Nanny pay - which way to think about this

[Anonymous]

I hope she's looking for a new job. Rather than addressing directly with her you assume she's cheating you, resent its implications. Now-still not having a conversation with your employee you're being told what she's charged is fair and you are learning you are in fact most likely underpaying what by law ought to be time and a half hours.

Your employee makes herself available for hours you may use at your discretion. She most likely blocks that time off to other possible employment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope she's looking for a new job. Rather than addressing directly with her you assume she's cheating you, resent its implications. Now-still not having a conversation with your employee you're being told what she's charged is fair and you are learning you are in fact most likely underpaying what by law ought to be time and a half hours.

Your employee makes herself available for hours you may use at your discretion. She most likely blocks that time off to other possible employment.

Not just other employment. She can’t plan anything for those hours, needs childcare for those hours, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We guarantee 50 hours a week and generally use 47, starting at 8AM and staying up until 6pm but letting her go early. We had our first overnight in 5mo so dh and I could take a staycation at a local Airbnb. Our general agreement is $150 for the night + her regular hourly rate for hours kids are awake beyond her usual hours. This week she only worked 44 of her regular hours between 8-6. She also worked 11 hours kids were up outside of 8-6. Should her overtime be 11 hours or 5 hours (plus the flat rate of $150 a night)

She charged the full 11 and I paid it but I feel like it should have only been 5 extra hours. She also asked for a half day next week even though she’s already used all her vacation time and I said sure but will still pay the full $50. It just feels a bit taken advantage of - she accounts for every extra dollar she could get but never gives back. But maybe that’s not a fair expectation

I think 5 hours was correct. Don't say yes to extra free vacation next time. Be firm.

[Anonymous]

You need to pay her regular rate for the first 40 hours. Overtime for any hours that week over 40. And whatever rate you agree for being there overnight while kids are asleep.

If she filed a complaint re: her overtime you’d lose and be on the hook for back pay.

[Anonymous]

I agree that she deserved pay for the eleven hrs worked.

Since you guarantee hours, just because you do so does not mean that you later on have the option of recouping some of those hours back.
If there are strings attached, then she should be told beforehand.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We guarantee 50 hours a week and generally use 47, starting at 8AM and staying up until 6pm but letting her go early. We had our first overnight in 5mo so dh and I could take a staycation at a local Airbnb. Our general agreement is $150 for the night + her regular hourly rate for hours kids are awake beyond her usual hours. This week she only worked 44 of her regular hours between 8-6. She also worked 11 hours kids were up outside of 8-6. Should her overtime be 11 hours or 5 hours (plus the flat rate of $150 a night)

She charged the full 11 and I paid it but I feel like it should have only been 5 extra hours. She also asked for a half day next week even though she’s already used all her vacation time and I said sure but will still pay the full $50. It just feels a bit taken advantage of - she accounts for every extra dollar she could get but never gives back. But maybe that’s not a fair expectation

I have a nanny with guaranteed hours and that to me means that I pay her for any hours that she works outside of the guaranteed band- so you should be paying for anything outside of 8-6 M-F unless you talk about it with her ahead of time. The only exception is if I ask ahead of time- eg I pay for 9-6 guaranteed and I might ask my nanny a few days ahead of time if she wants to shift her hours and work 9:30-6:30. If she says no then I need to either pay her for the extra half hour until 6:30 or figure out alternative care for that half hour. I would still expect her to come at 9 though if she said no

Don't conflate you giving her a half day off with paying for extra hours when she didn't use all the guaranteed hours. If you feel taken advantage of then push back and say that you can't make it work with giving her the paid half day off.