Nanny leave- is this a lot?

[Anonymous]

Our nanny has been with us since February, so five months total. We love her. The only issue is she is gone a lot. Since she started she's taken her 10 days pto, 8 paid sick days and 9 unpaid vacation days. She's now out for a medical issue and it's not clear when she can return (we are paying her obviously). So she's been gone 27 days total, over 20% of the working days since she's been with us. This isn't counting the four paid federal holidays.

Is this excessive? We are just double paying for childcare on these days and scrambling. Not sure if we should say something. The other thing is it's only July and I'm sure she has other trips etc planned for the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our nanny has been with us since February, so five months total. We love her. The only issue is she is gone a lot. Since she started she's taken her 10 days pto, 8 paid sick days and 9 unpaid vacation days. She's now out for a medical issue and it's not clear when she can return (we are paying her obviously). So she's been gone 27 days total, over 20% of the working days since she's been with us. This isn't counting the four paid federal holidays.

Is this excessive? We are just double paying for childcare on these days and scrambling. Not sure if we should say something. The other thing is it's only July and I'm sure she has other trips etc planned for the year.

That would be a LOT for me. A nanny (IMO) is about consistent childcare and 1:1 exposure. What is up with the non-paid vacation days? Does she have sick leave left for the year? Has she announced vacations for the 2nd half of the year outside of paid holidays?

[Anonymous]

Once she is out of leave or you stop being agreeable to her being out sick again, she will leave and do the same thing to the next family.

What was her track record before you hired her? How long did she stay with prior families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our nanny has been with us since February, so five months total. We love her. The only issue is she is gone a lot. Since she started she's taken her 10 days pto, 8 paid sick days and 9 unpaid vacation days. She's now out for a medical issue and it's not clear when she can return (we are paying her obviously). So she's been gone 27 days total, over 20% of the working days since she's been with us. This isn't counting the four paid federal holidays.

Is this excessive? We are just double paying for childcare on these days and scrambling. Not sure if we should say something. The other thing is it's only July and I'm sure she has other trips etc planned for the year.

That would be a LOT for me. A nanny (IMO) is about consistent childcare and 1:1 exposure. What is up with the non-paid vacation days? Does she have sick leave left for the year? Has she announced vacations for the 2nd half of the year outside of paid holidays?

We put ten paid vacation days in her contract and she used those up in February and April, so this latest 9 day trip was unpaid. We don't have a sick leave policy so have paid all sick days. She is going away for a week while we're gone later this month (we are paying obviously) and again in August when we're gone for a wedding. But she hasn't said anything other than that.
I'm mostly wondering how to handle a potential extended medical leave. It seems harsh to say we're not paying but this is getting really expensive and hard to wrangle.

[Anonymous]

This is why we have our nanny ACCRUE PTO. We don't hand them three weeks of vacation at the start of the year. Each pay period they accrue a portion of PTO. We also put in the contract that unless there's a true medical emergency we prefer they not take unpaid time off.

Between the paid vacation the nanny earns and the times we travel and don't need the nanny but pay them, they generally get about six weeks or more off each year (Covid notwithstanding).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why we have our nanny ACCRUE PTO. We don't hand them three weeks of vacation at the start of the year. Each pay period they accrue a portion of PTO. We also put in the contract that unless there's a true medical emergency we prefer they not take unpaid time off.

Between the paid vacation the nanny earns and the times we travel and don't need the nanny but pay them, they generally get about six weeks or more off each year (Covid notwithstanding).

How do you handle sick leave?

[Anonymous]

24/7 nanny here, sn and behavioral problems

I have unlimited sick leave... but I have to provide a doctor's note if a single injury or illness is prolonged, especially since I'm arranging for coverage and my employer is stuck double paying for 24 hour care if they're not in state.

I have unlimited PTO and vacation in this position... but my employer is out-of-state for 3-7 weeks at a time, and then they're home with no work until they leave again. If they're back for under a week in between trips, there's no PTO/vacation allowed. I'm planning on taking 2-3 weeks off the next time they're home for a month, then 3 weeks the following time they're home for a month. All told, I'll have about 10 weeks of limited/no duty for the year, but they feel that I've earned it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:24/7 nanny here, sn and behavioral problems

I have unlimited sick leave... but I have to provide a doctor's note if a single injury or illness is prolonged, especially since I'm arranging for coverage and my employer is stuck double paying for 24 hour care if they're not in state.

I have unlimited PTO and vacation in this position... but my employer is out-of-state for 3-7 weeks at a time, and then they're home with no work until they leave again. If they're back for under a week in between trips, there's no PTO/vacation allowed. I'm planning on taking 2-3 weeks off the next time they're home for a month, then 3 weeks the following time they're home for a month. All told, I'll have about 10 weeks of limited/no duty for the year, but they feel that I've earned it.

This is a pretty unusual situation though.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it is excessive.

Our nanny has never called in sick - not in almost four years. She took two planned sick days off after she got her vaccines and that is it. She takes her vacation when we take ours and then her other week between Christmas and New Years.

[Anonymous]

If she’s out of sick days, she’s out of sick days. Simply tell her that you can’t afford time continue paying her.

And look for another nanny. Specify there is no vacation other than she set vacation, no unpaid days off, and PTO is accrued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:24/7 nanny here, sn and behavioral problems

I have unlimited sick leave... but I have to provide a doctor's note if a single injury or illness is prolonged, especially since I'm arranging for coverage and my employer is stuck double paying for 24 hour care if they're not in state.

I have unlimited PTO and vacation in this position... but my employer is out-of-state for 3-7 weeks at a time, and then they're home with no work until they leave again. If they're back for under a week in between trips, there's no PTO/vacation allowed. I'm planning on taking 2-3 weeks off the next time they're home for a month, then 3 weeks the following time they're home for a month. All told, I'll have about 10 weeks of limited/no duty for the year, but they feel that I've earned it.

This is a pretty unusual situation though.

And you deserve that paid time off.

[Anonymous]

OP, did you have a written contract upon hire?
Just curious.

I know that you love your Nanny as your child(ren) must too, but this is a lot of excessive time off.
Seriously. 🤨

Your Nanny does not seem very serious about her job at all.

It is unfair that you are double-paying for childcare & it is becoming unsustainable doing so.

Personally > I would let this greedy Nanny go.
And find yourself someone new who has a better work ethic.
Sorry you are dealing w/this now.

[Anonymous]

Why are you allowing unpaid “vacations?” Does your job allow to just peace out as often as you like when they need you to work while you call over your shoulder on the way out the door “it’s OK, because you don’t have to pay me?”

You need a new nanny, and a clear contract with your next nanny allowing for only paid PTO and a limited number of sick days (and, obviously, proven emergencies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why we have our nanny ACCRUE PTO. We don't hand them three weeks of vacation at the start of the year. Each pay period they accrue a portion of PTO. We also put in the contract that unless there's a true medical emergency we prefer they not take unpaid time off.

Between the paid vacation the nanny earns and the times we travel and don't need the nanny but pay them, they generally get about six weeks or more off each year (Covid notwithstanding).

How do you handle sick leave?

Are you unfamiliar with the concept of PTO?

[Anonymous]

extremely excessive. most nannies don't take that much PTO total over a 5 year tenure with a family.