How many paid vacation days do you give a part time nanny?

[Anonymous]

We have a part-time evening nanny who helps with driving. She has another job earlier in the day. We guarantee her 20 hours a week, which we pay even when we go on vacation. We often don't use the total 20 hours but still pay the guaranteed rate. When we hired her, we didn't discuss how we would handle additional vacation days at her election. I'm inclined not to pay for the two weeks she wants to take off because (i) we already pay above market rate for one kid; (2) I'll have to try to find a substitute and pay them for those two weeks; (3) we've paid for a lot of vacation days when we were out of town and didn't need her (to quantify, 20-30 days in 2024); and (4) I've given her our vacation schedule far in advance so she could plan her elected travel around it and still get paid. I don't want to lose her as our child is quite attached, but I also don't want to overpay, as I think I've been quite generous with her so far.

[Anonymous]

20-40 hours

[Anonymous]

This is why it’s best to have a contract. Paid or unpaid vacation should have been spelled out before her first day.

Not sure where you go from here.

If you were explicit that she’d be paid for your days off, I’d probably at least start by saying no to paying her while she’s gone. But if she balks, I might offer her two paid weeks a year, ie make it clear this is it.

[Anonymous]

It's going to be a lot easier for her to find another afternoon only nanny gig, then it will be for you to find another afternoon only nanny who is reliable and gets along well with your kid.

[Anonymous]

It is hard to find a reliable driver in the evenings, so I think paying above market is to be expected.

2 weeks of vacation is standard, and I do think it’s fair to let her choose her own dates. For example, my nanny has to go on vacation when the dates work for her family- which tends to be at an inconvenient time for my own family. And she only gives me a month notice because of her family’s inability to plan far in advance.

Since you don’t want to pay for a substitute nanny, plan your trips around her vacation schedule. I have limited vacation time and dislike dealing with substitutes so we do our travel when our nanny is on vacation, even though it’s not on my preferred dates.

[Anonymous]

How old is your child, OP? The younger your child is, the more critical it is to maintain caregiver stability. You want the nanny to know she won’t increase her income elsewhere.

This is how you prioritize the development of your child’s mental health. Children require stability, competence and love. If this nanny offers all three, you hit the jackpot. Few children are so fortunate.

[Anonymous]

She should get it pick her vacation days. You are paying for her time even if you don’t need it. Why don’t you schedule your vacations around her days?

[Anonymous]

Part time nanny positions, especially with schedules like yours are very hard to fill. So, I'd expect to need to be more generous not less with benefits. I also don't think it's reasonable to expect someone with 2 jobs to schedule their vacations around one and not the other.

So, I'd go with 2 weeks of vacation of their choice. If you guarantee 20 hours a week, then that would be 40 hours of PTO.

[Anonymous]

Your third point is irrelevant because those were days you were gone.

I think you need to sit down and have a conversation with her about the days above and beyond. Maybe for this year pay her the full rate and maybe moving forward you pay half rate or not at all. If you don’t have a contact you should draw one up.

You have a unicorn in that you have a reliable after school babysitter. You may not have such luck if you decide to move on from this person.

[Anonymous]

I’d say 10 days per year of her choosing.
PT sitters for after school hours are like unicorns.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks worth so 40 hours if she is with you 20 hours plus one week worth of sick time