Should I pay sitter for this?

[Anonymous]

We have a student come over everyday to watch our 6 yr old dd after school 4 days a week. We went out of town at random for the past 1.5 weeks and we told her 4 days beforehand. I assumed She was okay and happy to have a break for after school time. So now I'm starting to wonder if maybe we should give her some type of payment since she is a great sitter. Should we? she comes back tomorow after noon. If we should compensate, how much should it be? We live in NE dc if it matters at all?

[Anonymous]

I don't think you need to- but it certainly sweetens the deal to give her paid vacation. She won't be looking elsewhere for work if she knows that you will look after her.

[Anonymous]

1.5 weeks of lost income is a lot for someone working through school. It would be nice to pay her for a week if not all of it. Good afternoon sitters that you like and trust are hard to find and the money would mean a lot to her!

[Anonymous]

I don't think she is expecting anything and i worry about setting a precedent. How about a gift instead.

[Anonymous]

a nice giftcard or gift would be nice.

[Anonymous]

Now many hours does she work for you? Seems cheap to not pay he at all. Bte, if she comes every day she's your PT nanny. A 'sitter' comes on Sat nights. Calling her a sitter might make you feel better about not paying her, I guess...

[Anonymous]

i have an AU student who nannies for me and I have never paid her when we've been away (she's been with us 15 hours per week) - I asked her at the outset how her babysitting jobs had been like (she had nannied for 2 summers) and she looked shocked at the thought of getting paid sick time - she also has an on-campus work-study job and said that they don't pay her for sick days or days they aren't open, so why would I?

[Anonymous]

I agree with other that it can be hard to find a good afternoonn nanny or sitter. Since it was short notice that you wouldn't be needing her it would be nice of you to pay her some or all of what you would have. The amount is up to you, because its a personal decision. To those telling you to gift her, have you ever been in school with low funds? If she wants a gift she can buy it with the money you give her.
You are a very generous employer for thinking of her!

[Anonymous]

This is the reason I ask for guaranteed hours. I can't afford to lose 1.5 weeks of my pay because you decide to go out of town. I would say at least pay her for 3 days (since she works 4 days a week, that was about 6 days lost right?). That way she will have some money and she will feel that you do right by her and she will be more loyal to you as well.

[Anonymous]

No way. This is not a salaried employee. Unless she is threatening to leave, don't do it.

[Anonymous]

To 19:26- she won't threaten to leave, she will look for a new job and then just leave.

[Anonymous]

No need to pay her. She is an occasional sitter, not a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No need to pay her. She is an occasional sitter, not a nanny.

She is not an occasional sitter if she works 4 days a week!

[Anonymous]

What is she paid weekly? I think if you are worried about it then you should give her maybe 50% of what you would pay her weekly. Or even a gift card to Walmart would help a student out also. This is a nanny and not a sitter.

[Anonymous]

I don't feel four days notice is enough time for her to make any alternative arrangements to make money. Her being a student is no excuse, I had rent and bills and worked when I was one.