Hypothetical Q

[Anonymous]

Nanny wants to take an extended vacation -- does not have enough vacation days to cover the full trip, so several days would be unpaid. Before going, nanny offers to work a Monday (she usually works Tues-Fri) in exchange for an extra vacation day.

At what rate do you pay the nanny? Overtime rate since she worked the 50 hours in a week, or regular rate since the family is being flexible in an effort to keep her from having too many unpaid days and vacation is paid at the regular rate?

[Anonymous]

Regular rate. As an MB that's the only way this would work for me, or she's going to have to take those days unpaid.

[Anonymous]

Legally, you have to pay overtime. That is why banking hours is illegal, too. OT law is OT law. Which is why I would likely say "no" to this scenario.

But I agree with the above poster. I would only agree if a) I actually needed help that day, b) she could still do her full week without collapsing from exhaustion, and c) it wasn't going to cost me extra.

Otherwise, you might as well just pay her for another vacation day, since OT means you'd be paying for half a day already.

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny and if I offended this, I would expect it to be at straight time. Yes it would technically be OT, but this is basically comp time she's working for.

[Anonymous]

Straight time, She is just trading hours.
If you needed her to work Monday one week instead of Friday you would just switch days. You wouldnt pay her OT and then use a vacation day for the Friday.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. In this scenario, I would not expect to be paid OT for working an extra day in exchange for an extra day of vacation. MB, make sure that 1) Nanny is aware that she will receive her regular rate for working that Monday. 2) Do not honor the request just because you feel obligated to. Yes, it would be nice of you to honor this request. However, make sure that you won't be upset with your decision later.