Nanny Long-term Leave - What to do?

[Anonymous]

Our nanny of 3.5 years, who we love dearly, has to take some long-term leave due to an illness in her family. It will be around 3 weeks. I am not sure what to do as we will have to hire a temporary nanny and we cannot afford to pay both. She is already out of sick leave and took all her paid vacation. I feel heartless for having to tell her she will have to take it unpaid. How have others handled this situation? We are very generous with leave in general and also pay and benefits (full healthcare paid and 401K). Thanks.

[Anonymous]

There's not really any question in your question. You can't afford to be as generous as you wish you could be. You tell her that.

[Anonymous]

If she is out of all her leave then it has to be unpaid. If you feel generous you could maybe give her 50% of what she normally makes, as a kind gesture.
If she worked any other job it would be unpaid once all the leave has been used.

[Anonymous]

OP here - i guess my question is how to others handle long term leave by nannies - paid? unpaid? 50%? PP suggestion of 50% is helpful for consideration. TIA.

[Anonymous]

I would have her take it unpaid, but still contribute
to her 401 and pay her health insurance. By the way
having a 401 for her is very generous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have her take it unpaid, but still contribute
to her 401 and pay her health insurance. By the way
having a 401 for her is very generous.

Agree, but must add that most decent jobs have a 401, don't they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have her take it unpaid, but still contribute
to her 401 and pay her health insurance. By the way
having a 401 for her is very generous.

This is what I would do.

[Anonymous]

Unpaid since she used up all her vacation. Although that shouldn't be possible, which is on you OP. My nanny accrues a certain number of hours of vacation each pay period rather than being given a certain number of weeks at the start of each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unpaid since she used up all her vacation. Although that shouldn't be possible, which is on you OP. My nanny accrues a certain number of hours of vacation each pay period rather than being given a certain number of weeks at the start of each year.

This. I also would have the nanny take unpaid and continue to pay into her benefits. That is how other jobs are.

[Anonymous]

MB here. We had a nanny take 6 weeks off once, with no notice (death in the family, foreign country.) We paid her the whole time, maintained her health insurance, and hired a temporary nanny.

In retrospect I wish we had gone w/ the 50% option (or something along those lines) as she then seemed to decide that money was no object to us and we would become her "bank" for lots of other needs.

Do what you can OP. Keep her job open, pay her health insurance, if you can manage some level of pay that is a lovely thing, but leave without pay isn't unheard of (in any profession). Job security is a significant thing in stressful times also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - i guess my question is how to others handle long term leave by nannies - paid? unpaid? 50%? PP suggestion of 50% is helpful for consideration. TIA.

Three weeks is hardly long term leave. Three months, yes, but 3 weeks is vacation time. If you cannot afford to,pay her then just be honest. How difficult is this?

[Anonymous]

Do what you can afford - what you'd hope someone would do for you if they could.

Three weeks is not long term leave, it's a vacation. Maybe it's unpaid, maybe you can pay her a portion, only you know. When I took several months off for a surgery my NF continued to pay me my full salary. I was beyond grateful but I know they could only do that because grandma was covering for me. Nannies are people too, she'll understand what you can and can't do.

[Anonymous]

You would not be heartless at all if you didn't pay her for those three weeks. Any other job wouldn't.

Offer your sincere condolences to your beloved nanny & let her know her time taken off will be unpaid since you cannot afford to pay both her + a temporary nanny w/your budget.

A well-minded and mature nanny should understand the logistics financially.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Unpaid since she used up all her vacation. Although that shouldn't be possible, which is on you OP. My nanny accrues a certain number of hours of vacation each pay period rather than being given a certain number of weeks at the start of each year. [/quote]

This. I also would have the nanny take unpaid and continue to pay into her benefits. That is how other jobs are.[/quote]

Mine also accrues, but I can take it at any time. If I leave prematurely or am fired the vacation time will be takes from my final check. My husband's job is the same.

[Anonymous]

I also think you can factor in the 3.5 years here. If she has played by the "rules" until now, I would be very inclined to try to pay her something.