Nanny/household manager & employer vacation

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny here and I actually think it's a very reasonable request. You were not asking her to do anything that was outside her normal duties. There are a lot of employers who ask the nanny to come in every day while they are on vacation, so only asking for 1 day is nice. I actually look forward to days that where I can really catch up on things without having the kids around as I feel really productive and able to finish tasks that might be harder to do when I only have smaller chunks of time.

Remember that there are a lot of bitter nannies here that post and even pose as MB/DB. I would never take answers on DCUM as the "norm" of the industry.

[Anonymous]

Surgical nurse wouldn't get paid when the OR is closed unless she takes her pain vacation,

[Anonymous]

Paid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surgical nurse wouldn't get paid when the OR is closed unless she takes her pain vacation,

Yes, of course we are paid when there are no surgeries!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surgical nurse wouldn't get paid when the OR is closed unless she takes her pain vacation,

Yes, of course we are paid when there are no surgeries!

Sorry, I've worked in over a dozen hospitals over 20 years and direct care nurses are hourly workers. If they don't come into work, they don't get paid unless the use PTO. It's hardly a model nannies want to start emulating. Nurses get called off when work is low, with no pay. They have to be on call at home for minimal if no pay.

I think your nanny is being ridiculous. You don't mention her total hours per week, but, at 15 hours, somewhere between a 1/4 and a 1/3 (or more) of her job does not involve direct child care. This is the job she has agreed to do. Most nannies don't get extra vacation when there bosses leave town just for the heck of it. They get it because there is nothing for them to do, and they have guaranteed hours. Your nanny is still able to do a large portion of her job. You are still giving her an extra 4.5 days of vacation, and she is complaining about not getting the additional 0.5 day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surgical nurse wouldn't get paid when the OR is closed unless she takes her pain vacation,

Yes, of course we are paid when there are no surgeries!

Sorry, I've worked in over a dozen hospitals over 20 years and direct care nurses are hourly workers. If they don't come into work, they don't get paid unless the use PTO. It's hardly a model nannies want to start emulating. Nurses get called off when work is low, with no pay. They have to be on call at home for minimal if no pay.

I think your nanny is being ridiculous. You don't mention her total hours per week, but, at 15 hours, somewhere between a 1/4 and a 1/3 (or more) of her job does not involve direct child care. This is the job she has agreed to do. Most nannies don't get extra vacation when there bosses leave town just for the heck of it. They get it because there is nothing for them to do, and they have guaranteed hours. Your nanny is still able to do a large portion of her job. You are still giving her an extra 4.5 days of vacation, and she is complaining about not getting the additional 0.5 day!

I am the OR nurse and this has never been my experience. What hospitals are you referring to?

[Anonymous]

Nanny works 35 hours a week, so non-childcare responsibilities (without any kids present) constitute well over 40 percent of her formal job.

Surgical nurse might call this over 40 percent "extra chores."

Chores, I think, are when a regular nanny helps empty the dishwasher during a kid's nap.

My question is specific to nanny/houseHold managers. The household stuff not be as desirable, but it is a core part of the job.

(FYI we also employ A weekly housekeeper, who does the heavy cleaning.)

[Anonymous]

Another long time career nanny who thinks this request is totally reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would not specifically request that of our nanny.

That said, she usually comes in for a half a day to do larger (child specific) projects she doesn't have time to do, like organize laundry, or clean and organize DD's toys when we travel. She usually asks me if that's ok with me and often sticks around to play with our pets and get a break from her roommate. I always leave her some extra money or a gift card for a take out meal so she can stay around and take advantage of our empty house and cable if she wants.

If she chooses not to come around while we're gone, I never mention it and still gift her something because she is always thoughtful and proactive and I appreciate her for even considering coming in to do the larger projects that are difficult to do with DD around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would not specifically request that of our nanny.

That said, she usually comes in for a half a day to do larger (child specific) projects she doesn't have time to do, like organize laundry, or clean and organize DD's toys when we travel. She usually asks me if that's ok with me and often sticks around to play with our pets and get a break from her roommate. I always leave her some extra money or a gift card for a take out meal so she can stay around and take advantage of our empty house and cable if she wants.

If she chooses not to come around while we're gone, I never mention it and still gift her something because she is always thoughtful and proactive and I appreciate her for even considering coming in to do the larger projects that are difficult to do with DD around.

Do you "personally" employ a nanny or a household manager? This question is specific to household managers. A core part of their job involves maintaining the household while the kids are NOT home.

[Anonymous]

I employ a nanny who has 8 hours for week of "kid free" time. She is usually not really working during that time, but I occasionally ask her to run kid related errands during that time. When we went on "extra vacation" (beyond the PTO in the contract), we asked her to run two kid related errands and she was fine with that... If you are an admin assistant, and the only things you do is to make copies and clean the break room, and all people who can ask you to make copies are in a week long off-site you still need to show up and clean the break room... Actually you still need to show up, period. Or take PTO. So it is consistent.

OP -- I think your request is reasonable. question: how far in advance of being asked to come in nanny knew you will be out? Is it possible that she made plans to be out of town or whatever before your request? And then she doesn't want you to know about the other plans (because theoretically you need to pay her only if she is available and ready to work).

[Anonymous]

I think this request is totally reasonable and your nanny is being too big for her britches. If managing the household is her job - like getting the mail, grocery shopping, stocking the fridge, or whatever else - it makes total sense that she would do it before you come back so that you are greeted with a clean house and a stocked fridge. These responsibilities do not require children at home. I think she is taking advantage.

[Anonymous]

Why can't she do the cleaning before you guys go on vacation in her 15 hours of kid free time? I've been asked by my former family to check mail and water plants while they were gone and it was a week that was my vacation. I did it because I was in town...I stopped by on a day when I was in their neighborhood so it wasn't too much out of my way. They always gave me advanced notice so I could plan out of town trips if I wanted. I didn't mind doing it but I might have been a bit peeved if I had to come in and clean etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't she do the cleaning before you guys go on vacation in her 15 hours of kid free time? I've been asked by my former family to check mail and water plants while they were gone and it was a week that was my vacation. I did it because I was in town...I stopped by on a day when I was in their neighborhood so it wasn't too much out of my way. They always gave me advanced notice so I could plan out of town trips if I wanted. I didn't mind doing it but I might have been a bit peeved if I had to come in and clean etc.

Your case was different because you were on vacation. You didn't have to do any of this. The OP's nanny/household manager won't be. It's totally reasonable to ask her to continue with her household management duties because households need to be managed even when they are empty of people. Cleaning, grocery shopping, mail-checking, pantry-stocking etc. It will still total to much less time than her usual work week so she should be appreciative of the extra time off instead of sulking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the PP that you should not have made that request. You have hired a nanny - not a housekeeper. The fact that she does a few household chores for the children while they are in school does not change the fact that she is a nanny and not a housekeeper. Her primary job is being a nanny. Why would she come in when the children weren't going to be there at all?

Here is an analogy: my account has always stamped and posted the return envelopes to the IRS for me. I pay him to do my tax return. What you did is the equivalent of asking my accountant to come into work just to stamp and post something for me.

The nanny is a part household manager and her duties formally include household management for a defined number of hours. Household management does not require children at home. Why shouldn't the OP have made the request?

Your comparison doesn't work because your accountant does not do anything other than your taxes. This employee's work includes 40% of household management duties.