Rounding up and down hours

[Anonymous]

We pay our babysitter an hourly rate of $20. I usually round up to the nearest hour. She works for another family and other family sometimes makes her a little late for us, which I get is what we signed up for. I think she expects us to continue rounding up for each time she comes but hates when I reduce for when she is late. She stormed off early the last time we paid her so she was both late and left early. She is often 15-20 minutes late and then will leave 20 minutes after the hour. When we use her for one off nights, I would round up to next hour and she leaves happy. However, if she is 20 min late and leaves 20 min after the hour, I don't think I should have to round up to next hour.

She was obviously unhappy the last time she was here.

How should I address?

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny with years of experience. If she's 20 min late and leaves 20 min late, to me that seems like she's making up the 20 min she was late.
If her schedule is 2-4, she comes at 2:30-4:30, it's still 2 hours regardless. Unless I'm missunderstanding it

[Anonymous]

No, she is 20 minutes late, and then leaves 10 minutes before the end of a 2 hour period, is how I read this. So working 1 hour 50 minutes, instead of 2 (on top of being late to begin with).

[Anonymous]

Why not have a conversation with her and ask for her thoughts about the situation?

[Anonymous]

I think what OP is saying is that on babysitting nights she might work from 7-10:20 and OP pays for 4 hours. Nanny is happy. On regular days nanny might be late and work from 4:20-6:20 although she is scheduled to begin at 4. Nanny is unhappy she is only getting paid for 2 hours, not three. If this is the case, no, rounding down is never ok with actual hours worked - but there is certainly no call to round up based on scheduled start time if she is late.

Only way I can justify her annoyance is if the other employer is shorting her somehow on the time. But that's not your concern.

[Anonymous]

Agree with 12:42 - talk to her. She may be upset that she's made late for you and is just taking out misplaced anger at you.

[Anonymous]

She doesn't seem very professional to me if instead of communicating DIRECTLY w/you, she instead opts to "storm out" of your house.

If it were me, I would drop her like a hot potato just for her major attitude.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this situation should not be left up to your "kindness" (which I put in quotes, because the nanny doesn't see it that way). Talk to her about how you will deal with lateness and partial hours going forward.

And, you don't have to round up to an hour! Why not to a half hour or even 15 minute increments. My nanny's regular schedule is an 8.5 hr day; I don't pay for 9 hours just because ...

[Anonymous]

Find a new sitter or go by 15 minute increments. Technically how you do it makes sense but pay for actual time or time you promised her but didn't use.

[Anonymous]

If she is working two hours, pay her for two hours - concentrate more on the total number of hours than the time. If she works for 2.5 hours, pay for 2.5 hours, etc. I agree with PPs - use 15 or 30 minute increments in the future, and if you want to round up, round up to those numbers instead (2 hours and 10 minutes becomes 2 hours and 15 minutes, etc.).

[Anonymous]

You write down the exact time she arrives, in front of here, and the exact time you return/want her to leave. Do the math, round to 15 minute intervals not hourly ones.

So 4:20pm to 6:30pm is 2 hours and 15 minutes of pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You write down the exact time she arrives, in front of here, and the exact time you return/want her to leave. Do the math, round to 15 minute intervals not hourly ones.

So 4:20pm to 6:30pm is 2 hours and 15 minutes of pay.

15 min increments seems petty, I think you could do half hour increments though.
Agree with the PP that said pay actual time, not time on the clock. So if she works 2 real hours you pay for 2 hours. if she would 2 hours and 10 mins, you pay for 2 and a half hours.

[Anonymous]

How much do you want her to keep working with your children, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You write down the exact time she arrives, in front of here, and the exact time you return/want her to leave. Do the math, round to 15 minute intervals not hourly ones.

So 4:20pm to 6:30pm is 2 hours and 15 minutes of pay.

15 min increments seems petty, I think you could do half hour increments though.
Agree with the PP that said pay actual time, not time on the clock. So if she works 2 real hours you pay for 2 hours. if she would 2 hours and 10 mins, you pay for 2 and a half hours.

15 minutes is more than reasonable.