Vacation pay for PT nanny

[Anonymous]

We just hired a PT nanny to do after school care for our two kids. She picks them up from school, and will run them to activities, etc. We settled on an hourly wage and expected hours per week. What we didn't settle on was pay for days off work.

I feel if *we* choose to take vacation, or there is a day we don't need her (grandma is in town and can do it, etc.) that we should still pay her. We committed to 20 hours a week, and we should honor that commitment.

If *she* takes the day off or is sick and can't watch the kids, we don't pay her. We're having to pay someone else to cover childcare that day, and shouldn't have to double pay when she's off.

Would love thoughts from others on how they've handled similar situations.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here - I think that sounds super fair for a part time position - and is also what I would request. A lot of part time positions pay for hours worked only. By guaranteeing her hours you will have a happy nanny who will want to stay with you for a long time.

[Anonymous]

MB here--I don't know the answer but definitely think this is why it's worth having this discussion NOW and getting a contract/agreement that you both look over and sign.

We have a nanny who has always worked PT--started with us for 3 days a week (25-30 hours) and now works 4 (35-38 hours). We have always offered both guaranteed hours (i.e. if we don't need her bc of travel, visiting family, etc we still pay her) as well as paid vacation and sick time for her. I wasn't sure about this when we started, but a lot of posters on here pointed out that if you offer zero sick days you're essentially making her choose between earning money (which she presumably needs) and taking care of your kids while sick (which you presumably don't want).

Of course I also know of other families who don't offer sick leave for a PT caregiver. In our case it's been a totally moot point as our nanny has never used a sick day, nor had more than a brief case of the sniffles, in 3 years--so you could also see how it goes. But I'd just think about how long you want to work with her, and what you'd do if she came to work obviously sick.

[Anonymous]

We pro-rated paid vacation and sick time as a benefit when we were part-time...so for 20 hours a week, nanny would get 40 hours of vacation (= two weeks) for the year and 20 of sick (= 1 week) for the year, to be used as needed. Any time beyond that was unpaid. However, with PT jobs (nannying and otherwise) benefits are always to be negotiated--I'm not sure there's a norm in the same way there is with full-time jobs. So you can always propose something else and see if she agrees. If you do offer sick and vacation, though, it comes with the territory that you will need to pay another caregiver to cover that time, and you should factor that into the cost.

[Anonymous]

I think your plan sounds fine, but I would add 3 days of paid sick time to ensure she won't come into work sick.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here: I would ask for 5paid sick days. Nannies also get sick

[Anonymous]

I worked jobs similar to yours throughout college, and always asked for (and received) exactly what you're describing.

[Anonymous]

I think what you are offering is fair, but if you really want to make your nanny happy I would also offer three days of paid sick time. When I was working an after school gig between college courses I can't tell you how many times I peeled myself off of the couch when I was feeling sick because I knew I wouldn't get paid and that i would be leaving the family in a bind if I called off. It's just better for your kids if the nanny doesn't feel obligated to come in if she's sick.