Nanny Share Payment

[Anonymous]

We are currently in a nannyshare with another family. One family needs the nanny for 4 days a week and the other family needs her for 5 days a week. Currently we each pay her separate check each week. For the extra day, we pay her the same rate she makes during the week for two kids. The problem has come in when family A happens to also need her for 5 days. It has only happened two times, but we split the cost of the extra day. This seems to really upset our nanny. Is this typical behavior? Or should we not split the pay the extra day? We pay her $18/ hr. I really don't understand why we should pay her $27/ hr for the extra day, but she seems to think we should. Our nanny seems to think that time and a half is typical for this situation. I am curious how others would handle this problem. My fear is that family A May start to need the nanny more frequently 5 days and we will run into this frustration every time.

[Anonymous]

This makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

No the nanny should not be upset because it's typical to only pay a one child rate when there is one child. You were kind and offered to pay the share amount. The only thing I can think of is if she is working 50 hours a week. Then the extra 10 hours you pay on Friday would in fact be time and an half, not seen as paying share rate. Because if she had both kids those extra 10 hours than she should be getting Time and half off the share rate. How many hours does she work?

[nannydebsays]

What does your share work agreement say?

Does it indicate that Family A is paying $X for 5 days/Y hours a week, and that Family B is paying $A for 4 days/B hours a week?

If that is the case, your nanny is justifiably upset, IMO. She is paid for 5 days by family A, and for 4 days by Family B. Now Family B wants an additional day of care for no additional money, from her viewpoint.

Let's spell it out with actual dollars and hours: Family A pays $350/week for 5 days/50 hours of care. Family B pays $350/week for 4 days/40 hours of care.

So, in nanny's mind, she is working for no additional money if Family B wants that 5th day.

If this is the case, you need to review your work agreement with her and either find and explain the clause that allows Family B to add in an extra day for no extra money, or you need to figure out a fiscal compromise.

However, if the work agreement already indicates that Family A is paying $X for 5 days/Y hours a week, and that Family B is ALSO paying $X for 5 days/Y hours a week, although they may not regularly use the entire time they pay for, then a simple work agreement review and explanation is needed.

[Anonymous]

Op here here is only works 45 hours Monday through Friday

[Anonymous]

Those last 5 hours must be paid at time and a half. The first 40 should be paid at the share rate.

These are all things you should have clarified in your contract though. If the nanny took this job expecting only to have one child on Fridays, she may not be keen on having the terms of her job changed (although really, she should be fine with the extra child and only needs to be paid her OT rate for five hours per week).

[Anonymous]

Looks to me like you owe your nanny back pay if you haven't been paying over time for those five hours already.

If she works 9hours a day at $18 that's $720 for the first 40 hours and an extra 112.50 for the last 5hours at an over time rate of 22.50 (based off a one child rate of $15per hour). Her check would be $832.50 before taxes. If you actually paid her the over time rate based of $18 per hour which is 27, she would be making $855

But you pay $18 for 45 hours which is $810. So already you have been underpaying her the entire time.

So if I were your nanny I'd definitely be pissed

[Anonymous]

Wait are you the family that needs care 5 days a week regularly? And the other family in the share is the one that needs 4 days, with the occasional 5th day?

Any hours over 40 should be time and a half.

I'm assuming that the OT comes in on the 5th day at the end of the work week. So yes if you are over the 40 hours you should be paying the OT rate.

[Anonymous]

Oops I did the math a little wrong since it's 9 hours a day so the first four days equals 36 hours at 18 per hour so that's 638. Day five is 9 hours at let's day 15 per hour one child rate for the first four hours then 22.50 over time rate for the final 5 hours =172.50 so her actual check should be 810 which is what you paying $18 per hour the last day breaks down too.

You don't owe her back pay but she is still right asking for a higher rate with both kids because you paying just $18 even is just like paying over time on a one child rate. You aren't really paying the entire share amount you are just paying the overtime.

[Anonymous]

She should make $18 the first four hours on day five and 27 an hour for the last 5 hours when she cares for both children.

[Anonymous]

OP here and I did the math incorrectly. She is working 42 hours a week. So, just over 40. I did not think about the over time and she never mentioned it when we hired her. I should circle back with her and try and resolve this problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and I did the math incorrectly. She is working 42 hours a week. So, just over 40. I did not think about the over time and she never mentioned it when we hired her. I should circle back with her and try and resolve this problem.

She probably assumed you were paying her the over time already that's why she never mentioned it until she was watching both children.

[Anonymous]

By the way overtime isn't an option, it's mandatory for paying any hourly employee legally. So her not bringing up isn't her fault, she like any other hourly employee would assume if they are being paid legally that overtime was accounted for.

[Anonymous]

Wait I am confused. Is you nanny asking for $27 for the whole day on Friday when watching two children? Or is she asking for over time pay?

[Anonymous]

you should redo the contract and pay a rate in the middle of your half of the shared rate and the actual share rate for the day she has one kid. Say $15/hr, then when she has the extra kid she won't be doing it "for free" and she'll have nothing to complain about.