Covid pay for Nannies?

[Anonymous]

Nanny here, wanting opinions of parents please. I’m negotiating a contract with a new family and they are being very generous, but I’m concerned about covid pay because it’s a celebrity family in the public eye, with a lot of staff. Basically I want to be paid guaranteed hours if I get covid or have to quarantine becuase of exposure at work. Do you think this is reasonable? And if so, how many days/weeks can I ask for, beyond my 5 sick days? If the family or the state tells me I can’t come to work it’s really beyond my control and I feel like I should get paid.

[Anonymous]

You can’t prove where exactly you catch a virus, you know.

If you’re good on the job AND they’re decent people, they should pay you during your sick time at home.

[Anonymous]

Just add that to your contract. I’m sure your new employers will be fine with it.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your new employers about a covid clause. Everyone is doing it now.

[Anonymous]

Unlimited covid clause, 5 days per exposure regardless of vector, paid.

[Anonymous]

you can of course ask, but if everything else about this job is great I wouldn't push. many other jobs aren't offering COVID leave - I work in an ER and caught COVID and used my own leave while my teacher brother in another state also must use his own leave if/when he catches it. on the other hand, my husband didn't have to use his personal leave.

not saying you shouldn't ask, but also don't walk away from what is otherwise a perfect job when many other jobs are in the same boat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you can of course ask, but if everything else about this job is great I wouldn't push. many other jobs aren't offering COVID leave - I work in an ER and caught COVID and used my own leave while my teacher brother in another state also must use his own leave if/when he catches it. on the other hand, my husband didn't have to use his personal leave.

not saying you shouldn't ask, but also don't walk away from what is otherwise a perfect job when many other jobs are in the same boat.

and yes, it sucks. I was already depleted of leave as I recently came back from knee surgery.

[Anonymous]

Interesting as we are dealing with this now. Our nanny of 15 years didn’t want to get vaccinated and was out for 4 quarantines first year of Covid and 3 this summer alone. Each of those 10 days. Really getting old and out jobs are virtual so we have to work regardless.
She did finally get vaccine/ then was due to booster snd decided against. She gets Covid on Dec 22. She is still out sick today (saying she feels bad slthoigh we know so many people with Covid now and none have been sick with this latest round more than couple days if vaccinated).. she’s going on 2 weeks. But hope she’s getting better.
So we made a decision to require vaccine and booster going forward and we aren’t going to pay starting Wednesday. We will have paid for over 2.5 months of full salary - little more- for her to be in quarantine and she is making choices that create these work challenges.
For us, we can’t afford to continue missing work when she’s out. We won’t cover sick time if not vaccinated or boosted. it’s a job and she can’t do it if in quarantine. And putting my kiddos at risk too.
So that’s our decision now.

[Anonymous]

To add to above- she would of course be off 23rd through xmàs anyhow. But normally would be back sometime this past week as we went back to work Wednesday. It was fine to miss and not being heartless but without vaccine, you have no defense. So it’s just an every other month out.

[Anonymous]

A nanny is a trusted partnership. I would never treat our nanny like a line worker punching in and out. Our nanny had Covid recently. All I cared about was her well-being. It didn’t even occur to me to adjust her pay. We continued payroll until she recovered and helped out with testing and making sure she had groceries and her son was ok. I hope your employer sees you in a similar light.

[Anonymous]

If you get vaccinated and boosted on time, and get Covid, most all employers will pay. Yea write that in for sure. But again, you have to do your part. State of vaccinated and on time with all boosters, and sick with Covid infection , will be paid for CDC required quarantine or until symptoms subside not less than currently 5 days but no greater than 10 working days.
Maybe something like this. 10 work days would be at least two full weeks- maybe longer depending on when you might be sick. If you are vaccinated and boosted, I’m not hearing of any long term illness. I think this will cover you both.

[Anonymous]

I have an office job, triple vaxxed, and missed ten days. Zero
pay.

For reference.

She has to do her part, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting as we are dealing with this now. Our nanny of 15 years didn’t want to get vaccinated and was out for 4 quarantines first year of Covid and 3 this summer alone. Each of those 10 days. Really getting old and out jobs are virtual so we have to work regardless.
She did finally get vaccine/ then was due to booster snd decided against. She gets Covid on Dec 22. She is still out sick today (saying she feels bad slthoigh we know so many people with Covid now and none have been sick with this latest round more than couple days if vaccinated).. she’s going on 2 weeks. But hope she’s getting better.
So we made a decision to require vaccine and booster going forward and we aren’t going to pay starting Wednesday. We will have paid for over 2.5 months of full salary - little more- for her to be in quarantine and she is making choices that create these work challenges.
For us, we can’t afford to continue missing work when she’s out. We won’t cover sick time if not vaccinated or boosted. it’s a job and she can’t do it if in quarantine. And putting my kiddos at risk too.
So that’s our decision now.

You absolutely should have mandated the vaccine and booster as soon as it was available to her. She’s vaccinated and all boosters or she’s fired.

[Anonymous]

I’m (still) sick with covid. Symptom onset was initially mild dec 24, then moderate, mild, back to moderate again. However, my employer and my charge got it at the same time, we worked together to take care of the child (working mild days, thankfully when my symptoms are bad, hers are better and vice versa), and she knew I was fully vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m (still) sick with covid. Symptom onset was initially mild dec 24, then moderate, mild, back to moderate again. However, my employer and my charge got it at the same time, we worked together to take care of the child (working mild days, thankfully when my symptoms are bad, hers are better and vice versa), and she knew I was fully vaccinated.

Just as an update to this. Still sick, urgent care gave me more prescriptions yesterday to manage breathing and coughing. This is *not* the time to sit back and think this is over. I honestly thought I’d end up in the hospital yesterday.