Unpaid leave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I always provide back up care. I have another nanny friend with a flexible work schedule who can cover for me when needed. I also post ads for short term nannies. That way, when I ask for a vacation I already have someone in place for them

That doesn’t work for most families.

I agree. I plan to quit my job and found a short term sitter friend who can help out when I give 2 weeks. It’ll be on them if they take the back up care or not. All they would have to to is negotiate pay and do background check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I always provide back up care. I have another nanny friend with a flexible work schedule who can cover for me when needed. I also post ads for short term nannies. That way, when I ask for a vacation I already have someone in place for them

That doesn’t work for most families.

Well they should give 2 weeks of nannies choosing. I myself offer my friend who has her own babysitting business. If the families decline that's on them- I give enough notice for them to arrange a time to meet; and if its unpaid time off, they aren't losing any money (the money the would have used to pay me that day/week goes to the back up care).

That's not the point. People have nannies because they want consistent coverage, not so that the nannies can pick a fill in. Daycare offers consistency in that there's always someone int he room, but who knows how much consistency there is with any one person?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I always provide back up care. I have another nanny friend with a flexible work schedule who can cover for me when needed. I also post ads for short term nannies. That way, when I ask for a vacation I already have someone in place for them

That doesn’t work for most families.

Well they should give 2 weeks of nannies choosing. I myself offer my friend who has her own babysitting business. If the families decline that's on them- I give enough notice for them to arrange a time to meet; and if its unpaid time off, they aren't losing any money (the money the would have used to pay me that day/week goes to the back up care).

That's not the point. People have nannies because they want consistent coverage, not so that the nannies can pick a fill in. Daycare offers consistency in that there's always someone int he room, but who knows how much consistency there is with any one person?

OP here-- and this is exactly the postition we are in. Our nanny has offered a friend for back up care, but we aren't comfortable with that person, which leaves us scrambling for someone else (and often working from home so we can help with things if needed-- though often we can just stay out of the way). We've struggled with the quality of backup care through an agency, and more than anything, just miss the consistency of our nanny when she's gone.

I appreciate everyone who took the time to respond-- as one other poster noted, 3 weeks is more than DH and I get as well. Sounds like we need to have a tough conversation -- we are already planning our summer vacation for next year, so we can give her those dates with 10-11mo lead time and she can plan accordingly. We take a week around Christmas and a week in the summer-- so those plus the week of her own choosing means she already gets 3 weeks (plus holidays and other long weekends we take), which seems very fair. We just increased her rate recently (as we hit year 3), but worth asking her if she would prefer additional vacation in lieu of a raise next time.