What do you all think - nanny called in sick today after only one week on the job

[Anonymous]

is that a sign i need to keep looking?

[Anonymous]

How specific did she get about what was wrong with her? How upset did she sound? Have to say it doesn't sound like a great sign.

[Anonymous]

Well, anyone can get sick - a lot depends on what he/she said and what your gut is telling you.

It might just be horrible timing, or it might be a very bad sign - hard to tell from here.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't bode well. If a nanny called in sick the Monday of her second week on the job, and she was truly apologetic, described her symptoms, seemed very upset that she was having to miss a day so soon, etc., that would be fine. Even better if she texted me Sunday morning to tell me she had been throwing up all day or something so that I could plan.

Nanny called me 30 minutes before she was supposed to come in and just told me she wasn't going to make it? Bad sign.

Does it have anything to do with the weather? Do you all have an inclement weather policy?

[Anonymous]

People can get sick at any time, even *gasp* when new at a job. This one incident alone doesn't mean a damn thing. If it becomes a pattern, then you worry. Ask yourself if you wouldn't also have been pissed if she showed up sick and clearly unable to work? Give her a chance before you start looking to replace her.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

to the PP - yes, anyone can get sick the first week on the job but she told me an hour before coming in. I suspect it's the weather which she doesn't live very far (10 mins away) . And she seemed apologetic but only through text and that I dont like. I give my boss the courtesy of calling and emailing.

My gut is telling me that I need to keep looking. We are still in a trial period of 30 days and while we loved how she is with my son - but awful at preparing his meals, I just dont get the sense that she actually wants to work. She's also collecting unemployment - we are paying her cash only for her trial period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People can get sick at any time, even *gasp* when new at a job. This one incident alone doesn't mean a damn thing. If it becomes a pattern, then you worry. Ask yourself if you wouldn't also have been pissed if she showed up sick and clearly unable to work? Give her a chance before you start looking to replace her.

Oh stop it. Not a single person has said that someone couldn't legitimately call in sick in the first few weeks of a job. But the way in which you handle it says something about what kind of employee you will be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

to the PP - yes, anyone can get sick the first week on the job but she told me an hour before coming in. I suspect it's the weather which she doesn't live very far (10 mins away) . And she seemed apologetic but only through text and that I dont like. I give my boss the courtesy of calling and emailing.

My gut is telling me that I need to keep looking. We are still in a trial period of 30 days and while we loved how she is with my son - but awful at preparing his meals, I just dont get the sense that she actually wants to work. She's also collecting unemployment - we are paying her cash only for her trial period.

So you had no warning, but an hour before her start time she texted that she was sick and "sorry!". Yeah sorry, OP. That doesn't sound like someone committed.

[Anonymous]

Why ask if you've made up your mind OP. You want to replace her, and you're looking for reasons. Thank goodness she's still collecting unemployment!

[Anonymous]

When exactly do you all expect her to let you know? I wake 2 hours before I have to be at work. Even if I decide the moment I wake that I'm not going in, it usually takes 30 minutes to get a hold of my bosses (2 families), so unless I knew the night before, they get a max of an hour and a half notice. If your nanny lives close she probably has even less time to get a message to you. Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When exactly do you all expect her to let you know? I wake 2 hours before I have to be at work. Even if I decide the moment I wake that I'm not going in, it usually takes 30 minutes to get a hold of my bosses (2 families), so unless I knew the night before, they get a max of an hour and a half notice. If your nanny lives close she probably has even less time to get a message to you. Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable.

OP again: I dont know why I bother answering posts to nannies who are the crusaders of bad nanny behavior and get thrown big girl words at me like deplorable. I should have said MBs only .

I asked specifically - should I keep on looking??? As in, it took me a while to find this person that I need her to stay on through the holidays since I absolutely hate to have my son being handed off to different people but. I take finding the right person very seriously PP. And while I understand anyone can get sick (just bad luck) a week into a job, you also have to wonder if its' weather. I still have to work today, guess who pays the nanny.

Side bar thought: This is one of the few areas in the country that there is barely anything on the ground and the $20/ hr person wants to get compensated for not coming in to work when millions of others find a way to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When exactly do you all expect her to let you know? I wake 2 hours before I have to be at work. Even if I decide the moment I wake that I'm not going in, it usually takes 30 minutes to get a hold of my bosses (2 families), so unless I knew the night before, they get a max of an hour and a half notice. If your nanny lives close she probably has even less time to get a message to you. Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable.

OP again: I dont know why I bother answering posts to nannies who are the crusaders of bad nanny behavior and get thrown big girl words at me like deplorable. I should have said MBs only .

I asked specifically - should I keep on looking??? As in, it took me a while to find this person that I need her to stay on through the holidays since I absolutely hate to have my son being handed off to different people but. I take finding the right person very seriously PP. And while I understand anyone can get sick (just bad luck) a week into a job, you also have to wonder if its' weather. I still have to work today, guess who pays the nanny.

Side bar thought: This is one of the few areas in the country that there is barely anything on the ground and the $20/ hr person wants to get compensated for not coming in to work when millions of others find a way to do so.

PP's point was very valid OP. You sound like a gem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When exactly do you all expect her to let you know? I wake 2 hours before I have to be at work. Even if I decide the moment I wake that I'm not going in, it usually takes 30 minutes to get a hold of my bosses (2 families), so unless I knew the night before, they get a max of an hour and a half notice. If your nanny lives close she probably has even less time to get a message to you. Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable.

OP again: I dont know why I bother answering posts to nannies who are the crusaders of bad nanny behavior and get thrown big girl words at me like deplorable. I should have said MBs only .

I asked specifically - should I keep on looking??? As in, it took me a while to find this person that I need her to stay on through the holidays since I absolutely hate to have my son being handed off to different people but. I take finding the right person very seriously PP. And while I understand anyone can get sick (just bad luck) a week into a job, you also have to wonder if its' weather. I still have to work today, guess who pays the nanny.

Side bar thought: This is one of the few areas in the country that there is barely anything on the ground and the $20/ hr person wants to get compensated for not coming in to work when millions of others find a way to do so.

PP's point was very valid OP. You sound like a gem.

No, it wasn't valid. The PP said "Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable." Nowhere did the OP say she was immediately letting the nanny go. Nannies that are posting here, you really and truly think that someone texting "I'm not feeling well today, I'm so sorry I'm not going to make it in!" an hour before your start time on your sixth day at work while you're in a trial period should make an employer feel secure in your commitment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When exactly do you all expect her to let you know? I wake 2 hours before I have to be at work. Even if I decide the moment I wake that I'm not going in, it usually takes 30 minutes to get a hold of my bosses (2 families), so unless I knew the night before, they get a max of an hour and a half notice. If your nanny lives close she probably has even less time to get a message to you. Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable.

OP again: I dont know why I bother answering posts to nannies who are the crusaders of bad nanny behavior and get thrown big girl words at me like deplorable. I should have said MBs only .

I asked specifically - should I keep on looking??? As in, it took me a while to find this person that I need her to stay on through the holidays since I absolutely hate to have my son being handed off to different people but. I take finding the right person very seriously PP. And while I understand anyone can get sick (just bad luck) a week into a job, you also have to wonder if its' weather. I still have to work today, guess who pays the nanny.

Side bar thought: This is one of the few areas in the country that there is barely anything on the ground and the $20/ hr person wants to get compensated for not coming in to work when millions of others find a way to do so.

PP's point was very valid OP. You sound like a gem.

No, it wasn't valid. The PP said "Letting someone go 2 weeks before the holidays because they were sick is deplorable." Nowhere did the OP say she was immediately letting the nanny go. Nannies that are posting here, you really and truly think that someone texting "I'm not feeling well today, I'm so sorry I'm not going to make it in!" an hour before your start time on your sixth day at work while you're in a trial period should make an employer feel secure in your commitment?

What do you suggest she ought to have done? You can say she should have called not texted, but in my experiences, most employers arent checking their phone hours before they have to be up. And lets just ignore the rest of what PP said that makes perfect sense and focus on what you didn't like, and proceed to call it invalid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My gut is telling me that I need to keep looking. We are still in a trial period of 30 days and while we loved how she is with my son - but awful at preparing his meals, I just dont get the sense that she actually wants to work. She's also collecting unemployment - we are paying her cash only for her trial period.

This is what you said OP. This is where people are getting the idea that you're looking to fire her. We didn't just pull it out of the air. You sound like someone contemplating letting their nanny go. Your defensiveness and anti nanny attitude lead me to believe that you're just a grumpy troll, trying to stir up the usual entitled stupid lazy nanny tirades.