grad school nanny curious about PTO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First of all, it is entirely possible that the MB will want you to work as usual even though she is not working at her job. Especially with your two day per week schedule, she may need some kid-free time to take care of personal business, errands, or house projects.

Beyond that, this is something that must be negotiated when you negotiate your hourly rate. Otherwise, assume that no work = no pay.

It is absolutely reasonable to want steady weekly pay, but the family may want to lower your hourly rate to offset the cost to them of providing that perk. That is reasonable too, because most families have an annual budget that must cover all their childcare needs. Also, keep in mind that very few two day a week jobs provide PTO or guaranteed hours.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
If you worked two days a week for me I would probably not give you benefits. Maybe this simply isn't a good fit for you, OP.

OP isn't asking for benefits. She is asking for steady income which is completely reasonable and she should definitely try to negotiate it, especially since your MB is a professor and will have some very long breaks. You should also ask for paid holidays that fall on your usual work days. If you haven't negotiated pay yet, go in higher than you need. When she balks, lower your rate to something reasonable but ask for guaranteed hoursor some kind of MUTUAL swapping arrangement (ie. she doesn't need you, you make up hours, or you get sick and can make up hours) and holidays that fall during your work days.

First, this is asking for benefits. Second, please do the math before agreeing to swap guaranteed hours for 4 weeks of not working with a lower rate. Look at the formula below. You make more with A which is the no pay for 4 weeks but $1 higher rate.

A. 16 hours X $12 =$192 per week, $192 X 48 weeks = $9,216
B. 16 hours X $11 =$176 per week, $192 X 52 weeks = $9,152

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would ask for guaranteed hours every week, i.e. same pay 52 weeks/year. I would also ask for a week paid vacation and a week of sick/personal (you may have to see a Dr. and can only do it on a work day) days only to be used if seriously needed. You may have to explain that this is your livelihood and that you need dependable income. If you are committing to her family for a year, she needs to commit to pay for that year.

[Anonymous]

I would be looking for another family during this negotiating period!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If you worked two days a week for me I would probably not give you benefits. Maybe this simply isn't a good fit for you, OP.

OP isn't asking for benefits. She is asking for steady income which is completely reasonable and she should definitely try to negotiate it, especially since your MB is a professor and will have some very long breaks. You should also ask for paid holidays that fall on your usual work days. If you haven't negotiated pay yet, go in higher than you need. When she balks, lower your rate to something reasonable but ask for guaranteed hoursor some kind of MUTUAL swapping arrangement (ie. she doesn't need you, you make up hours, or you get sick and can make up hours) and holidays that fall during your work days.

First, this is asking for benefits. Second, please do the math before agreeing to swap guaranteed hours for 4 weeks of not working with a lower rate. Look at the formula below. You make more with A which is the no pay for 4 weeks but $1 higher rate.

A. 16 hours X $12 =$192 per week, $192 X 48 weeks = $9,216
B. 16 hours X $11 =$176 per week, $192 X 52 weeks = $9,152

Yes you make more in the end, but its a lot easier to budget (especially for a busy, broke grad student) if you can count on a regular paycheck.

[Anonymous]

Yes you make more in the end, but its a lot easier to budget (especially for a busy, broke grad student) if you can count on a regular paycheck.

I would buy this if the time without pay occurred in the beginning of the job year and you didn't have savings. If its in the middle or toward the end, then you're just stupid. Part of being an adult is learning how to negotiate a good financial deal, budget, and plan ahead. You should take the job that pays more not the one that lets you not plan and just go pay check to pay check. If you are that poor then you need the extra money. You're also forgetting that time can be turned into money. If you define when those four weeks occur, you can line up temp jobs which can pay pretty well and come out even more ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes you make more in the end, but its a lot easier to budget (especially for a busy, broke grad student) if you can count on a regular paycheck.

I would buy this if the time without pay occurred in the beginning of the job year and you didn't have savings. If its in the middle or toward the end, then you're just stupid. Part of being an adult is learning how to negotiate a good financial deal, budget, and plan ahead. You should take the job that pays more not the one that lets you not plan and just go pay check to pay check. If you are that poor then you need the extra money. You're also forgetting that time can be turned into money. If you define when those four weeks occur, you can line up temp jobs which can pay pretty well and come out even more ahead.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes you make more in the end, but its a lot easier to budget (especially for a busy, broke grad student) if you can count on a regular paycheck.

I would buy this if the time without pay occurred in the beginning of the job year and you didn't have savings. If its in the middle or toward the end, then you're just stupid. Part of being an adult is learning how to negotiate a good financial deal, budget, and plan ahead. You should take the job that pays more not the one that lets you not plan and just go pay check to pay check. If you are that poor then you need the extra money. You're also forgetting that time can be turned into money. If you define when those four weeks occur, you can line up temp jobs which can pay pretty well and come out even more ahead.

I don't think it's necessary to call anyone stupid but the last point is very valid. A lot of pickup work is available around the holidays in retail work alone. Backup nanny agencies can also be a great source of extra hours - especially when you have a dedicated chunk of time to offer.

OP isn't in the strongest negotiating position when taking a 2 day a week job so she may not be able to get maximum "perks" for this kind of part-time work.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't bother negotiating PTO for a 2 day/week position. I've worked those kinds of jobs before all throughout undergrad and never received those kinds of benefits, it's a lot to ask for especially considering equal entry-level jobs in retail or customer service do not offer PTO. you need to find work that offers you steady hours and what you need. What about RA or TA positions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't bother negotiating PTO for a 2 day/week position. I've worked those kinds of jobs before all throughout undergrad and never received those kinds of benefits, it's a lot to ask for especially considering equal entry-level jobs in retail or customer service do not offer PTO. you need to find work that offers you steady hours and what you need. What about RA or TA positions?

I'm the college nanny who posted at 18:19 who always negotiates for this. I negotiate it as a distinct difference bt PTO and guaranteed hours. Any time I choose to take off is unpaid, but if they decide they don't need me I'm still paid. Like others have said I try and also be flexible with make up hours on date nights and other changes to the schedule (though this is only within the week, they can't bank up hours to use them months later). I've also never needed to negotiate a lower rate because of this (though I also don't subscribe to the nonsense that a pt job should earn a higher rate like many here seem to believe)

[Anonymous]

We both work in schools and will be paying our nanny her full salary even though she'll be off. It's also a part time position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't bother negotiating PTO for a 2 day/week position. I've worked those kinds of jobs before all throughout undergrad and never received those kinds of benefits, it's a lot to ask for especially considering equal entry-level jobs in retail or customer service do not offer PTO. you need to find work that offers you steady hours and what you need. What about RA or TA positions?

I'm the college nanny who posted at 18:19 who always negotiates for this. I negotiate it as a distinct difference bt PTO and guaranteed hours. Any time I choose to take off is unpaid, but if they decide they don't need me I'm still paid. Like others have said I try and also be flexible with make up hours on date nights and other changes to the schedule (though this is only within the week, they can't bank up hours to use them months later). I've also never needed to negotiate a lower rate because of this (though I also don't subscribe to the nonsense that a pt job should earn a higher rate like many here seem to believe)

I'm 00:39 and this is what I do as well. I have never gone with a lower rate, I make at least $20/hr in fact. If I take the time off, I expect it to be unpaid, but have always appreciated it when the parents let me make up the hours so I can still be paid my regular weekly amount. I personally don't put a limit on when they can use the hours if they are a good family. Like one of them, I would sometimes do a make up night a month later, but that's because they would give me paid days off to not make up, give me paid days off when stuff happened like a kid getting lice (so I wouldn't be exposed anymore than needed), and they would use some hours one night and a few extra that they would pay me for (so I did earn some money that evening as well). When we got to the end of the school year and I still "owed" them about 8 hours for 2 days I got off paid by my choice, they said it was fine and that became like a summer bonus. I don't mind being flexible for a decent family like that. They don't go out on weekends much (without kids) so I wouldn't expect them to schedule something for the same week that I got a paid day off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go into the position looking for guaranteed hours since its part time and financially you cannot afford to not work. I don't think MB should have an issue with paying you for a few days here and there if she really loves you and wants you to work for them.

Whoa, Love? OP is a potential employee and i'm sure MB doesn't 'love' her. Most would be happy with PTO, even part timers but lets face it, it's not standard and shouldn't be expected but instead, OP should ask and see if it's a possibility and if not then she still has the option of finding someone else who will agree to PTO.