Nanny got in car accident

[Anonymous]

Our nanny was in a pretty bad car accident, without the kids thankfully. She is OK but it was determined to be her fault. I do not feel comfortable keeping her employed as I will worry about her driving the children constantly. I would like to let her go. There have been other issues as well that make this decision easier. She has been with us for 8 months. Any advice for how to do this fairly? It is our first time.
Thank you.

[Anonymous]

No written agreement? Then given her either at least 2 weeks notice, or 2 weeks severance. That would be minimal.

[Anonymous]

Do you have backup care? If so, I would give her two weeks severance and let her go immediately. No point in drawing it out if you don't trust her driving your kids.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

OP said this was not a minor accident and there were other reasons the nanny was not a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

OP said this was not a minor accident and there were other reasons the nanny was not a good fit.

OP's kids were not in the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

That's great and all but that's really dangerous. Actually pretty common for fatal car accidents when the car crosses to the oncoming traffic. Taking your eyes off the road like that is a big, big no no. To me it's the same as looking down at your phone while driving. If you're distracted to the point you are having trouble concentrating on your driving, pull over! If I had gotten into the accident you described, I would have understood if my nanny family fired me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

That's great and all but that's really dangerous. Actually pretty common for fatal car accidents when the car crosses to the oncoming traffic. Taking your eyes off the road like that is a big, big no no. To me it's the same as looking down at your phone while driving. If you're distracted to the point you are having trouble concentrating on your driving, pull over! If I had gotten into the accident you described, I would have understood if my nanny family fired me.

This is the PP, I was in a parking lot and going slowly anyway. I am not excusing my decision to turn around briefly, I know it was a mistake, but I was not turning around while in traffic or driving fast. I should have stopped and then spoken to them, I get that. But my point is, My family forgave me, and I worked for them for 7 more years and we had a great relationship. I would not use one incident like that to fire someone that I liked in every other way. Now if OP has other reasons for not liking the Nanny that is a separate issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a stupid reason to get rid of someone and I say that as a Mom and a former Nanny.
I got in a minor accident when I was a Nanny, The kids were 1 and 3 and were in the car. They were both arguing with each other and screaming and I couldnt concentrate, I turned around for a second to tell them to be quiet and I sideswiped a parked car. Totally my fault but I wasn't being deliberately negligent. I worked for that family for 7 happy years and never got in another accident.

That's great and all but that's really dangerous. Actually pretty common for fatal car accidents when the car crosses to the oncoming traffic. Taking your eyes off the road like that is a big, big no no. To me it's the same as looking down at your phone while driving. If you're distracted to the point you are having trouble concentrating on your driving, pull over! If I had gotten into the accident you described, I would have understood if my nanny family fired me.

This is the PP, I was in a parking lot and going slowly anyway. I am not excusing my decision to turn around briefly, I know it was a mistake, but I was not turning around while in traffic or driving fast. I should have stopped and then spoken to them, I get that. But my point is, My family forgave me, and I worked for them for 7 more years and we had a great relationship. I would not use one incident like that to fire someone that I liked in every other way. Now if OP has other reasons for not liking the Nanny that is a separate issue.

OP's post says it was a bad accident.. enough that she no longer trusts the nanny driving her kids. OP also says there are other reasons for letting the nanny go.

Her situation and yours are not the same.

If I couldn't trust the nanny to drive my kids there would be no point in having her with them.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you question her ability to safely take care of your children then it is time for a new nanny. I am a nanny and I expect my employers to be thrilled with my performance on a multitude of levels. We all make mistakes, but we don't all make a ton of mistakes and we dont all make dangerous mistakes.

[Anonymous]

"You're fired."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our nanny was in a pretty bad car accident, without the kids thankfully. She is OK but it was determined to be her fault. I do not feel comfortable keeping her employed as I will worry about her driving the children constantly. I would like to let her go. There have been other issues as well that make this decision easier. She has been with us for 8 months. Any advice for how to do this fairly? It is our first time.
Thank you.

let her go with two weeks pay.
trust is broken, your peace of mind is important. don't dwell on this.

Same thing happened to us with a bad accident at the playground. we just couldn't keep her and we all had to move on, separately.