Another nanny and vaccine question

[Anonymous]

Why do you need a vaccinated nanny? Do you have kids that are in high-risk groups?

From a risk perspective, unless your kids are high-risk, then there's little reason to demand that your nanny be vaccinated. Your kids are a risk to her, but she's not a substantial risk to them.

The same might apply if you or your spouse are high-risk, but unable to be vaccinated for some reason.

I'd also say it's pretty selfish and unethical to encourage a nanny to get vaccinated now. The state and CDC criteria said "educational sector (teachers, support staff, and daycare workers)." A nanny supporting a single family is not nearly at the same risk level.

It's a gray area, sure. And I wouldn't fault a nanny for getting a vaccine now. But I also wouldn't demand that a nanny ignore the clear intentions of the priority groups.

[Anonymous]

OP -- please ignore all these crazy anti-vaxxers. You are completely reasonable in wanting your nanny to get the vaccine. Here's what I would do: tell her that it's important to you and your family that she get the vaccine, offer to help her get an appointment, but make it clear that it's her decision. I would not give her an ultimatum because I wouldn't want any potential liability if she happens to be one of the exceedingly rare few who have a serious reaction. Then I would wait. Let your nanny see you and DH get fully vaccinated and be fine. If by June she has made no effort to get the vaccine, let her go. That may seem harsh, but trust me, you'll find another nanny and you can hire someone who is vaccinated (require proof before hiring).

When my kids were young, the idea of changing our childcare situation was hard to wrap my mind around, but honestly childcare is fluid, things change, and kids can benefit from having someone different take care of them. I know you really like your nanny, but this would be a deal breaker for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am pro vaccine but I do not think it is appropriate to require a vaccination that is authorized only under emergency use. There’s a reason employers and colleges are not requiring it yet.

As a private employer with an at will contract I can require many things that large corporations may not want to or be able to require. I can require my nanny speak Chinese, or say I only want to hire nannies who are under 5’ tall. So I’m pretty sure I can require it.

You CAN require it, you're just opening yourself up to potential liability that larger smarter organizations are avoiding. If something happens to your nanny as a result, and you "required" it as part of her keeping her employment, she could very well sue you. This is not a flu shot we're talking about. I know 2 people who had an anaphylactic reaction to the shot.

Even in the extremely unlikely event she had an anaphylactic reaction, there’s very little by way of damages to sue for if she was fine afterwards and she’d be unlikely to win. Or the National vaccine compensation program would pay out, not me. Plus I do have workers comp to the person who asked (not that they’d definitely even cover this). I guess my thinking was that I wouldn’t even put the requirement in writing anyway - it’s more like “we’d really like you to get a shot. If not we understand, it’s your choice - we just need to know so we can make a choice to hire someone else.” This is going to become a very common dynamic very soon. We are not outliers here. Nannies who aren’t vaccinated are going to become less employable, unfortunately.

MB with vaccinated nanny here. This sounds very reasonable, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP -- please ignore all these crazy anti-vaxxers. You are completely reasonable in wanting your nanny to get the vaccine. Here's what I would do: tell her that it's important to you and your family that she get the vaccine, offer to help her get an appointment, but make it clear that it's her decision. I would not give her an ultimatum because I wouldn't want any potential liability if she happens to be one of the exceedingly rare few who have a serious reaction. Then I would wait. Let your nanny see you and DH get fully vaccinated and be fine. If by June she has made no effort to get the vaccine, let her go. That may seem harsh, but trust me, you'll find another nanny and you can hire someone who is vaccinated (require proof before hiring).

When my kids were young, the idea of changing our childcare situation was hard to wrap my mind around, but honestly childcare is fluid, things change, and kids can benefit from having someone different take care of them. I know you really like your nanny, but this would be a deal breaker for me.

It's not about being an anti vaxxer. It's about the fact that this vaccine is brand spanking new, has an emergency authorization, and is pretty hard to get right now. Down the road, sure require it. But damn, give it some time.

[Anonymous]

its amazing how parents have thrown their kids in daycare as early as 4 months all this time with no proof of ANY vaccines besides TB and this new and uncertain vaccine is a requirement?

I've seen nannies be more careful while their families continued to partake in vacations, Starbucks visits and having family over for holidays. yet when your nanny (who probably does a ton of things they already do not want to do) decides to hold off on something that is still very new with a ton of uncertainty, why is this an issue?

what is with folks telling other people how to manage and care for their bodies. specifically white people.

and yes I am employed. by a NURSE. that does not require nor pressure me to get vaccinated as its my body and my choice. i hope your nanny finds a better family to work for or gets vaccinated when SHE is ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:its amazing how parents have thrown their kids in daycare as early as 4 months all this time with no proof of ANY vaccines besides TB and this new and uncertain vaccine is a requirement?

I've seen nannies be more careful while their families continued to partake in vacations, Starbucks visits and having family over for holidays. yet when your nanny (who probably does a ton of things they already do not want to do) decides to hold off on something that is still very new with a ton of uncertainty, why is this an issue?

what is with folks telling other people how to manage and care for their bodies. specifically white people.

and yes I am employed. by a NURSE. that does not require nor pressure me to get vaccinated as its my body and my choice. i hope your nanny finds a better family to work for or gets vaccinated when SHE is ready.

OP here. I’m glad you have a fantastic and respectful employer. We strive to be that as well, which is actually why I posted here to get some honest feedback and have an anonymous sounding board. It was to be better and check myself, not try to get people to say what I want to hear. In fact it was helpful because between all the rants I think the general thinking was May 1 might be too soon to ask our nanny to get vaccinated and we should wait a bit longer. Although there may be families out there with nannies more careful than the family, that isn’t our situation at all. We haven’t left the house in a year and our nanny has other points of exposure. And covid has just killed half a MILLION people so we can’t honestly compare it to mumps or pertussis.

[Anonymous]

I’m a nanny in Virginia. I’m currently not eligible. When I am eligible I will sign up and get vaccinated. I won’t skip the line and take a vaccine that I’m not eligible for without reading through the lines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a nanny in Virginia. I’m currently not eligible. When I am eligible I will sign up and get vaccinated. I won’t skip the line and take a vaccine that I’m not eligible for without reading through the lines.

Good for you. You sound like a caring and educated person.

[Anonymous]

Encouraging her to skirt the intent of the Maryland current eligibility was never a good idea. If she'd done herself, fine.

May 1 is way too soon.

Making certain that you don't commit your requirement to writing to protect yourself but verbally threatening her job is pretty low. You're taking advantage of her not having the resources to fight you in court.

The vaccine program as you know has a very low payout and is a drop in the bucket for severe circumstances. Does it even cover vaccines in this category -- emergency authorization?

The flu vaccine is completely different. It's been around awhile and we know it's safe except for those with egg allergies getting certain doses with eggs in them.

Until it's way less difficult to get the vaccine (sometime in July) you need to chill. If her contract comes up for renewal in Aug or beyond, you can put it in as a requirement, I guess.

You could schedule it for her if she's amenable. I qualify for it and it's been h*ll to schedule so I haven't been able to get an appointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a nanny in Virginia. I’m currently not eligible. When I am eligible I will sign up and get vaccinated. I won’t skip the line and take a vaccine that I’m not eligible for without reading through the lines.

If you gave time, you can put yourself on a waiting list. Some locations are only calling people who are eligible but haven’t been able to get appointments, but others are willing to put everyone on the list for cancellations.

[Anonymous]

I think it is unfair to mandate that your Nanny be vaccinated.

Some people just do not trust the vaccine and it is her right to refuse.

It is also your right to refuse an unvaccinated Nanny around your child.

Overall it may not be a good fit anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:its amazing how parents have thrown their kids in daycare as early as 4 months all this time with no proof of ANY vaccines besides TB and this new and uncertain vaccine is a requirement?

I've seen nannies be more careful while their families continued to partake in vacations, Starbucks visits and having family over for holidays. yet when your nanny (who probably does a ton of things they already do not want to do) decides to hold off on something that is still very new with a ton of uncertainty, why is this an issue?

what is with folks telling other people how to manage and care for their bodies. specifically white people.

and yes I am employed. by a NURSE. that does not require nor pressure me to get vaccinated as its my body and my choice. i hope your nanny finds a better family to work for or gets vaccinated when SHE is ready.

This.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely insist on vaccination.

Don’t be idiots. The only way for the virus to stop mutating is to slop it from spreading. Vaccination stops the spread 95%. That’s better odds than small pox or measles.

I thank God we have an educated nanny who was first in line when it was her turn.

[Anonymous]

Unless it was in your original contract that condition of employment was for all vaccinations, you cannot force her to get so

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless it was in your original contract that condition of employment was for all vaccinations, you cannot force her to get so

Of course you can! Businesses all over the country are mandating covid vaccines now. You can absolutely get fired for refusing to get vaccinated.