Nanny Says She'll Be Late Then Doesn't Show

[Anonymous]

Twice in recent weeks our nanny has texted or e-mailed about the time she is supposed to pick up the kids from school to say she is having a neighbor's nanny pick up the kids from school. Once it happened because she was sick and once because her car had been towed. Both times she said she was coming to work and would pick up the kids from the neighbor's house, and we asked her to keep us posted. We did not hear further from her and she did not show.

The first time, when she was sick, I was slightly annoyed because I got home and no one was here, and it was only then that I found out the kids had been at the neighbor's house the whole time. We didn't say anything and we did not hold back any pay even though she has already used all of her sick days.

The time her car got towed we heard nothing further. Both of these recent events happened on a Friday.

These two times are not the only times she has done this. Once she did not come when she knew the kids were off of school. Instead she sent an e-mail asking if we really needed her which we did not get until we were supposed to be at a meeting without the kids. Another time on a Friday she claimed her roommate had been in a bad car accident and she couldn't come because she needed to tend to the roommate. We had no notice and had to scramble to get the kids from school, which is almost an hour from where we work.

I feel like we should say something and that we should count the day her car supposedly got towed as an unpaid vacation day (she already has used all of her vacation). I just don't know whether I ought to just start looking for somebody else. She has been good in some other respects, but the last minute no show thing just doesn't work for us.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Look, you need to fire her ASAP. She's unbelievably unreliable. Can you afford a better person?

[Anonymous]

I pay her $22/hr plus health benefits and provide a car for work use. How high were you thinking I need to go?

[Anonymous]

Why was her car towed?

[Anonymous]

How did you find her? It seems you should have better help at 22/hr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why was her car towed?

She said she parked in the wrong spot at her friend's apartment.

[Anonymous]

OP, it seems you have good reason to question her judgement. Please do not wait for any more red flags.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this is a situation where you fire.

I'm prone to being 1-3 mins late, and even I would never tolerate this.

[Anonymous]

Fire her. You don't need to pay more money, you can get flawless help for that rate.

[Anonymous]

Nah, not cool. I'd fire after finding someone else.

[Anonymous]

you could hire a more reliable person at that rate

give her a final warning

[Anonymous]

Why are you even looking for input? I think you already know what needs to happen.

[Anonymous]

I agree w/ everyone else. Her time w/ your family needs to end. This is unacceptable, thoughtless and potentially unsafe (you don't know where your kids were?!!!)

She needs to go. And if you're paying $22/hour it should take you about 30 seconds to find someone else FAR more reliable and conscientious.

[Anonymous]

If you're problem is what to say, here you go: "I'm sorry, but this is not working out anymore. We need someone who can prioritize this job, and there have just been too many missed days of work."

She had to tend to her roommate? Emailed rather than called and then didn't show? This is ridiculous. An "emergency" should be a once on a blue moon event; otherwise, you've hired someone too immature or whose life is too chaotic for the job.

[Anonymous]

As a sidenote, you know it's completely unacceptable to use your neighbor/neighbor's nanny as childcare, right? I hope you were apologetic and paid the nanny for her time.