Nanny pay question

[Anonymous]

Would love to know what others think is fair...

We've had our nanny for 4 years now and absolutely love her. She takes care of our one son who is almost 4.5. He will be in school from 8:30-2:30 starting in September, so we don't really need her full time. That said, DH and I travel often for work, there are a ton of holidays, free time in the summer, etc and we have no local family, so for now we need to keep the nanny on "full time" for those times we do need her. The plan is to have her work MWF from 2:30-6:30, and then 8am to 6:30pm on Tues and Thurs. She will take our son to school, then come back and do his laundry, run errands for us, etc.

Even though we are cutting her hours significantly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we will not be cutting her pay as we know she needs full time pay, not part time.

But here is my question... do we still need to give her an annual raise next month even though we are about to cut her hours? WWYd?

[Anonymous]

No I would not give her a raise.

[Anonymous]

Yes, of course. A cost of living increase only but an increase.

[Anonymous]

Explain the situation to her.
If I were in her shoes, a lack of raise wouldn't be a big deal. Assuming you're already paying her an appropriate amount.

[Anonymous]

But you still need your nanny to be available to work MWF for the full day in case there is a holiday, or sick day, or summer vacation or you're both out of town? So she cannot get another job for those hours?

Yes, she still deserves a raise. Her rent will not stop increasing and neither will the cost of food.

[Anonymous]

Considering her job will now entail much more free time, I would not give her a raise.

As long as you are not asking her to do any housework such as mopping floors or scrubbing the bathtub.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But you still need your nanny to be available to work MWF for the full day in case there is a holiday, or sick day, or summer vacation or you're both out of town? So she cannot get another job for those hours?

Yes, she still deserves a raise. Her rent will not stop increasing and neither will the cost of food.

+1 Plus will she need to be on-call those MWF mornings in case the school calls and one of the kids is sick and needs to be picked up immediately?

A COL raise, OP.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. If it was phrased that i was to be on call during the school day, but would have guaranteed hours that would be the same during summer and breaks, I wouldn't need a raise. However, if the guaranteed hours were less than what is normally worked during summer and other breaks, then yes, I would want a raise.

On the other hand, those hours are perfect for researching activities, sorting out clothes and toys for donation, etc. Your child is at an age where there is no nap to do those things. Even doing laundry and making snack before pick up is great.

If you travel for work, are you both gone overnight at some point? Think through the ramifications.

[Anonymous]

We're in the same boat and most definitely did a raise to help offset the fact that our nanny will be working less hours come September. While she won't be making the same amount then that she does now, with holidays, sick days, full days for errands, etc., plus the raise, it shouldn't be too big of a pay cut overall. We felt like we had to keep her pay relatively the same since we need her to be on call every day in case of illness or other unexpected issues. Also, since we've had her for years now, and she's gotten raises every year, I believe she's still making more with us now than she would if she were to start somewhere new, even if she isn't doing the same amount of hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat and most definitely did a raise to help offset the fact that our nanny will be working less hours come September. While she won't be making the same amount then that she does now, with holidays, sick days, full days for errands, etc., plus the raise, it shouldn't be too big of a pay cut overall. We felt like we had to keep her pay relatively the same since we need her to be on call every day in case of illness or other unexpected issues. Also, since we've had her for years now, and she's gotten raises every year, I believe she's still making more with us now than she would if she were to start somewhere new, even if she isn't doing the same amount of hours.

This family says that they're not cutting her pay, which means they are still paying for full time hours. I would not give a raise, guarantee the full number of hours at the old rate, but come to the understanding that on weeks you are out of town or there is a holiday, those "extra" hours, even if they aren't on her usual schedule, will first come out of the guaranteed number of hours for the week, and then will be paid at overtime/overnight rates. If they want to give a raise, fine, but I think the extra time off at full time pay is this year's perk. Also, what I would not do is agree to pay overtime on all hours outside the 8-6:30 schedule on weeks when they need her, say, overnight on a Thursday.

It is not legal to bank hours outside of a weekly pay period, but it is legal to do it within a pay period, and that is what I would ask for in exchange. So in any given week, they have 52.5 hours to use for the same pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat and most definitely did a raise to help offset the fact that our nanny will be working less hours come September. While she won't be making the same amount then that she does now, with holidays, sick days, full days for errands, etc., plus the raise, it shouldn't be too big of a pay cut overall. We felt like we had to keep her pay relatively the same since we need her to be on call every day in case of illness or other unexpected issues. Also, since we've had her for years now, and she's gotten raises every year, I believe she's still making more with us now than she would if she were to start somewhere new, even if she isn't doing the same amount of hours.

This family says that they're not cutting her pay, which means they are still paying for full time hours. I would not give a raise, guarantee the full number of hours at the old rate, but come to the understanding that on weeks you are out of town or there is a holiday, those "extra" hours, even if they aren't on her usual schedule, will first come out of the guaranteed number of hours for the week, and then will be paid at overtime/overnight rates. If they want to give a raise, fine, but I think the extra time off at full time pay is this year's perk. Also, what I would not do is agree to pay overtime on all hours outside the 8-6:30 schedule on weeks when they need her, say, overnight on a Thursday.

It is not legal to bank hours outside of a weekly pay period, but it is legal to do it within a pay period, and that is what I would ask for in exchange. So in any given week, they have 52.5 hours to use for the same pay.

Where does the law say WEEKLY pay period?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But you still need your nanny to be available to work MWF for the full day in case there is a holiday, or sick day, or summer vacation or you're both out of town? So she cannot get another job for those hours?

Yes, she still deserves a raise. Her rent will not stop increasing and neither will the cost of food.

+1 Plus will she need to be on-call those MWF mornings in case the school calls and one of the kids is sick and needs to be picked up immediately?

A COL raise, OP.

I agree. If she were completely free during this time (year round), then I would feel differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat and most definitely did a raise to help offset the fact that our nanny will be working less hours come September. While she won't be making the same amount then that she does now, with holidays, sick days, full days for errands, etc., plus the raise, it shouldn't be too big of a pay cut overall. We felt like we had to keep her pay relatively the same since we need her to be on call every day in case of illness or other unexpected issues. Also, since we've had her for years now, and she's gotten raises every year, I believe she's still making more with us now than she would if she were to start somewhere new, even if she isn't doing the same amount of hours.

This family says that they're not cutting her pay, which means they are still paying for full time hours. I would not give a raise, guarantee the full number of hours at the old rate, but come to the understanding that on weeks you are out of town or there is a holiday, those "extra" hours, even if they aren't on her usual schedule, will first come out of the guaranteed number of hours for the week, and then will be paid at overtime/overnight rates. If they want to give a raise, fine, but I think the extra time off at full time pay is this year's perk. Also, what I would not do is agree to pay overtime on all hours outside the 8-6:30 schedule on weeks when they need her, say, overnight on a Thursday.

It is not legal to bank hours outside of a weekly pay period, but it is legal to do it within a pay period, and that is what I would ask for in exchange. So in any given week, they have 52.5 hours to use for the same pay.

Where does the law say WEEKLY pay period?

Since you asked, the Federal Department of Labor (https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime_pay.htm):

The federal overtime provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay. There is no limit in the Act on the number of hours employees aged 16 and older may work in any workweek. The Act does not require overtime pay for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or regular days of rest, unless overtime is worked on such days.

The Act applies on a workweek basis. An employee's workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours — seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It need not coincide with the calendar week, but may begin on any day and at any hour of the day. Different workweeks may be established for different employees or groups of employees. Averaging of hours over two or more weeks is not permitted. Normally, overtime pay earned in a particular workweek must be paid on the regular pay day for the pay period in which the wages were earned.

As long as the hours are worked WITHIN the 7-day pay period, there is no requirement that they be worked on any particular schedule (banking scheduled hours not used on Monday to be used on Friday night -- the gov't does not care that you have a standard work week if you don't actually work it). You can't pay for them one week at the regular rate and then use them the next to avoid paying overtime on additional hours, however (banking hours from week one to use in week two).

[Anonymous]

MB here also with no family in the area. I'd give her the usual raise in order to reserve her hours in case you do need her full-time during the week. You never know when you or DH and/or your child may fall ill, or there is some other unexpected need for coverage on a particular day or several days. Being able to have someone reliable, competent and trustworthy to care for your child while you are working is an absolute necessity for two working parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat and most definitely did a raise to help offset the fact that our nanny will be working less hours come September. While she won't be making the same amount then that she does now, with holidays, sick days, full days for errands, etc., plus the raise, it shouldn't be too big of a pay cut overall. We felt like we had to keep her pay relatively the same since we need her to be on call every day in case of illness or other unexpected issues. Also, since we've had her for years now, and she's gotten raises every year, I believe she's still making more with us now than she would if she were to start somewhere new, even if she isn't doing the same amount of hours.

This family says that they're not cutting her pay, which means they are still paying for full time hours. I would not give a raise, guarantee the full number of hours at the old rate, but come to the understanding that on weeks you are out of town or there is a holiday, those "extra" hours, even if they aren't on her usual schedule, will first come out of the guaranteed number of hours for the week, and then will be paid at overtime/overnight rates. If they want to give a raise, fine, but I think the extra time off at full time pay is this year's perk. Also, what I would not do is agree to pay overtime on all hours outside the 8-6:30 schedule on weeks when they need her, say, overnight on a Thursday.

It is not legal to bank hours outside of a weekly pay period, but it is legal to do it within a pay period, and that is what I would ask for in exchange. So in any given week, they have 52.5 hours to use for the same pay.

Where does the law say WEEKLY pay period?

Since you asked, the Federal Department of Labor (https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime_pay.htm):

The federal overtime provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay. There is no limit in the Act on the number of hours employees aged 16 and older may work in any workweek. The Act does not require overtime pay for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or regular days of rest, unless overtime is worked on such days.

The Act applies on a workweek basis. An employee's workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours — seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It need not coincide with the calendar week, but may begin on any day and at any hour of the day. Different workweeks may be established for different employees or groups of employees. Averaging of hours over two or more weeks is not permitted. Normally, overtime pay earned in a particular workweek must be paid on the regular pay day for the pay period in which the wages were earned.

As long as the hours are worked WITHIN the 7-day pay period, there is no requirement that they be worked on any particular schedule (banking scheduled hours not used on Monday to be used on Friday night -- the gov't does not care that you have a standard work week if you don't actually work it). You can't pay for them one week at the regular rate and then use them the next to avoid paying overtime on additional hours, however (banking hours from week one to use in week two).

+1
http://info.homeworksolutions.com/blog/overtime-v.-comp-time-why-banking-hours-is-wrong-for-your-household-employee