nanny fired after a week: carpets are a mess

[Anonymous]

We fired a live-in nanny after one week of work (we put her on one week probation after a very bad Monday).

I just went to inspect the room and the carpet and the rug we had in the room are covered in mud streaks that were not there one week ago.

It looks like someone tried to clean them up (they are wet in some spots) but overall it looks very dirty.

We were withholding her week pay until she vacated the room, we had a chance to inspect it, and she returned our keys (she turned nasty when we terminated her)-- she vacated today but did not leave her keys and the carpet and rug need to be cleaned.

Should I deduct the cost from her pay?

Can I legally deduct the cost from her pay?

[Anonymous]

How did you find her? Care.com?
How many refs did you get?
What were you paying her per hour?

[Anonymous]

We found her through a reputable online service, yes.

We got three references.

She was paid $600/week plus a gas stipend and health insurance (if she had made it past her probation period she would have had health insurance).

[Anonymous]

What was her weekly work schedule?

[Anonymous]

8:30am-5pm

[Anonymous]

Stick to a live-out next time, maybe a recent HS grad who still lives with her parents.

[Anonymous]

Unless you had some sort of contract with her that stipulated a security deposit type arrangement, no, you can not withhold the cost of carpet cleaning from her pay. If you try, she will easily be able to file a claim with the labor board and will win. You will then be responsible for not only the monies owed, but possibly fines as well.
Suck it up, pay the $40 it costs to have a carpet cleaned, and learn your lesson.

[Anonymous]

You already fired her for what very well may have been a relatively innocent accident (seeing as she tried to clean it up). Now you want to charge her for it too? You're not a very nice person, are you?

[Anonymous]

No. She was to be paid for her hours worked. She worked the hours, so you have to pay her for them. If you didn't think to get a security deposit, then that's a (muddy) burden you now have to bare yourself. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

What did she do to get put on probation after one day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You already fired her for what very well may have been a relatively innocent accident (seeing as she tried to clean it up). Now you want to charge her for it too? You're not a very nice person, are you?

The OP didn't Fire her for muddy carpets.

Please people....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What did she do to get put on probation after one day?

I came home to her yelling at my child. And my husband had a host of concerns about her attitude from the morning time he worked from home.

It didn't improve and it made us too anxious to continue the relationship.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps next time, have a $50-100 deposit, but you do need to pay for all hours worked. Sounds like she wasn't a good fit, but that doesn't mean you won't find another nanny who will be just what you're looking for. Depending on your set up, you might try an older single nanny. That might work if you have a separate apartment like a finished basement. Otherwise, keep looking. "The one" is out there.

[Anonymous]

You need to talk to a tenant/landlord attorney for this.

Or go into the Real Estate Forum and ask this.

They would know better in there than us.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did she do to get put on probation after one day?

I came home to her yelling at my child. And my husband had a host of concerns about her attitude from the morning time he worked from home.

It didn't improve and it made us too anxious to continue the relationship.

Fair enough!