How much notice should I give?

[Anonymous]

I've nannied for a family for about 15 months and I am looking to move in August. We agreed on a month's notice. I was wondering if there are any reasons why I should tell them earlier than that if I know now that I am leaving. Am I setting myself up to getting let go earlier? We have a good relationship but I kind of feel like I'm being sneaky by not telling them something I already know but I also don't want things to be awkward or be put on a guilt trip. Any opinions? I'm moving because of my own personal reasons and not due to them.

[Anonymous]

We all want to you the best thing for them. However, if they find your replacement who needs a job now, you're out. That's a big risk.

[Anonymous]

*to do*

[Anonymous]

I would wait. You/they agreed on a month's notice so they shouldn't expect more, and if you tell them earlier you risk losing your job before you're prepared.

[Anonymous]

MB here. I would tell them as soon as possible. Whenever the situation is reversed (family letting nanny go), the advice is always to give the nanny as much notice as possible. The situation should be no different in reverse. Of course in both instances the party "leaving" runs the risk that the employment relationship won't last until exactly the moment they want it to end. But, hopefully, the nanny and the family have a good enough relationship that they can have an open and honest discussion and make a plan that works for everyone. At least that is how I would want to be treated by my nanny, and how I plan to treat my nanny when the time comes for us to make a change.

[Anonymous]

A months notice is plenty and much more gives them too much time to replace you early. When the situation is reversed the nanny is lucky to get 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Also a nanny is more likely to stay until the end when given notice because she needs the reference. This family doesn't need a reference from you and have no incentive to be loyal beyond being nice its up to you how much trust you want to put in that, but in the end people serve their own needs. You will most likely be let go early if not immediately for fear your care will change.

[Anonymous]

Why question what you both already agreed which is 1 month notice? Give them one month notice! (and don't say you knew for sure you'd move before that)

[Anonymous]

Would you be screwed if they let you go a couple months early? Four months early? etc?
I would do the one months notice for sure.

[Anonymous]

Last summer I left a job because my husband got a new job in another city. I had also been with the family 15 months and we also agreed upon a months notice. I ended up telling them as soon as my husband got the job offer which ended up giving them 5 weeks to find someone new. We had a VERY good relationship though and if I had been let go sooner than 5 weeks (which I wasn't) we would have been fine financially. They actually asked me to interviewed the new candidates with them and they seemed to really appreciate and consider my thoughts on the applicants.

[Anonymous]

Op here- thanks for all of your input. I think I will wait longer. I will probably give them a couple months notice. I can deal if they let me go a little earlier, but would not be happy to be let go next week. I just feel a little bad because we are close but I have to remember to look out for myself!

[Anonymous]

If you agreed on a month's notice, then by all means do not let them know now. If they find someone before you leave, they may just let you go earlier and if you really really need the income this could put you at a huge disadvantage.

A month is long enough to find a suitable replacement anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A months notice is plenty and much more gives them too much time to replace you early. When the situation is reversed the nanny is lucky to get 2 weeks.

I would think about letting them know that you are looking to move in the future, several months down the line so that they don't get blindsided later on, but then stick to the 1 month notice as you talked about before. I think if you gave notice earlier than that, you could be out of a job at the beginning of the summer. More nannies are available in later Aug/Sept when families no longer need them due to kids heading to school more FT, but they might not be able to wait until then to find someone new. Since there might be nannies that are moving from PT after school care into FT summer care, and then wanting to stay FT into the rest of the year as well, that would be when I would start to look for someone if I was a parent. If you could commit until the middle of Aug/beginning of Sept if needed, then I would feel better about the situation and would wait to start looking to replace you until July.