Caregiver looking for another job (I'm the MB)

[Anonymous]

Starting a couple months ago, I hired a sitter to watch my daughter a couple times a week. She actually is a professional nanny (sort of, she plans to do this for a few years before going back to school), but had been out of stable work for several months and was very happy to have a regular gig with us. We like her, and believe the feeling is mutual, but there's no bridging the gap between the 12-15 hours/week we give her and the 40-50 hours/week that she wants and needs. She watches DD in the morning and tells me that she is looking for an afternoon position, but she must be looking at full-time jobs and my guess is as soon as she finds one, she will drop us like a hot potato. I can find a replacement for her pretty easily and I'm wondering whether I should go ahead and let her go (with notice) before she lets us go. I feel kind of bad doing so knowing she has money troubles and given we have no major job performance issue, but I also don't want to be left in the lurch, scrambling to hire a replacement under pressure. We only really need her until early fall (she knows this). What is the best way of dealing with this?

[Anonymous]

Ask her. If the agreement was she needs a new job in the fall, now is an appropriate time to look.

[Anonymous]

If you can really "find a replacement for her pretty easily," why not wait and see?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask her. If the agreement was she needs a new job in the fall, now is an appropriate time to look.

+ 1. Just ask her. She actually is a thinking and speaking person who can understand both your situation and her own. Together you can come up with a solution.

[Anonymous]

Just because she's looking for an afternoon job doesn't mean she's looking for full time. I prefer to cobble together 2-3 part time jobs for various reasons. Your nanny might be the same. Don't make any assumptions especially since you say you could easily find a replacement. She could be turning down full time opportunities for you and then she'll feel like a chump when she gets screwed by you.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. I think she is generally an honorable person, but I'm afraid that out of desperation due to her financial difficulties, she might act less than honorably, such as leave without notice or not be forthcoming about looking for a full-time position. I'm not making assumptions out of thin air about her wanting a full-time position, I'm basing this on both things she says and doesn't say. She has never indicated that working two part-time positions is in any way beneficial for her and in fact, has made negative comments about part-time work, namely, that her past part-time employers would not guarantee hours or pay or offer benefits, and how difficult this was compared to her full-time gigs. I can find a replacement easily, but am more likely to make a sound hiring decision if I'm not under the pressure of trying to fill a vacant spot. In any case, I want to be fair to her, even if she might not be fair to me, so I will have a talk with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I think she is generally an honorable person, but I'm afraid that out of desperation due to her financial difficulties, she might act less than honorably, such as leave without notice or not be forthcoming about looking for a full-time position. I'm not making assumptions out of thin air about her wanting a full-time position, I'm basing this on both things she says and doesn't say. She has never indicated that working two part-time positions is in any way beneficial for her and in fact, has made negative comments about part-time work, namely, that her past part-time employers would not guarantee hours or pay or offer benefits, and how difficult this was compared to her full-time gigs. I can find a replacement easily, but am more likely to make a sound hiring decision if I'm not under the pressure of trying to fill a vacant spot. In any case, I want to be fair to her, even if she might not be fair to me, so I will have a talk with her.

"Less than honorably?" Is this your first part time nanny? It is very difficult to find a long term PT nanny. But the way you find someone who will stay at least a year is to look for someone who wants part time for whatever reason (their own kids, school, other family obligations, they only need supplementary income). Any time you hire someone who was also looking for full time work, you have to assume she will leave if the opportunity arises. Hopefully she'll give you two weeks notice. But since you're thinking about firing her just because she's looking, you might consider how that's any more "honorable" than her leaving without notice. She will nto be able to replace the job as easily as (you think) you can replace her, so you're planning to threaten her with unemployment to get her to commit to a job that won't pay her bills.

Rather than thinking in terms of what she owes you, how about thinking about the fact that right this moment, this arrangement is mutually beneficial, but that it is not the perfect situation for either of you. You "own" this potential loss of your nanny as much as she will if she leaves, because you hired someone who told you that she needed more hours to make it work.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you are likely right.

She is probably looking for a full-time position as we speak.

At least she has been honest w/you regarding needing more work hours.

Many Nannies wouldn't say a word.

Which makes me think she is a person of integrity who will not leave your family high + dry w/no childcare help.

She also sounds like a good, open communicator who is approachable & someone you can feel at ease with.

In all honesty, I would discuss my concerns with her.
Just choose your words very carefully.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I think she is generally an honorable person, but I'm afraid that out of desperation due to her financial difficulties, she might act less than honorably, such as leave without notice or not be forthcoming about looking for a full-time position. I'm not making assumptions out of thin air about her wanting a full-time position, I'm basing this on both things she says and doesn't say. She has never indicated that working two part-time positions is in any way beneficial for her and in fact, has made negative comments about part-time work, namely, that her past part-time employers would not guarantee hours or pay or offer benefits, and how difficult this was compared to her full-time gigs. I can find a replacement easily, but am more likely to make a sound hiring decision if I'm not under the pressure of trying to fill a vacant spot. In any case, I want to be fair to her, even if she might not be fair to me, so I will have a talk with her.

You told her you do not need her in the fall. Of course she's looking for a new job as in the fall she'll need one. Talk to her.