Firing a nanny..how?

[Anonymous]

Fire her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you can not hint with employees. You must tell. "Nanny, when the children are napping here is a list of things I'd like you to accomplish before you take a break."

"Nanny, after DS finishes eating, please clean his hands and face, and wipe any food he got on his clothes." "Nanny, before DD pulls out a second toy please encourage and help her to clean up the first toy she'd been playing with. Before she leaves a room please encourage and help her to clean up in there."

TELL her what you want.
If you are dead set on firing her, it sounds like she hasn't been with you long, so no need for two weeks pay.

You fire at the end of the day, so the person doesn't have to work while they're trying to process their feelings. End of week if possible (so on a Friday afternoon, rather than a Monday morning). When you fire them you hand them a check for all time you owe. You say, "Larla, Greg and I have decided to let you go, due to the fact that you didn't follow through on your verbal agreement to do housework despite numerous hints I gave you. Here is your check for all your hours worked through today. May I have your key to our house? (Then you make her give it to you right then.) Thank you so much for all you've done. Best of luck to you in the future."

Those are the things you say to a 14 yr old mothers helper, not a nanny with experience. Assuming the nanny isn't 14 and has experience she should definitely know these are things you do as a nanny. When you hire an experienced employee you do so under the premise that they already know how to do the basic requirements of the job, anything above that is up for discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just have a verbal agreement. Could I let her go and pay her two weeks pay? Should I tell her why I'm letting her go? I'm so nervous about it I can't sleep at night. I feel bad about letting her go because she is a nice girl, she just isn't holding up her end of the deal.

If you feel she is not doing her job which was clearly outlined by you and that she agreed to, then I would go ahead and fire her. Or you can have a talk with her first and see if she steps up her game and changes, but frankly, for girls like this they usually don't. Don't pay for anything other than what she has worked for. She would be fired for cause, no need to give her a "bonus" for leaving. If you want her to finish out the 2 weeks, tell her so. If she leaves before that, don't be surprised (and you might want to have backup care ready just in case). She can be the nicest girl around, but if she isn't doing her full job, she isn't earning her full rate (which is great at $20/hr). Don't let her take advantage of YOUR kindness. Tell her she needs to start doing all of her duties or she will be let go.

[Anonymous]

Why are you calling her "girl"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weird that you'd rather fire her and go through the interview process than actually manage your employee as a boss should.

No, it's not weird at all. If her gut is telling her to do it, she needs to do it. Period. No explanation is required.

I didn't say an explanation was required, but maybe her "gut" is really just ineptitude. Not everyone is cut out to be a boss; if OP's "gut" reaction to an employee who is not meeting expectations is that she be fired before 1) having her duties formally defined or 2) having been given a warning that she was not performing to satisfaction, she's failing as a manager. She has every right to fire her nanny, but it isn't the first step of a capable employer.

This. I'm an MB - it's hard to hire/manage a nanny, it's such a personal position and very different from other kinds of employer/employee relationships. But you are still the boss, she is still and employee, and professional practices like job agreements, clearly outlined expectations, benefits, reviews, etc... are every bit as important as they are for any other job. It makes everything easier for the family and the nanny if everyone behaves professionally. (And it doesn't sound to me like either side is handling this situation professionally - which definitely should not be the case with a $20/hr nanny!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you calling her "girl"?

Because she is one. Most people don't use the word just for children. I hardly ever say "she is a female, and he is a male". Nor do I always say woman. In this case, the use of girl shows her inexperience which is generally found in younger people. If she is 25-35, then she is not acting that way, she is acting like a teenager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you calling her "girl"?

Because she is one. Most people don't use the word just for children. I hardly ever say "she is a female, and he is a male". Nor do I always say woman. In this case, the use of girl shows her inexperience which is generally found in younger people. If she is 25-35, then she is not acting that way, she is acting like a teenager.

Wow, how degrading! Let me guess you are not a "girl"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you calling her "girl"?

Because she is one. Most people don't use the word just for children. I hardly ever say "she is a female, and he is a male". Nor do I always say woman. In this case, the use of girl shows her inexperience which is generally found in younger people. If she is 25-35, then she is not acting that way, she is acting like a teenager.

Me thinks you are a "girl" and always will be.