Snow days when our offices aren't closed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a nanny in the area and did call out today because when I woke up there was already 2 inches of snow on the ground. I have a smaller care which slides a lot in the snow. My employers completely understood and had no problems with giving me the PAID day off. Around 12:30 the roads were fine so I offered to come in for a few hours and at least give them a break, but they did not need me.

In my opinion she should have offered to come for the half day. If my employers had offered to bring their child to my home or to pick me up in their SUV I would have been happy with either, I even told them that.

You need to implement a snow day policy. One that has worked for me in the past is giving 2-3 paid snow days then anything after is either not paid or paid, but hours made up on weekends or holidays.

There are people uncomfortable driving in this kind of weather and no one should have to put their life at risk for a job.

To the person who said their nanny should have spent the night: that is completely inconsiderate of you to even think that, your nanny is a person just like you. She/he has things that need to be done in their home and shouldn't HAVE to spend the night in your home because of the weather.

+10000000000000000000000000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my employer said to me, anytime you don't feel safe, don't come in and we'll pay you the same, I think I'd feel unsafe pretty often.

+100

+100! The problem is, any nanny who didn't go in this morning because she felt unsafe should have called this afternoon when the roads were dry and the sun was shining to see if she was still needed. From my perspective as an MB, I certainly don't want my nanny to drive if she reasonably feels unsafe. But if she demands a paid day off every time it flurries (or the government closes - which can sometimes be the same thing), it puts my ability to do my job at risk. And if I am not employed, I won't need a nanny anymore ... Offering the day off but unpaid or counting it against vacation time on days the employer is still expected to work is almost a good compromise - it puts some responsibility on the nanny to determine whether conditions are actually bad enough to warrant not going on. Obviously Snowmageddon/Hurricane Sandy type days should be paid days off, but they are days off for most MBs and DBs too for the same reason.

If I'm not coming in because my streets are covered with ice, please understand, that I'm not on vacation. I also don't expect to be paid for it. Also, going in when the sun is shining, is fine with me, as long as I can leave before the temperature drops. Black ice in the dark, is no joke, and the normal end time for a lot of nanny jobs, will have you dealing with that. Favorable weather at noon, could easily become treacherous at 7pm.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'd say the demand is "work tomorrow or don't get paid." Semantics, I suppose.

And if working tomorrow means traveling in what could have been unsafe conditions, you've not really given her a choice have you? It was spend the night at work to ensure you are here tomorrow, don't get paid, or risk your life to get here. Anyone else asked to spend the night at work would get paid.

You obviously have never met anyone who has had to pull an all-nighter at their job to make sure they met a deadline. If they are on salary, they don't get extra to stay there.

You are obviously not very smart. Nannies aren't salaried workers, especially not one who wouldn't get paid for a weather day. Hence the "stay tonight, or don't get paid when you can't get here tomorrow" issue. And being hourly employees, they ought to get paid, if you've mandated their presence at work.

You're right. Being told "if you don't stay and finish this project or you will lose your job" is so much different than "stay the night, or you don't get paid when you can't get here tomorrow".

Yes am right, and your continued sarcasm is only making you look silly. Salaried workers have deliverables. They have to finish certain things before their work is "done". Hourly workers are paid to do specific often repetitive tasks for a specified period of time. That is the difference, and that is why a nanny is not a salary worker. You cannot compare the two. There are no deliverables, no projects, and no deadlines. You pay her for her presence for a specified period of time. If you have her spend the night as a condition of payment in the event of bad weather, you'd best believe you should, if not legally have to, pay her.

Thousands of people had to decide today if they should go into work. Many of them had to go, or they would have to take some type of PTO, or, for others, they won't be getting paid for today. Why should a nanny expect to be paid when many others won't be?

I'm NOT talking about being paid for the snow day, dimwit. I mean if you ask her to spend the night before, as a condition of getting paid the following day, you should also expect to pay her for that time, perhaps the same or slightly less than an overnight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd say the demand is "work tomorrow or don't get paid." Semantics, I suppose.

And if working tomorrow means traveling in what could have been unsafe conditions, you've not really given her a choice have you? It was spend the night at work to ensure you are here tomorrow, don't get paid, or risk your life to get here. Anyone else asked to spend the night at work would get paid.

You obviously have never met anyone who has had to pull an all-nighter at their job to make sure they met a deadline. If they are on salary, they don't get extra to stay there.

You are obviously not very smart. Nannies aren't salaried workers, especially not one who wouldn't get paid for a weather day. Hence the "stay tonight, or don't get paid when you can't get here tomorrow" issue. And being hourly employees, they ought to get paid, if you've mandated their presence at work.

You're right. Being told "if you don't stay and finish this project or you will lose your job" is so much different than "stay the night, or you don't get paid when you can't get here tomorrow".

Yes am right, and your continued sarcasm is only making you look silly. Salaried workers have deliverables. They have to finish certain things before their work is "done". Hourly workers are paid to do specific often repetitive tasks for a specified period of time. That is the difference, and that is why a nanny is not a salary worker. You cannot compare the two. There are no deliverables, no projects, and no deadlines. You pay her for her presence for a specified period of time. If you have her spend the night as a condition of payment in the event of bad weather, you'd best believe you should, if not legally have to, pay her.

Thousands of people had to decide today if they should go into work. Many of them had to go, or they would have to take some type of PTO, or, for others, they won't be getting paid for today. Why should a nanny expect to be paid when many others won't be?

I'm NOT talking about being paid for the snow day, dimwit. I mean if you ask her to spend the night before, as a condition of getting paid the following day, you should also expect to pay her for that time, perhaps the same or slightly less than an overnight.

Oh, did Sweetie wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Would a cup of coffee make you feel better? I can only imagine how you are with anyone who ever says anything you disagree with. I bet you must be pretty lonely with your constant need to put people down. Does it make you feel like a bigger person?

[Anonymous]

7:15 is a creep.

[Anonymous]

I think the percentage of bosses who said to their nannies, "hey, if you don't stay overnight, we are not going to pay you if you don't come in tomorrow" is very slim. And you have to ask yourself, if that the kind of boss you want to work for?
But if I had the choice of spending the night and not having to drive out in the snow, I would have taken it.
Yes, we all would like for the nanny to be able to come in every day to work. And sometimes life gets in the way of that. But as it has been said time and again the last couple of days, this is why this stuff needs to be discussed up front when negotiating for the job and needs to be put into the contract. And if it hasn't been discussed before, the boss needs to sit down with the nanny and get this ironed out. Otherwise, the next time we get snow, this scenario is going to happen again. Do I pay the nanny? Do they need to pay me if I don't come in?

[Anonymous]

...Or if they're both sensible and fair, it all works out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7:15 is a creep.

+1000 Haha. I feel like this poster responds to every slightly disagreeable post like this...its always along the lines of "I would hate to see...". So annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the percentage of bosses who said to their nannies, "hey, if you don't stay overnight, we are not going to pay you if you don't come in tomorrow" is very slim. And you have to ask yourself, if that the kind of boss you want to work for?
But if I had the choice of spending the night and not having to drive out in the snow, I would have taken it.
Yes, we all would like for the nanny to be able to come in every day to work. And sometimes life gets in the way of that. But as it has been said time and again the last couple of days, this is why this stuff needs to be discussed up front when negotiating for the job and needs to be put into the contract. And if it hasn't been discussed before, the boss needs to sit down with the nanny and get this ironed out. Otherwise, the next time we get snow, this scenario is going to happen again. Do I pay the nanny? Do they need to pay me if I don't come in?

You are right, I don't think most bosses say this. I do think that this is another slippery slope (kind of along the same lines as the asking your nanny to work on a holiday debate) where the nanny feels pressured into a situation. It is likely that the employers are just trying to be helpful, but it is also just as likely that these are the very same employers who would take issue with their nanny saying no to staying the night and then having to call in because of weather the next day (I'm imagining something along the lines of "well we OFFERED to let her stay and now she can't come in, had she accepted we wouldn't be in this situation so no PTO for you")
Asking a nanny to spend the night is just rarely a good idea (and not, like some other callous poster tried to claim, akin to having to stay late to finish a project blah blah blah) and she will most likely either feel:
-pressured to do so, lest she face the next day without pay or some other more serious consequence
-kind of creeped out and guilty for saying no
-like you really don't respect their personal life and space (I have a ton of stuff to get done after work and I am not about to put that on the back burner just to ensure that there is no way you would be in a bind the next day)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the percentage of bosses who said to their nannies, "hey, if you don't stay overnight, we are not going to pay you if you don't come in tomorrow" is very slim. And you have to ask yourself, if that the kind of boss you want to work for?
But if I had the choice of spending the night and not having to drive out in the snow, I would have taken it.
Yes, we all would like for the nanny to be able to come in every day to work. And sometimes life gets in the way of that. But as it has been said time and again the last couple of days, this is why this stuff needs to be discussed up front when negotiating for the job and needs to be put into the contract. And if it hasn't been discussed before, the boss needs to sit down with the nanny and get this ironed out. Otherwise, the next time we get snow, this scenario is going to happen again. Do I pay the nanny? Do they need to pay me if I don't come in?

You are right, I don't think most bosses say this. I do think that this is another slippery slope (kind of along the same lines as the asking your nanny to work on a holiday debate) where the nanny feels pressured into a situation. It is likely that the employers are just trying to be helpful, but it is also just as likely that these are the very same employers who would take issue with their nanny saying no to staying the night and then having to call in because of weather the next day (I'm imagining something along the lines of "well we OFFERED to let her stay and now she can't come in, had she accepted we wouldn't be in this situation so no PTO for you")
Asking a nanny to spend the night is just rarely a good idea (and not, like some other callous poster tried to claim, akin to having to stay late to finish a project blah blah blah) and she will most likely either feel:
-pressured to do so, lest she face the next day without pay or some other more serious consequence
-kind of creeped out and guilty for saying no
-like you really don't respect their personal life and space (I have a ton of stuff to get done after work and I am not about to put that on the back burner just to ensure that there is no way you would be in a bind the next day)

Agree with this. We also weren't talking about the percentage of bosses that do this. We were talking about the ones in this thread who said they do. I was addressing that poster and asking if they pay their nanny for that time. I don't think its a fair "offer", but if you're going to do it, I think you should at least offer to pay her for it.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. MB here - and new poster, so I'm not the one being quoted/debated above. But, our nanny often asks if she can spend the night if there is a concern about weather.

We always say of course, and are happy to have her (and happy that she would rather do that than take the day off) but it never occurred to me that I should pay her for that time, as it was at her request. When she stays we often cook dinner for her, include her if we're watching a movie or whatever, but she is officially off duty after and before her normal workday. (And we all adhere to that.)

Overall I think she and we have a good relationship and work these kinds of questions/scenarios through in a way that we're all pleased with, but I do try to make sure I'm not unwittingly doing something unfair.

So, I'd be interested in some nanny feedback on this issue (a nanny asks if she can spend the night, is payment then expected)?

Thx.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm. MB here - and new poster, so I'm not the one being quoted/debated above. But, our nanny often asks if she can spend the night if there is a concern about weather.

We always say of course, and are happy to have her (and happy that she would rather do that than take the day off) but it never occurred to me that I should pay her for that time, as it was at her request. When she stays we often cook dinner for her, include her if we're watching a movie or whatever, but she is officially off duty after and before her normal workday. (And we all adhere to that.)

Overall I think she and we have a good relationship and work these kinds of questions/scenarios through in a way that we're all pleased with, but I do try to make sure I'm not unwittingly doing something unfair.

So, I'd be interested in some nanny feedback on this issue (a nanny asks if she can spend the night, is payment then expected)?

Thx.

I'm the poster above you, and I think its a little different if she's asking to do this. But I do wonder if you've created a situation where she feels she has to do this, like making her go unpaid on bad weather days, or expecting her to come no matter what? If not, and you have a good relationship, then just be thankful you have a good nanny who would go so above and beyond for your family. These are things to remember at review/raise/bonus/reference time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm. MB here - and new poster, so I'm not the one being quoted/debated above. But, our nanny often asks if she can spend the night if there is a concern about weather.

We always say of course, and are happy to have her (and happy that she would rather do that than take the day off) but it never occurred to me that I should pay her for that time, as it was at her request. When she stays we often cook dinner for her, include her if we're watching a movie or whatever, but she is officially off duty after and before her normal workday. (And we all adhere to that.)

Overall I think she and we have a good relationship and work these kinds of questions/scenarios through in a way that we're all pleased with, but I do try to make sure I'm not unwittingly doing something unfair.

So, I'd be interested in some nanny feedback on this issue (a nanny asks if she can spend the night, is payment then expected)?

Thx.

If the nanny asks, payment is absolutely not necessary! It sounds like you have a great relationship with your nanny and she is staying because she feels more comfortable that way.
There are two ways this scenario could play out. A) Family offers nanny a place to stay for the night/nanny asks if they can stay, nanny works the next day (no overnight payment required) or B) Family offers nanny a place to stay with the understanding that if she is unable to make it in the next day, that day will be unpaid (overnight payment is appropriate since, essentially, the nanny's guaranteed hours are contingent upon him/her spending the night).

[Anonymous]

Good grief. You should not pay your nanny for letting her spend the night whether it is by her request or your offer. The nanny is an adult. She can choose to spend the night, find safe transportation, or take unpaid time off. The employer is giving the nanny multiple options which are all reasonable.

[Anonymous]

^^you sound like the type of employer who wouldn't do shit for your nanny "proactively". I'm sure that's why you've had bad experiences with nannies and why you have just a bad outlook on them in general. Not all nannies are out to take advantage of their employer. Jesus Christ.