OP, did you guarantee her a minimum number of hours at the higher rate? I'm trying to imagine why she would prefer a higher rate over guaranteed hours.

Anonymous wrote:Can’t help but notice the OP never clarified about why nanny was needing money for the holidays, can only assume this means this nanny wasn’t paid during the holidays…wow…

Of course we paid her for the holidays, along with a very nice end of year bonus AND advancing her pay for a month (per her request) to help her pay for Christmas expenses for her family. Even a forum full of nannies couldn't object to her treatment in our house, in particular how we treated her during the holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really simple. If you don't pay her, she will find another job. Just like if you didn't pay the daycare, they would fill your spot.

I was a nanny in Chicago for 15 years, ran an agency there for 5 years, and have had a nanny for my own kids for 6 years. It is absolutely standard and expected to offer guaranteed hours.

I mentioned in the original post that she does not have guaranteed hours. She wanted it initially but we gave her higher pay instead. Her last 2 families (combined she worked there for 12 years) did not give her guaranteed hours. I'm not sure it's "standard and expected" to have guaranteed hours, but it of course should be honored if it's in the contract. Of the (4) neighbors and classmates that also have nannies none of them offer guaranteed hours. Maybe it's regional - this is an affluent suburb of Chicago.

Based on the feedback here I'm convinced we need to pay her to keep her, which is what we'll do. Thanks everyone for the tips.

The name of this website is "DC Urban Moms and Dads." If you don't like the answers that people in DC are giving you, maybe find a board geared towards Chicago? In DC it is the norm to pay your full or half-time nanny if you go on vacation, whether or not you discussed 'guaranteed hours" ahead of time. It is not standard to pay an occasional babysitter for the same thing.

There’s literally a subforum section here for Chicago….

Then that would be a great place for OP to post this question!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really simple. If you don't pay her, she will find another job. Just like if you didn't pay the daycare, they would fill your spot.

I was a nanny in Chicago for 15 years, ran an agency there for 5 years, and have had a nanny for my own kids for 6 years. It is absolutely standard and expected to offer guaranteed hours.

I mentioned in the original post that she does not have guaranteed hours. She wanted it initially but we gave her higher pay instead. Her last 2 families (combined she worked there for 12 years) did not give her guaranteed hours. I'm not sure it's "standard and expected" to have guaranteed hours, but it of course should be honored if it's in the contract. Of the (4) neighbors and classmates that also have nannies none of them offer guaranteed hours. Maybe it's regional - this is an affluent suburb of Chicago.

Based on the feedback here I'm convinced we need to pay her to keep her, which is what we'll do. Thanks everyone for the tips.

The name of this website is "DC Urban Moms and Dads." If you don't like the answers that people in DC are giving you, maybe find a board geared towards Chicago? In DC it is the norm to pay your full or half-time nanny if you go on vacation, whether or not you discussed 'guaranteed hours" ahead of time. It is not standard to pay an occasional babysitter for the same thing.

There’s literally a subforum section here for Chicago….

Can’t help but notice the OP never clarified about why nanny was needing money for the holidays, can only assume this means this nanny wasn’t paid during the holidays…wow…

Given that you want to keep her, I don't think you can expect her to take her vacation days simply because you are taking yours.

I say give her some projects, knowing it won't be a full 40 hours, but pay her for the 40 hours.

How do you think any employee would feel about a forced vacation? And this is your most important employee, she takes care of your child.

I want vacation

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really simple. If you don't pay her, she will find another job. Just like if you didn't pay the daycare, they would fill your spot.

I was a nanny in Chicago for 15 years, ran an agency there for 5 years, and have had a nanny for my own kids for 6 years. It is absolutely standard and expected to offer guaranteed hours.

I mentioned in the original post that she does not have guaranteed hours. She wanted it initially but we gave her higher pay instead. Her last 2 families (combined she worked there for 12 years) did not give her guaranteed hours. I'm not sure it's "standard and expected" to have guaranteed hours, but it of course should be honored if it's in the contract. Of the (4) neighbors and classmates that also have nannies none of them offer guaranteed hours. Maybe it's regional - this is an affluent suburb of Chicago.

Based on the feedback here I'm convinced we need to pay her to keep her, which is what we'll do. Thanks everyone for the tips.

The name of this website is "DC Urban Moms and Dads." If you don't like the answers that people in DC are giving you, maybe find a board geared towards Chicago? In DC it is the norm to pay your full or half-time nanny if you go on vacation, whether or not you discussed 'guaranteed hours" ahead of time. It is not standard to pay an occasional babysitter for the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I can budget for a family vacay I can also budget to pay bills, mortgage and the staff!! This shouldn't even be a question, you ought to pay her or else she'd quit. I'm blown away that in Chicago it's consider above average $25 hourly, this was the rate of our nanny 7 years ago.

Most people in chicago pay under the table so I'm guessing this is $25 cash. The going gross rate in Chicago is around $28-32hr.

I feel like there must be nannies on this forum pushing their agenda or something. Between all of the local families that I know with nannies none of them pay as much as us (above the table, as mentioned in my OP) and a few significantly less. We opted to give out nanny more benefits than is legally required because we really like her and want to keep her.

The Nanny Agenda. That would be a great book title.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I can budget for a family vacay I can also budget to pay bills, mortgage and the staff!! This shouldn't even be a question, you ought to pay her or else she'd quit. I'm blown away that in Chicago it's consider above average $25 hourly, this was the rate of our nanny 7 years ago.

Most people in chicago pay under the table so I'm guessing this is $25 cash. The going gross rate in Chicago is around $28-32hr.

I feel like there must be nannies on this forum pushing their agenda or something. Between all of the local families that I know with nannies none of them pay as much as us (above the table, as mentioned in my OP) and a few significantly less. We opted to give out nanny more benefits than is legally required because we really like her and want to keep her.

Anonymous wrote:It's really simple. If you don't pay her, she will find another job. Just like if you didn't pay the daycare, they would fill your spot.

I was a nanny in Chicago for 15 years, ran an agency there for 5 years, and have had a nanny for my own kids for 6 years. It is absolutely standard and expected to offer guaranteed hours.

I mentioned in the original post that she does not have guaranteed hours. She wanted it initially but we gave her higher pay instead. Her last 2 families (combined she worked there for 12 years) did not give her guaranteed hours. I'm not sure it's "standard and expected" to have guaranteed hours, but it of course should be honored if it's in the contract. Of the (4) neighbors and classmates that also have nannies none of them offer guaranteed hours. Maybe it's regional - this is an affluent suburb of Chicago.

Based on the feedback here I'm convinced we need to pay her to keep her, which is what we'll do. Thanks everyone for the tips.

Anonymous wrote:If I can budget for a family vacay I can also budget to pay bills, mortgage and the staff!! This shouldn't even be a question, you ought to pay her or else she'd quit. I'm blown away that in Chicago it's consider above average $25 hourly, this was the rate of our nanny 7 years ago.

Most people in chicago pay under the table so I'm guessing this is $25 cash. The going gross rate in Chicago is around $28-32hr.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is it is common to specify that one week of paid vacation is to be used during a week of the family’s choosing and one is to be used during a week of the nanny’s choosing.

That’s how friends have done it. I would think you’d still have to pay her if you go on additional weeks of vacation but at least it covers one.

This was common about 10+ years ago, but not since. It's unsustainable for someone to only get 5 vacation days per year.

It's only 5 days of "free choice" vacation days. There's also the typical holidays, plus the family's own vacations. That is plenty in most cases.

OK so for example if one single thing comes up in the year and the nanny has to take a day of PTO for a funeral, car repair, jury duty, medical or dental procedure, home repair, sick child or pet, bank/dmv/other appt that's typically during business hours etc then they cannot have a vacation week that year.