Family canceled spring break trip

[Anonymous]

I recently accepted a position with a great family. Part of the benefits package included a paid week off when they went away for spring break. Things have been going great. I'm very happy and they are as well.

I found out today that the family canceled their spring break trip. The kids were very disappointed, and I overheard MB telling the kids how much fun they'd have with me doing day trips. Clearly they are expecting me to work and didn't even directly approach me with the change in plans.

Not sure how to approach this. I like the family and the kids are great, but this week was promised and I've already made plans with my own family.
I don't want this to sour the relationship, especially so early on. Any advice on how to approach? Would love to hear from other employers.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

If it is in your contract, OP, you will get it off (or should get it off). Just be direct with your employers and tell them that you already made plans for the week.

[Anonymous]

Is it specifically in your agreement as a vacation week? Or did you get guaranteed hours and then they told you they would be away over Spring Break?

How was this week presented to you? I think you need to talk to them, but I also think you need to be prepared that both of you are going to believe you have the right of it.

You are going to believe they promised you the week off, and they are going to believe they said "if" they go away for Spring Break, or something similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it specifically in your agreement as a vacation week? Or did you get guaranteed hours and then they told you they would be away over Spring Break?

How was this week presented to you? I think you need to talk to them, but I also think you need to be prepared that both of you are going to believe you have the right of it.

You are going to believe they promised you the week off, and they are going to believe they said "if" they go away for Spring Break, or something similar.

I don't have a "formal" contract, but the negotiations were all via email, so it is in writing. I referred back to it to make sure that I didn't misunderstand. They first proposed 2 weeks and I asked for more to match what I was offere for another position. Their response was that my vacation would end up being slightly over four weeks because they would be taking a week off at Spring Break and then a week off in July. They specifically said that I did not to make up those days, and I would have 2 weeks off of my choosing and two weeks off due to their planned vacations.

I will definitely speak with them, just trying to figure out what is fair. Vacation time was the deciding factor between these the two positions so I'd hate to lose that week, especially since I have plans.

.

[Anonymous]

Say exactly what you just said here, and forward the email exchange, too.

This seems very cut and dry. If they try to argue, that's information you need about how they are to work for.

[Anonymous]

I would just tell them you made plans for that week. If they have an issue with it forward them the email.

[Anonymous]

I agree that you SHOULD be entitled to the week off, and I'd forward the email to them if they disagree. However, the way that they're handling this is really unfortunate. Since you've just started working with them and they're already just assuming it's okay to change plans and expect you to work even after they agreed you'd be off, I'd consider this a big red flag.

At the end of last April I was in negotiations with a new nanny family. At the first interview they said there would be paid holidays, paid sick days, two paid personal days of my choice, but no paid vacation of my choice. I started to say that wouldn't work for me, but they insisted that there would be 3 weeks off per year when they went on vacation, they said they take one week vacation every summer, every winter, and another week in spring or fall, and promised at least 12 weeks notice so I could plan my trips around theirs. I said I could consider that, and said I intended to take a full week off that summer which they said was fine. All of this was reiterated at the second interview, and a third "working" interview with both parents and the child present.

In early May they sent me a contract which also stated this ("three paid weeks off per year while family travels..."). I told them I was ready to come over and sign the contract and asked about the dates for their summer trip so I could book my plane ticket. Then they gave me the dates: 5 non consecutive days off (3 long weekends essentially). I told them I really needed a full week off, which is what we'd agreed to verbally and what was written in the contract. Then they changed the contract to say "fifteen days" instead of 3 weeks and claimed that when they said "3 weeks" they never actually meant a full week of consecutive days off was guaranteed.

I told them this was a deal breaker for me, both because of the pto itself but also because it felt like they were going back on their word and trust is very important to me. They sent me an angry email saying that I "misconstrued" our verbal agreement and how "unprofessional" it was of me to "back out of the job three weeks before the start date."

I definitely feel that I dodged a bullet with that family, and found another familythat pays better and lets me choose my two weeks off per year. I know you say everything else is going very well with this family, but PTO is a major part of a nanny's compensation package, and trust and being treated as a professional are also important values in this profession, so only you can decide if this is a deal breaker for you or not. Good luck.