any point in addressing issues with temp nanny

[Anonymous]

we hired a nanny for the summer. she is good with the kids (for the most part) but as her enthusiasm dwindles it seems more apparent that she really does not like the job at hand. we hired her largely because she was a kindergarten teacher in a neighboring county and felt that she would be more then equipt in handling our kids 3 and 5. I feel that she has called out sick and asked for excessive days off which i have accomadated. (about 1 day a week). This means that I have to rearrange my work schedule and meetings and in some cases find alternative care.

I guess my question is at what point do you address issues with a temp nanny? Today, for example, my kids were invited over by their friend for a play date. I find out tonight that she did not stay with them at their playmates house, and she did not inform me that she was leaving. I was WFH, she could have easily informed me and asked what I wanted her to do. So she was essentially was at Starbucke for three hours and expects me to pay her for this. Do you even address such an issue if her last day is in 3 days?

[Anonymous]

At this point it's not worth it. Just don't re-hire her for next summer.

[Anonymous]

With only three days left, it's probably pointless, but you might want to tell her (calmly) on her last day that you will not be rehiring her next summer and will not be able to give her a reference because some things she did were not okay.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't really unless she wanted a job reference letter from you. In that case, you will have to offer an explanation and decline.

I wouldn't pay her for the three hours she was at Starbucks.

What a con artist for not letting you know.

Sounds like she was trying to pull one on you.

Let her go and do not re-hire her next summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With only three days left, it's probably pointless, but you might want to tell her (calmly) on her last day that you will not be rehiring her next summer and will not be able to give her a reference because some things she did were not okay.

I agree with this.

[Anonymous]

May be bring it up on her last day, since its so close. Especially if she asks for a reference. Nannies like this give nannies a bad name. Tell her the summer didn't go as well as you expected. And give her the examples of not being reliable, leaving the play date, etc.

[Anonymous]

On her last day, I would probably mention some of the issues you had over the summer. If she decides to work somewhere else next summer or take PT work through the school year, this would be helpful to her in knowing where she went wrong. I always think that problems should be mentioned so that she realizes where she did go wrong and that it could be worked on in the future if the person really likes this type of work. If she asks you to be a reference, I would say that you will not write a letter. If she is crazy enough to ask you to accept phone calls for being a reference, I might go ahead and say sure, and then just be honest to the people that call you about your issues with her work. By that point, you telling her what you didn't like and if she is still pushing for a reference, then she is asking for it and honestly kind of deserves to have other families hear about her real work instead of you just not being a reference and them not knowing until it is too late for them.

[Anonymous]

The days off would be an issue for me. Having some free time while the kids are on a playmate would not. It is wrong not to pay her for those hours.

[Anonymous]

op. i did end up paying her for the time not worked while she left kids at the play date. i guess having a temp nanny has it's own challenges. duly noted for next summer.