nanny calls in sick during non-major holidays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: That is awful. Yes, red flag, two strikes and one to go. Part of being a nanny is RELIABLE CHILDCARE.

This is a communication problem on her part - telling your boss at the last minute (i.e. when you are supposed to show up) that you are "sick" is poor form, disrespectful and disruptive.
If she feels strongly about taking federal or school days off, off she has to notify you weeks in advance so you can get backup. Not uses a sick day. And if she has no sick days and needs to be home, it will have to be unpaid.

Tell her you are disappointed and refer her to her contract of Holidays off. And reiterate that sick days are for being sick, not deciding to stay home. Regardless of what you or your husband do with your time - have to be in office, work from home, are taking a sick day yourself or have off. Then say you expect this not to continue happening and let's move on for next week.

I guess I should also say that both times she's said she's sick and has given me detail about what's wrong so I don't know for sure it's just because she doesn't want to come in, but the timing is awfully suspicious. On Monday she said she had a cold and didn't want to get our baby sick. This morning she said she threw up. So of course I'll never know if it's true and if it is then of course I'm happy that she's not around my son (though she did seem OK during the rest of the week even if she said she wasn't feeling 100% better). But if she is lying, then the whole convoluted story of what's wrong is then even worse.

I guess we'll never know and will just keep an eye on things. Like I said, President's Day will be the next big test. After that, we may need to make some tough decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mlk is a federal holiday

so what. lots of companies and organization work on all the minor federal holidays or generous school holidays.

national holidays are July 4th, Xmas day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.

I don't even know what the silly federal holidays are since the last 5 companies I've worked for over 18 years have not had those off. Growing up in Chicago I didn't have those off from public school either. Must be a liberal east coast teacher's union thing, plus all those professional days off.

can't imagine if my nanny disrespected my schedule and didn't show up, got caught and then turned around an pretended to be sick. Unprofessional.

To be fair OP and husband have the day off. They choose to be lazy ass parents and not want to deal wth their kid. I wouldn't be surprised if there's other issues going on and nanny is already looking for another position.

Hahahaha. OP here. I told myself not to bite, but I'll respond to this and then will hopefully have enough self control to even acknowledge any other comments like this. But I would like to say that we have zero family in the area and pay within what seems to be the norm for childcare. We are paying for the services that we need. I'm not saying we do anything above and beyond what many parents do on this board. However, I don't think that working full-time jobs, caring for our child, and expecting that our paid nanny works on days we decided on ahead of time is asking too much or anything beyond what should be expected. Furthermore, I don't think that wanting childcare on days we have off so we can go to doctors' appointments, run errands, or heaven forbid just take a moment to breathe all of a sudden makes me a "lazy ass parent."

[Anonymous]

Long time nanny here. I agree that this is a MAJOR red flag, again, because she has taken TWO days off in less than three weeks of working with you! I also think that she isn't being 100% honest with you about her reasons for needing/wanting the time off. This is a VERY bad way to start your professional relationship with her and TBH I'd be looking for her replacement RIGHT NOW.

Also, FWIW, for my first 10 years as a nanny I didn't get ANY holidays off with pay (I either worked them or took them unpaid); for the next 6 years I had only the major holidays off with pay (memorial day, July 4, labor day, thanksgiving, Christmas day, new years day). My current nanny family of 2 years is the first family to give me all federal holidays off with pay; and this was after 16 years as a full time nanny! Also, almost all of my previous nanny families did have me work the "lesser" holidays (like MLK day, presidents day, etc

[Anonymous]

Hit submit too soon. Anyway was just saying that almost all of my previous nanny families had me work on the lesser holidays EVEN WHEN THEY WERE BOTH OFF WORK. And it was fine; like you they almost always had things going on (appointments, lunch dates, etc) so they weren't home/in the way. Frequently on those days they let me come in a little late or leave a little early, but not always.

[Anonymous]

Could she be pregnant? I've heard of nannies taking excessive sick days for OB appointments. Could also explain why she isn't afraid of using up her sick days--she is planning to quit before baby comes.

[Anonymous]

She has only been employed by you for such a short time, yet she already has shown you that she is very unreliable.

Reliability is a high priority when working as a Nanny & she has already proven to you that she is not prioritizing her job very much.

Things will only go downhill from now, I can promise you.

Let her go (most families would!) + seek someone who by all means will take her job responsibilities much more seriously.

[Anonymous]

FYI plenty of nannies don't jerk you around and call in sick for pleasure days, so if you are tired of it find a new nanny. It's only on your if you choose to continue subjecting yourself to such an employee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:YES! It is a red flag!! I am a nanny and I am shocked by this! It is January 20th and she started on January 3rd?! Two separate sick days out of 14 or 15 working days?!!!

Start looking for her replacement NOW.

This is the bigger issue. Is it possible that she just hasn't figured out alternative care for her daughter yet? It's possible she didn't expect to be employed so quickly. Not your problem, but maybe won't be a problem going forward.

FWIW, I offered to let my nanny with school-aged children bring them on occasion if necessary. It happened less than a handful of times over 2 years, and the kids enjoyed each other.

Yes, we told her it was OK to bring her daughter when she first started. And her husband works early (like 5-1) so even if she wanted to take a half day we'd be OK with that too. The inconvenience is one thing that we can deal with (for example, I had specifically made a dentist appointment today for the same time my husband had made a haircut appointment thinking we'd have childcare; annoying, but not the end of the world because he just shifted his appointment to later). But more importantly, it's making me doubt her honesty, which is never a good feeling. Kind of hoping I was just over-reacting.

Funny, one of the three main reasons we have a nanny and not daycare is for convenience. Reasons to employ a nanny:
1) Childcare and child's development, 2) Allows us to do our jobs/careers, 3) More convenient than day care (kid's sick days, less hectic AMs, less flexible drop offs/pickups, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Major red flag. In all my years as a nanny now on year 16 I've only called in sick twice. Once for strep and once because I was having emergency surgery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mlk is a federal holiday

so what. lots of companies and organization work on all the minor federal holidays or generous school holidays.

national holidays are July 4th, Xmas day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.

I don't even know what the silly federal holidays are since the last 5 companies I've worked for over 18 years have not had those off. Growing up in Chicago I didn't have those off from public school either. Must be a liberal east coast teacher's union thing, plus all those professional days off.

can't imagine if my nanny disrespected my schedule and didn't show up, got caught and then turned around an pretended to be sick. Unprofessional.

To be fair OP and husband have the day off. They choose to be lazy ass parents and not want to deal wth their kid. I wouldn't be surprised if there's other issues going on and nanny is already looking for another position.

Hahahaha. OP here. I told myself not to bite, but I'll respond to this and then will hopefully have enough self control to even acknowledge any other comments like this. But I would like to say that we have zero family in the area and pay within what seems to be the norm for childcare. We are paying for the services that we need. I'm not saying we do anything above and beyond what many parents do on this board. However, I don't think that working full-time jobs, caring for our child, and expecting that our paid nanny works on days we decided on ahead of time is asking too much or anything beyond what should be expected. Furthermore, I don't think that wanting childcare on days we have off so we can go to doctors' appointments, run errands, or heaven forbid just take a moment to breathe all of a sudden makes me a "lazy ass parent."

I'm an MB too and would have responded to PP's comment against better judgment, LOL. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having your nanny come in when you are not going to work. DH and I do the same and we both get to leave the house (as opposed to just one of us) when DD takes her two naps and get errands done or go to the gym. We will take DD out as well while nanny does baby-related cleaning or laundry. It's not like nanny is sitting around twiddling her thumbs and in any case, she is getting paid for that day. Some nannies on this forum are (surprise, surprise) so entitled.

[Anonymous]

Too bad you ladies answered the troll.

[Anonymous]

Calling in sick is calling in sick, regardless of the day. Too many sick days in a short time period (different occasions, not several days with one issue and a doctor's note) and you just have to know that she's unreliable and move on.

[Anonymous]

Why do you need her on days you can spend with your son?

[Anonymous]

Poster above, I didn't see you already answered that question. I was just curious. But I would just have another conversation about her about expectations and reliability. If she agreed to work on non major holidays, then she should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you need her on days you can spend with your son?

Yeah, instead of doing errands and getting stuff done, why don't you give your full time nanny a bonus paid day off and pay for a sitter!
You should never ever have a nanny work on a day you are paid to have off. The audacity! Those should all be additional paid time off for you nanny. She knows you'll get as much stuff done inside and outside the house with your children in tote than without.