need advice on camera use

[Anonymous]

So, I've been at this job for a couple of months now. When I started the job with them they never mentioned anything about cameras and I didn't care to ask. Once I started I noticed one camera, because its in a place that's very obvious and visible. I never thought much about it, its okay by me, parents have the right to see whats going on in their home, while (nanny) someone they don't really know is watching over their child. I'm not opposed to cameras, if I were a parent I would have them too.

Months in, in a conversation with my MB I mentioned the word camera, relating to something different (that I had found their back up baby monitor), but before I explained myself better, I could see a brief sing of shock, like I had discovered something I shouldn't have. That and another thing that happened makes me believe that theres a possibility of other cameras that I'm not aware of. Should I be concerned? Is it legal to have hidden cameras in the house to monitor your nanny? Should they have been upfront about it from the beginning and had said something to me, like, "we have x number of cameras in the house"?. I don't need to know where they are. But if you put one in a obvious place and than hid others in the house and never said anything, I see that as a red flag. Is this common? Am I overreacting?

Maybe its how it is, I don't plan on saying anything...just wanted to know whats the right etiquette when it comes to cameras.

Thanks in advance for all the helpful advice/opinions. And if you don't have anything nice or constructive to say, please say nothing at all.

[Anonymous]

You seem confused, OP. What's your question?

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny & personally believe in full disclosure from the get go.

To film you w/out your knowledge is unethical. In the state I live in (CA) it is illegal to record audio w/out disclosing it to the other party.

In all honesty, if a family is willing to film you w/out telling you ahead of time, then they are starting their relationship with you based on deception. And that never bodes well for any type of relationship.

Who knows if there are cameras in the bathroom that this family may view for their jollies.
They probably have a GPS on the stroller.

I would quit.
I need to be able to fully trust my employers.
Otherwise I am just selling myself short.

[Anonymous]

I agree, get another job.

[Anonymous]

She is not confused sounding PP. She knows there is one camera but is concerned now that there may be more that she doesnt know about.

I would sit down with them and ask.

[Anonymous]

OP here. How should I approach this conversation with them, without seeming defensive? I'm actually very happy with this job otherwise, but it's been bothering me and I need to respect what I'm feeling and say something to them about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. How should I approach this conversation with them, without seeming defensive? I'm actually very happy with this job otherwise, but it's been bothering me and I need to respect what I'm feeling and say something to them about it.

Nanny of 5 years here with different families.

Well honestly, you should be a little bit defensive. They were disingenuous from the beginning and that just shows you that theres other things they could be lying to you about or not being up front about. The fact that the mom realized you could have found the camera, was visibly shocked about it in front of you yet still never said anything in regards to it. That seems very off to me and shady. Personally I would approach them about it and let them know I was not comfortable with being filmed without my knowledge and felt it odd because now im thinking what else they arent being honest about. If they lie about it or refuse to change anything or discuss with you and especially admit that they were wrong in not being up front with you about it, I would start my search for a new job. Because filming someone without their knowledge is plain rude. Its an invasion of privacy. Id be wondering if they had cameras in the bathroom or not.

Any who, since you are obviously not as appalled as I would be lol, I would ask both parents to sit down to speak with you and then before you begin the conversation, ask them to please be honest going forth in the conversation and in return you will as well. Let them know that you noticed the first camera and you're curious if there are more in the house, whether or not they are live feed, how often they check them. And finally ask why you were not warned about the cameras in the first place. Let them know that you feel its fine for the cameras to be there, you feel they have a right to view whats going on in their home with their child. But you feel uncomfortable being filmed without your knowledge and its unprofessional that they weren't honest with you from the beginning.

[Anonymous]

I'd just leave. You can't trust these people.

[Anonymous]

They don't trust you ,this should have been discussed in the interview and place in the contract. This is my advice to you LEAVE that job as soon as you can these are the type of parents who gives you no warning and fire you while handing you your check.