Federal employees with nannies - what will you do with a furlough?

[Anonymous]

We're reluctant to take out the effects of the proposed furloughs on our hard-working nanny. But DH may be facing a paycut of more than 10% this year! If the cuts go through as proposed, he'll be out of work one day a week for up to 22 weeks. Obviously we wouldn't ask her to work on those days, but it seems so unfair that she'll have to pay the price, too. We don't know what to do!

What are others thinking?

[Anonymous]

I think it's not going to happen, but the talk of it certainly creates fear.

[Anonymous]

I'm facing this with my boss currently. They haven't told me their plans yet, but if they decide that those days will also be unpaid for me as well, I honestly will have to look for a new job. I truly hope it doesn't come to that.

[Anonymous]

Bump!

[Anonymous]

How much do you and your husband make compared to the nanny? She probably makes $40,000 and together you make mid-six figures and you have no qualms about reducing her salary by 1/5 a week! If you do this, I hope she finds another job and soon. You are beneath contempt and I am not a nanny.

[Anonymous]

My god. The OP is worrying about the effects of furloughs on her family and on the nanny and 16:12 calls her "beneath contempt"?!?!

You don't know what that family makes, you don't know their financial situation, all you know is that this person is concerned and looking for others dealing w/ similar worries.

That somehow equals scorn and vitriol from you. You're a charmer 16:12. A real peach of a gal.

[Anonymous]

I know several people who are going to keep their nanny on for five days for one month to see if the furloughs get lifted. They plan to have her work and use the time to get some things done. If it goes longer than a month and looks like it will continue throughout the full term then most people are looking at cutting back from 5 days to 4 days. Nannies will be much harder hit by what may happen to the contractors. Feds will be furloughed but there will be massive contractor lay offs not furlough. This often means sudden job loss for the nanny too. Feds and contractors don't make huge amounts of money so keeping expensive childcare while they don't need it isn't something they can swing.

If this drags on it will have a huge affect on many service industries and the housing market in this area which was starting to pick up. Its really naive for nannies to think that they will be immune. Its not going to be a good time to be job searching for anyone and many people are at risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much do you and your husband make compared to the nanny? She probably makes $40,000 and together you make mid-six figures and you have no qualms about reducing her salary by 1/5 a week! If you do this, I hope she finds another job and soon. You are beneath contempt and I am not a nanny.

Why so much hatred towards OP? I found her post very respectful. She sounds like an employer who cares about her nanny and realizes that the hardship of a furlough will affect her nanny as well. Just because OP and her husband have a higher HHI doesn't mean that they can absorb a more-than 10% paycut without having to take a look at their expenses. OP's question was a very reasonable one, and one that I'm betting quite a few families are wondering about at the moment.

Thank goodness you're not a nanny. Those of us who are don't need to be associated with the likes of you.

[Anonymous]

OP, why would you ask her not to work if you're still paying her? As long as you're going to keep paying her, I would use that time as productively as you can!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, why would you ask her not to work if you're still paying her? As long as you're going to keep paying her, I would use that time as productively as you can!

Exactly. You would have the opportunity to catch up on all those projects you can never get around to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know several people who are going to keep their nanny on for five days for one month to see if the furloughs get lifted. They plan to have her work and use the time to get some things done. If it goes longer than a month and looks like it will continue throughout the full term then most people are looking at cutting back from 5 days to 4 days. Nannies will be much harder hit by what may happen to the contractors. Feds will be furloughed but there will be massive contractor lay offs not furlough. This often means sudden job loss for the nanny too. Feds and contractors don't make huge amounts of money so keeping expensive childcare while they don't need it isn't something they can swing.

If this drags on it will have a huge affect on many service industries and the housing market in this area which was starting to pick up. Its really naive for nannies to think that they will be immune. Its not going to be a good time to be job searching for anyone and many people are at risk.

OP - we're both federal employees, so if we get furloughed the full time, it will mean a 20% paycut for us. Many of my neighbors who are contractors have been laid off, got notice of lay-offs, or have had people on their team cut. Even people who aren't necessarily government contractors will see a reduction in demand as everyone holds their breath to see what will happen.

I think this is a really difficult issue and I don't think it's unreasonably to be wnodering what to do. I honestly don't know what I would advocate for (that is, "furloughing" your nanny or just continueing to pay her/use her for five days even on your furlough day). But I also don't think it will be as easy for nannies as just "well if my employers cut my hours 1/5, I'll find a new job." I'd say most people in the DC area are going to be at least slightly affected by this. And hopefully, there are more reasons your work for your employers and they present this considerately and keeping in mind your own needs. Hopefully they've warned you in advance of their intentions and tried to make it up to you some other way and you can both ride this out together.

[Anonymous]

There may be other reasons I work for my employer but none of that matters if I can't continue to pay my bills while working for them. If my employers cut my pay I will not be able to stay. I won't tell them that of course, just quietly begin my job search. It may be difficult but if there are people working, there are people who need childcare. It may mean stringing together part time work.

[Anonymous]

There may be other reasons I work for my employer but none of that matters if I can't continue to pay my bills while working for them. If my employers cut my pay I will not be able to stay. I won't tell them that of course, just quietly begin my job search. It may be difficult but if there are people working, there are people who need childcare. It may mean stringing together part time work.

Good luck with that approach. Its always worth a try but you need a plan B. If this goes on for the full year, it will get really bad in this area. You will have a harder time finding part time jobs or evening sitting as people will be cutting back there too. If you are working for a family where both jobs would be impacted by this you should start saving now. You could start doing a lot of extra evening babysitting whenever you can trying to find families in healthcare or very wealthy families that would be less effective. If you have a degree, great experience and can pass the bar at one of the temp agencies you could try this if you are furloughed one day a week too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There may be other reasons I work for my employer but none of that matters if I can't continue to pay my bills while working for them. If my employers cut my pay I will not be able to stay. I won't tell them that of course, just quietly begin my job search. It may be difficult but if there are people working, there are people who need childcare. It may mean stringing together part time work.

I'm 13:22, and I get it, I do. There are probably some Federal employees who will similarly be quietly looking for other jobs as Federal employment and contracting becomes less secure. I just wanted to say that nannies should know that if their employee proposes "furloughing" them the one day a week that they will be furloughed, that it may not be because they're cheap or don't like the nanny - they may really need to cut back, particularly if both parents are Feds. Certainly as a nanny, you're well within your rights to take that as indication that you should start looking elsewhere. But know that it's probably not the best time to be looking either. It sucks for everybody.

[Anonymous]

How much do you and your husband make compared to the nanny? She probably makes $40,000 and together you make mid-six figures and you have no qualms about reducing her salary by 1/5 a week! If you do this, I hope she finds another job and soon. You are beneath contempt and I am not a nanny.

Really?

Last I knew, I respected our nanny enough to trust if she didn't think she could make a living in her chosen profession...she would choose another profession.

Imagine that. I trust our nanny. Clearly. you don't.