume my full-time job with the same family this coming August.

They pay me monthly and said I can start on August 4 because they will be out of town from August 1 to August 3.


They, however want me to watch their baby for tomorrow and Sunday (30 and 31 July) for FREE!


They said since I got paid on August 1,2,3 they should not pay for tomorrow and Sunday.


Please give me some feedback. I really think they should pay me because my contract only start on August 1 but they the one who wants me to start on August 4. I'm I wrong?

Can you give me advice to how should I explain it to them in very simple way.


Thank you

[Anonymous]

I see both sides of this. They feel like they're just swapping days they already paid for. You feel like those are paid vacation days. Personally I wouldn't be very happy about it and my response would depend on how much i like the family overall and whether they nickel and dime all the time. If they're the nickel and dime type and I didn't like them I'd probably tell them I'm not available and have previous plans. If I like them and they're overall good to me and give me benefits then I'd be much more willing to give and take.

[Anonymous]

Given that they just let you take 2 months unpaid leave and still rehired you, that says two things to me. Either they are a crappy family to work for and weren't able to find anyone else...or, they really like you and were committed to letting you stay with them even though they had to find alternate care for two months.

If it's the latter, I might just grit my teeth and cover the days for them. It would annoy me, but I bet they were pretty annoyed at you for needing 2 months leave (no matter how justified it was).

So I guess it's up to you how you want to start off this relationship. Build some good will with employers - then work the days as long as the resentment you feel about it won't turn toxic. If you think it's gonna burn your toast too much, just tell them you have other plans.

[Anonymous]

Simply tell them you already had weekend plans. I'm so done with parents who constantly try to take advantage of the nanny.

[Anonymous]

They gave you two months leave (I know - unpaid, but still) and kept your job open?

I would work the days if nothing else out of appreciation for having a job to come back to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simply tell them you already had weekend plans. I'm so done with parents who constantly try to take advantage of the nanny.

If the parents are constantly taking advantage of a nanny, the nanny should quit, right?

I'm so done with the entitled attitude of some (not all) nannies, esp. on this board. If a family and nanny have a good relationship, then it should be no problem for the family to ask a favor of the nanny, or vice versa, and the person being asked not to get so riled up and offended. We have accommodated our kid's nanny a lot - she has used up her PTO *for the year* and has been taking unpaid TO - which she appreciates and in turn, does favors for us, such as coming on an occasional Saturday when we can't find a sitter. A healthy family/nanny relationship is give and take.

I agree with PP that if you and the family otherwise have a good relationship and if they just did you a huge favor by letting you take 2 months unpaid leave, then suck it up and return the favor. Those three days at the beginning of August are days you are not entitled to; the family could very well ask you to come in those days and take care of baby laundry or whatever your usual duties are. Or when they set your return date, they could have prorated your pay for the month of August by not paying you for those three days. That is actually what would happen in the business world; you don't start getting paid until your first day of work, whether that date is set at your or your employer's convenience.

[Anonymous]

Depends how much the job means to you. This wouldn't fly with me but we all different so. Plus now lots of nannies looking. I sent out about 10 resumes only got 1 phone call. So stick with what you hav my dear.

[Anonymous]

No. You work, you get paid.

[Anonymous]

Two weekend days off in exchange for three consecutive week days off sounds like a fair trade to me. Would you have rather they had you start on the 4th and paid someone else for the weekend?

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny & I have to side w/your employers on this one.

Sorry.

Reason being is that it does make sense to make up those days since you would be getting compensated for them anyway.

Plus if you REALLY need this job now, it wouldn't be wise to start off on the wrong foot.

Good luck.