My employers don't know when my job will end.

[Anonymous]

I'm on an informal contract with the end date left open, knowing I've been reserved for the entire school year. Well, the school year is coming to a close in June. It took me months to find this position (I'm fairly picky and this area isn't great on pay range) so I'd like to get a head start to set up my next one, however when I asked when my last day would be there wasn't an answer. I've been advertising as becoming available in June, but prospective families of course want to have a date to be able to plan by.

What would you do if you didn't know when your position was ending? I've considered either asking my employer to guarantee my pay up to a specific date (at least then I would know I had income whether or not they let me go earlier than expected, though not really expecting them to go for that), or just setting an end date for myself on the earlier side of things and taking a new position before the current one finishes (which I really can't see myself doing, as this would leave my current employer in the lurch). I need advice!

[Anonymous]

I would assume your last day is the last day of the school year and find a new job based on that date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would assume your last day is the last day of the school year and find a new job based on that date.

+1

[Anonymous]

Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

[Anonymous]

I would plan on the last day of school. Being it up again, and if they say they don't know, say so them the last day of school? Make sure they understand you need to plan your life and have income continuity and if they won't make a choice you'll be forced to make one that might not be ideal for them

[Anonymous]

I would also plan on the last day of school being your last day. If a family tells you a slightly earlier day, I would go to your current employers and tell them when your last day will be. You gve them a chance to set the date, they didn't, so you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

MB here and I agree fully with this advice. Maybe the parents are just trying to figure out what they plan to do and think there is still lots of time left. But it is perfectly reasonable to ask them to be more specific so that you can plan.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

I don't think it would be passive aggressive for OP to set the end date herself, and give them plenty of notice. If she finds a job set to start the week after school ends, and goes to her bosses with 30 days plus of notice of when she'll be leaving, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. She can certainly raise the question again, but she really doesn't need to give them all the power here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

I don't think it would be passive aggressive for OP to set the end date herself, and give them plenty of notice. If she finds a job set to start the week after school ends, and goes to her bosses with 30 days plus of notice of when she'll be leaving, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. She can certainly raise the question again, but she really doesn't need to give them all the power here.

I don't really see how having another conversation with her employers is "giving them all the power?" She doesn't have to leave it to them to set a date at last minute at their absolute convenience but having a respectful conversation about what suits both parties best and proposing mutually agreeable solutions is professional and courteous. OP didn't say the context in which she asked but with the end of school still three months away, it's not crazy that her MB just might not know as yet. After all, if it's as simple as the last day of school isn't that something the family would have known when they executed the contract? OP hasn't said but I suspect the date for the family hinges on something else (arrival of an au pair, start of camp, date of a move?) so arbitrarily picking a date seems premature and leaving them in the lurch without at least having a professional conversation about ithe situation and everyone's needs could compromise her reference from them. However, there is nothing wrong with her proposing a working date in that conversation, to be used unless the parties agree to something different before she finds a new job.

I'll add, when we interviewed nannies, we discovered quickly that the best candidates were the ones whose current employers were happy to provide a pre-interview reference of the nanny by phone/conduct a screening call of us, and we started to only interview nannies in that category. Rather than giving the family all the power, I think OP would actually have a lot to gain from having her MB understand her difficulty and get on board with coming up with a mutually agreeable solution - which includes helping her find a new job.

[Anonymous]

Hi, OP here, lots of good advice! I know at some point in the next few months extended family is moving in.. not sure for how long, but I'm pretty sure that's going to act as replacement childcare. It's unclear when they will move in, and if they do so before the end of the school year, I may be out of the job before that time.

I have horrible foot-in-mouth syndrome and my employers are very quiet people, so between us there isn't a lot of clear communication going on. I figure I'll give it another month, let the end date ballpark get a bit closer, then try for another conversation with them. If it still doesn't work out at that point, I'll aim for the end of the school year.

It would be awesome if my MB could help me find my next position, but as I said she's very quiet and passive so I don't see there being a big contribution there. I'm sure she'll provide a great reference, though.

[Anonymous]

OP, look for a new job as you KNOW this one will end in less their plans do not work out. I suggested and would plan for the last day of school and if they need child care, they can do camps or extend you and you can turn down the new job. BUT, this is your livelihood. You are doing this to make money and it is not a volunteer job. It is reasonable to get a tentative ending date so you can plan accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

I don't think it would be passive aggressive for OP to set the end date herself, and give them plenty of notice. If she finds a job set to start the week after school ends, and goes to her bosses with 30 days plus of notice of when she'll be leaving, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. She can certainly raise the question again, but she really doesn't need to give them all the power here.

I don't really see how having another conversation with her employers is "giving them all the power?" She doesn't have to leave it to them to set a date at last minute at their absolute convenience but having a respectful conversation about what suits both parties best and proposing mutually agreeable solutions is professional and courteous. OP didn't say the context in which she asked but with the end of school still three months away, it's not crazy that her MB just might not know as yet. After all, if it's as simple as the last day of school isn't that something the family would have known when they executed the contract? OP hasn't said but I suspect the date for the family hinges on something else (arrival of an au pair, start of camp, date of a move?) so arbitrarily picking a date seems premature and leaving them in the lurch without at least having a professional conversation about ithe situation and everyone's needs could compromise her reference from them. However, there is nothing wrong with her proposing a working date in that conversation, to be used unless the parties agree to something different before she finds a new job.

I'll add, when we interviewed nannies, we discovered quickly that the best candidates were the ones whose current employers were happy to provide a pre-interview reference of the nanny by phone/conduct a screening call of us, and we started to only interview nannies in that category. Rather than giving the family all the power, I think OP would actually have a lot to gain from having her MB understand her difficulty and get on board with coming up with a mutually agreeable solution - which includes helping her find a new job.

This is not typical, and you eliminated candidates based on this, you severely limited your pool. I consider myself to be a professional nanny, and as such I conduct my job search in a safe and professional manner. I do not give my references contact information to each and every job that I apply to. How unsafe and annoying that would be. I will give references to families that I have spoken to on the phone (and know they actually exist) on rare occasion and only if I really want the job, but otherwise I do not give out reference information until I've had an in person interview, have met the children, and I think there is a good chance I will be offered and will accept the job. A nanny that is careless with her references private contact info has bad judgement, in my opinion. The only way I can see what you're saying being appropriate is if the family is helping to find their nanny a new job, and they made the first contact with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your contract stipulate how much notice they have to give you? If so, then you have at least that much time left, If you want more notice than stipulated, you need to talk to them about that. It wouldn't be cool to just set your own end date and not tell them.

She asked them when her end date would be and they failed to tell her. She has every right to set her own end date in that case.

Maybe, but going about it in a passive-aggressive way could cost her a reference and having her current employers help her find a new job for the summer might make the whole process easier too. June is still three months away and with snow days, etc. her employers may genuinely not know. I'd raise it again. Don't raise it in passing - ask for a meeting to talk about transition issues and let your employers know you can't afford to be without pay for several months so you need to plan. Then ask them what they are thinking and propose a few tentative dates (last day of school, Monday following, etc.) for your last day. What are they doing for childcare once school is out? I think your answer is probably wrapped up somewhere in there.

I don't think it would be passive aggressive for OP to set the end date herself, and give them plenty of notice. If she finds a job set to start the week after school ends, and goes to her bosses with 30 days plus of notice of when she'll be leaving, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. She can certainly raise the question again, but she really doesn't need to give them all the power here.

I don't really see how having another conversation with her employers is "giving them all the power?" She doesn't have to leave it to them to set a date at last minute at their absolute convenience but having a respectful conversation about what suits both parties best and proposing mutually agreeable solutions is professional and courteous. OP didn't say the context in which she asked but with the end of school still three months away, it's not crazy that her MB just might not know as yet. After all, if it's as simple as the last day of school isn't that something the family would have known when they executed the contract? OP hasn't said but I suspect the date for the family hinges on something else (arrival of an au pair, start of camp, date of a move?) so arbitrarily picking a date seems premature and leaving them in the lurch without at least having a professional conversation about ithe situation and everyone's needs could compromise her reference from them. However, there is nothing wrong with her proposing a working date in that conversation, to be used unless the parties agree to something different before she finds a new job.

I'll add, when we interviewed nannies, we discovered quickly that the best candidates were the ones whose current employers were happy to provide a pre-interview reference of the nanny by phone/conduct a screening call of us, and we started to only interview nannies in that category. Rather than giving the family all the power, I think OP would actually have a lot to gain from having her MB understand her difficulty and get on board with coming up with a mutually agreeable solution - which includes helping her find a new job.

This is not typical, and you eliminated candidates based on this, you severely limited your pool. I consider myself to be a professional nanny, and as such I conduct my job search in a safe and professional manner. I do not give my references contact information to each and every job that I apply to. How unsafe and annoying that would be. I will give references to families that I have spoken to on the phone (and know they actually exist) on rare occasion and only if I really want the job, but otherwise I do not give out reference information until I've had an in person interview, have met the children, and I think there is a good chance I will be offered and will accept the job. A nanny that is careless with her references private contact info has bad judgement, in my opinion. The only way I can see what you're saying being appropriate is if the family is helping to find their nanny a new job, and they made the first contact with you.

It is very common in our area (upper NW DC) that families post for their departing nannies on neighborhood and other list serves and list themselves as a point of contact as well as the nanny. Many were willing and volunteered to speak on the nanny's behalf in their posting and some insisted on doing screening interviews for the nanny. We interviewed about 20 candidates total and found the 10-12 best ones this way - including the terrific nanny we hired who has been with us for two years. It may not be typical but it worked well for us and I see lots of similar postings on our neighborhood list serve now.