Notice for terminating a nanny

[Anonymous]

2 weeks is too short for the situation you describe, OP. You may want to consider offering a bonus for good work throughout the last 4 weeks though. This way she has an incentive to stay on her toes but she also gets the advance notice.

I agree with this. Give her a bonus that is contingent on her completing the four week notice period.

[Anonymous]

If you do a bonus, make sure it's worth it because if she puts off another job to stay for you to the end, and then you give her $200 or something, then that's not worth it. If you expect her to stay until YOU are ready to dump her, then make it worthwhile, and make sure she knows what she's staying for, otherwise she'll (rightfully) take off when she gets a good offer.

[Anonymous]

You are a real peach, OP. What goes around, comes around and karma is a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

2 weeks is too short for the situation you describe, OP. You may want to consider offering a bonus for good work throughout the last 4 weeks though. This way she has an incentive to stay on her toes but she also gets the advance notice.

I agree with this. Give her a bonus that is contingent on her completing the four week notice period.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Disagree that you should tell her the amount of the bonus. She should finish out her term with you and tell people she is available once it is done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disagree that you should tell her the amount of the bonus. She should finish out her term with you and tell people she is available once it is done.

No, I'd say it's a more delicate issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disagree that you should tell her the amount of the bonus. She should finish out her term with you and tell people she is available once it is done.

Why keep the bonus amount a secret? That's not an incentive to stay. I wouldn't turn down an offer for something I don't know is worth it. Kind of defeats the point.

[Anonymous]

"I wouldn't turn down an offer for something I don't know is worth it. Kind of defeats the point. "

here's the thing - employers are not going to be motivated to give you extra notice if you turn around and simply take the first job you can get in that window even if it leaves them high and dry. The more nannies do this, the more employers will give them minimal notice periods to avoid being left without childcare. If you want the courtesy of considerable advance notice, you need to do your part too and stay out the job - or at least discuss with MB if a position is available but would start before you're done with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I wouldn't turn down an offer for something I don't know is worth it. Kind of defeats the point. "

here's the thing - employers are not going to be motivated to give you extra notice if you turn around and simply take the first job you can get in that window even if it leaves them high and dry. The more nannies do this, the more employers will give them minimal notice periods to avoid being left without childcare. If you want the courtesy of considerable advance notice, you need to do your part too and stay out the job - or at least discuss with MB if a position is available but would start before you're done with her.

Yeah I understand what you're saying but look also at the cost vs benefits of both sides. Obviously it'd be best for the nanny to look for jobs that start when her current job is up. But the cost of passing up a possible job offer that starts a week early when she may not get any other offers for the exact right time period is huge. The cost for the parent is that they run the risk of, what, having to stay home with their kids for a week or 2, or find alternate childcare arrangements or otherwise figure it out? Definitely not the same as losing your livelihood and passing up an offer for a job that works for you simply because your current family doesn't want to have to deal with that "inconvenience."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I wouldn't turn down an offer for something I don't know is worth it. Kind of defeats the point. "

here's the thing - employers are not going to be motivated to give you extra notice if you turn around and simply take the first job you can get in that window even if it leaves them high and dry. The more nannies do this, the more employers will give them minimal notice periods to avoid being left without childcare. If you want the courtesy of considerable advance notice, you need to do your part too and stay out the job - or at least discuss with MB if a position is available but would start before you're done with her.

Yeah I understand what you're saying but look also at the cost vs benefits of both sides. Obviously it'd be best for the nanny to look for jobs that start when her current job is up. But the cost of passing up a possible job offer that starts a week early when she may not get any other offers for the exact right time period is huge. The cost for the parent is that they run the risk of, what, having to stay home with their kids for a week or 2, or find alternate childcare arrangements or otherwise figure it out? Definitely not the same as losing your livelihood and passing up an offer for a job that works for you simply because your current family doesn't want to have to deal with that "inconvenience."

+1 In this economy I would not readily turn down a job offer for no other reason than its inconvenient for the family letting me go. I'd try my best to line up the end of one job with the beginning of another but that's easier said than done. If I turn down an offer for a promised bonus, that bonus would need to be enough to extend my income at least another week beyond my last paycheck. If you promised a bonus but didn't say how much I'd assume its minimal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I wouldn't turn down an offer for something I don't know is worth it. Kind of defeats the point. "

here's the thing - employers are not going to be motivated to give you extra notice if you turn around and simply take the first job you can get in that window even if it leaves them high and dry. The more nannies do this, the more employers will give them minimal notice periods to avoid being left without childcare. If you want the courtesy of considerable advance notice, you need to do your part too and stay out the job - or at least discuss with MB if a position is available but would start before you're done with her.

Yeah I understand what you're saying but look also at the cost vs benefits of both sides. Obviously it'd be best for the nanny to look for jobs that start when her current job is up. But the cost of passing up a possible job offer that starts a week early when she may not get any other offers for the exact right time period is huge. The cost for the parent is that they run the risk of, what, having to stay home with their kids for a week or 2, or find alternate childcare arrangements or otherwise figure it out? Definitely not the same as losing your livelihood and passing up an offer for a job that works for you simply because your current family doesn't want to have to deal with that "inconvenience."

+1 In this economy I would not readily turn down a job offer for no other reason than its inconvenient for the family letting me go. I'd try my best to line up the end of one job with the beginning of another but that's easier said than done. If I turn down an offer for a promised bonus, that bonus would need to be enough to extend my income at least another week beyond my last paycheck. If you promised a bonus but didn't say how much I'd assume its minimal.

+2

[Anonymous]

I also understand the points you are making PPs but you realize this then suggests MBs should try to avoid giving extensive notice since otherwise they will be left without care. If they give you the courtesy of ample time, you owe it to them to do your best to line up with the ending time including trying to negotiate with the new family or split the difference with the new one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also understand the points you are making PPs but you realize this then suggests MBs should try to avoid giving extensive notice since otherwise they will be left without care. If they give you the courtesy of ample time, you owe it to them to do your best to line up with the ending time including trying to negotiate with the new family or split the difference with the new one.

I would do my best, but if offered a good job with a slightly earlier start than is convenient for you, I'd hope that my MB is respectful enough of me and my needs that she wouldn't ask me to turn it down (and risk unemployment after her job ends) unless she was prepared to significantly soften that blow. When I give notice to a family I usually go with 3-4 weeks and recognize that they may find someone earlier than I'd like. I'm the one "letting them go" and it'd be awfully selfish to expect them to risk losing a nanny they'd love because its not perfect timing for me. That's just a recognized risk of giving notice, but giving ample notice is the right thing to do. If doing the right thing doesn't matter to you, the I guess that means don't give much notice if you can't stomach thinking about someone else before yourself.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks to everyone, this is really helpful. We will give her 6 weeks notice. As for a bonus, she's had 7 weeks paid vacation since August, so I feel like we've already done my part with extra money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--thanks to everyone, this is really helpful. We will give her 6 weeks notice. As for a bonus, she's had 7 weeks paid vacation since August, so I feel like we've already done my part with extra money.

You have, OP, and this is a very respectful amount of notice.