Differing expectations

[Anonymous]

I work part-time for a family with a SAHM and two young kids. I have another part-time job that gives me very regular hours and guaranteed pay. My SAHM job has had really varying hours in the past, but the kids are starting to settle into a more predictable routine and she has settled on the same 3 days a week as usual. My problem is twofold:

1) I don't have guaranteed hours with her
2) She doesn't schedule me very far in advance

I have done what I can to make it easy for her (made an outlook calendar to share with her what my personal schedule/ other family schedule looks like), but she still tends to wait until the beginning of the month to actually book time for that month. Although, to be fair, she does tell me when a big change to the schedule comes up. The problem that we are running into is that I sometimes take other jobs or make personal plans during what she considers to be "her" time. I sort of feel that with no guaranteed pay it's my time until she specifically books it. She also has a history of her needs changing and no longer needing the hours, or of having something come up and not needing me on a specific day (e .g., I am typically booked by her on Friday mornings when she takes a class, but if her class is on a break for that week, she just doesn't schedule me and doesn't even offer me alternate hours for that week).

I am hesitant to turn down a job from a family who has an impeccable track record of either using me or paying me when they cancel in favor of a family who may or may not need that time. I am fine to hold hours for her without guaranteed pay but not to hold hours that she hasn't even booked on the assumption that she will need me as usual.

They are otherwise very considerate and generous employers and so I am wondering whether and how to bring this up. She feels that when I schedule another family during "her" time that I am prioritizing them over her, butthe reality is that I am just trying to make ends meet, and no matter how good our relationship is, it's a bad business decision to hold time for a family that may or may not need me for those hours.

[Anonymous]

Have you already explained to her that you do set aside devoted time if a family is willing to guarantee hours and that you would be willing to do that for her if she wants to guarantee the hours? If so then you will not see eye to eye on this so continue to do what you have been but do not count on her.

[Anonymous]

I would just be frank with her and let her know that the day is open to anyone until someone actually books it and it's on the calendar and if she wants to reserve the time it needs to be paid. Last minute cancellations are one thing, and I'd address that as well...one or two freebies and that's it.

[Anonymous]

Talk to her and let her know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would just be frank with her and let her know that the day is open to anyone until someone actually books it and it's on the calendar and if she wants to reserve the time it needs to be paid. Last minute cancellations are one thing, and I'd address that as well...one or two freebies and that's it.

The thing is that she doesn't think of it as canceling when she doesn't need me on a day that i typically work for her, but she doew seem to feel that I am canceling when I book something else on a day she hasn't yet schedule me to work.

It sounds like I need to address this, but I am unsure how to phrase it, given that I am essentially negotiating a new benefit (guaranteed pay)--or at least I think that's how she will regard it. I have never had to renegotiate a contract before as I have always been very thorough in my contract up front. Even with this family, if she would commit to scheduling me in advance, I'd be fine to schedule around her, because she does actually notice and try to be considerate when canceling hours that she has actually scheduled, but not when she just doesn't need me on a usual day (which I don't find out until a week or two before).

[Anonymous]

If you work for several families on call, just send an email to all of them and say something like you want to accommodate all their needs and you appreciate them calling you but like them you are trying to earn a living too. As such, days aren't put on the calendar or held for anyone until they specifically request it...first come, first served. Once it's been booked you will expect 48 hrs notice for cancellation or expect to be paid (or paid 1/2 or whatever you can live with.) If cancelling becomes a problem you will not schedule them anymore (only say that if you mean it or don't say it and just do it.)

[Anonymous]

It's only 2 families and only one is on-call. The other is regularly scheduled with guaranteed pay.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like this is just not working for you. You may be better off securing a second PT job with guaranteed hours/pay.

[Anonymous]

OP - just tell her that you really like working for her but since she sometimes does not use you on her "normal" days that results in income loss for you if you pass up other opportunities for those days because you are saving them for her. Tell her you would be really happy to reserve them for her and not take other jobs during those slots but that for that to work out you will need her to guarantee payment for those slots, even if she does not use you. Let her know very nicely that you can understand if she doesn't want to do that since sometimes it means she would pay you on a day you don't work, but that is your normal practice for booking your time. If she does not want to reeserve the slot by guaranteeing payment for it (even if not used) then you will need to keep playing it by ear which means sometimes you are not available.

It is totally unreasonable of her to not understand this. If she does not want to guarantee hours it could be because she isn't that attached to you so is fine with finding someone new willing to be more casual about the hours.