Would you consider this job abandonment?

[Anonymous]

I am new to this hiring game. Our nanny whom we have had for about 1.5 years texted me yesterday to say she had a flat tire and was getting it "taken care off," two hours later she texted to let me know her donut tire was not going to get her to work, she needed to replace all the tires and that she didn't have enough money to pay it since she hadn't received her paycheck from the payroll company. She requested I wire her some money. After wiring her the money I didn't hear back from her and this morning she didn't report to work. She did not answer my calls or my texts. Should I consider this job abandonment if I don't hear back by the end of the day?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I'd consider it job abandonment by the end of the day, but it would definitely fall under my heading of poor decision making if she's actively ignoring your texts and calls. It's possible that something may have happened to her (or to her phone) that makes it impossible for her to contact you, but if she's able and just not choosing to then I would start looking for a new nanny.

[Anonymous]

That is kind of nuts - that someone who has worked for you for a year and a half is behaving this way.

I would email her (or text) and tell her that you are very concerned at not having heard from her, and alarmed that she did not show up for work today. Ask her to let you know if she is ok, and whether she plans to be at work tomorrow.

If you don't hear back then I'd follow up w/ an email this evening saying "I am assuming that something terrible has happened. I hope you are alright. I will make other plans to cover care for the children until I hear back from you."

If you don't hear from her within 24-36 hours after that I would then say "Having not heard back from you I can only assume the worst. At minimum we will assume that you are not returning to work. We will mail you your personal items and ask you to return (keys, etc...) by no later than January X."

[Anonymous]

Strange. Hopefully she is ok. I would give it one more day before I worry too much. keep is posted op

[Anonymous]

Definitely strange. I would only consider it job abandonment after an initial 24 hours if she hadn't contacted you at all, but she did. Given what was said and done, and that it started yesterday, I agree somewhat with 13.51. If you haven't heard from her by end of shift today, I would contact her through all available means. Let her know that you are arranging other care for the next few days while she gets everything taken care of (I would think unpaid time, but if/when she contacts you, she could say to use PTO), but if you haven't heard from her by Friday morning, you will assume that she quit without notice, you will find a new nanny. That covers you if she tries to claim unemployment.

[Anonymous]

I would contact her however you normally communicate and say "I'm checking in with you about when you're working next. We're concerned that we haven't heard from you and hope you're okay. Please let us know you are. If we don't hear back from you by close of business Thursday we will have no choice but to assume you are not interested in continuing your employment here and we will search out another nanny."

[Anonymous]

That's really weird and I hope she's Ok...that her phone wasn't stolen etc. Do you know where she lives? Can you (or the police) do a welfare check? But if she's actively ignoring you, then yes, it's job abandonment at this point. If it were me, I'd want to make sure she's physically OK though first since this sounds out of character.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's really weird and I hope she's Ok...that her phone wasn't stolen etc. Do you know where she lives? Can you (or the police) do a welfare check? But if she's actively ignoring you, then yes, it's job abandonment at this point. If it were me, I'd want to make sure she's physically OK though first since this sounds out of character.

This. If she's worked for you nearly 2 years and you've never had an issue I would be worried.

[Anonymous]

I'd be more angry about the money she got out of me for the tires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be more angry about the money she got out of me for the tires.

It sounds to me as though the nanny was owed this money.

[Anonymous]

What happened? Troll?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I haven't heard from the nanny yet. When I called her yesterday morning her phone rang then went to voicemail so I doubt her phone was stolen.

Her check was a day or so late because of holiday. It does seem strange that she would ask me to "wire money" and not hear back after that. I am thinking maybe if I won't have heard from her by tomorrow I could ask one of her friends to check on her? It's just strange that she had a flat on her way to work, had it taken care of but didn't show up to work afterwards or call out.

[Anonymous]

I would do whatever I could to find out if she is alive and well. But if she is you need a new nanny. Can you go to her house? Call her family or friends ? Maybe have the police do a welfare check?

[Anonymous]

I would text her, and also leave a message. I'd say that I'm really concerned about her, especially since she hasn't shown up for work for two days and you have heard nothing.

I'd ask her to get in touch with me asap, and if I didn't hear back from her within a few hours I'll have the police come do a welfare check.

Then see what happens.

If no response, get the welfare check made.

No matter what happens, unless she is unconscious in a hospital somewhere, I think you need to consider her a former employee and find a new nanny.

There is no scenario other than an incapacitating medical emergency in which someone cannot get word to an employer within 2 days explaining why they have failed to show up for work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I haven't heard from the nanny yet. When I called her yesterday morning her phone rang then went to voicemail so I doubt her phone was stolen.

Her check was a day or so late because of holiday. It does seem strange that she would ask me to "wire money" and not hear back after that. I am thinking maybe if I won't have heard from her by tomorrow I could ask one of her friends to check on her? It's just strange that she had a flat on her way to work, had it taken care of but didn't show up to work afterwards or call out.

I hope you stopped payment on that paycheck so she didn't get paid once by the wired money and once by the payroll company.