Giving Notice

[Anonymous]

Our childcare written agreement states that a 30 day notice period should be provided from either party - I am the Nanny and want to give 2 weeks notice. My question: would you as an employer provide a good reference for someone who gave less notice than the stated period? That is if all else worked well with your employee.

[Anonymous]

No. I would not give a good recommendation to any employee who broke the contract without a compelling reason.

[Anonymous]

Be prepared, OP, to be let go on the spot.

[Anonymous]

No. You need to honor your contract, OP. I would not give you a positive recommendation if you didn't.

[Anonymous]

Just say you have a family emergency, and apologize profusely.

If the tables were turned, they'd do the same to you in a heartbeat. Everyone here knows that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be prepared, OP, to be let go on the spot.

Thanks - I am prepared for that possibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just say you have a family emergency, and apologize profusely.

If the tables were turned, they'd do the same to you in a heartbeat. Everyone here knows that.

Yes they would - but we would like to fool ourselves in believing otherwise

[Anonymous]

If you really NEED a good reference from them, then I would try my best to give a 30-day notice.

However if I had another job secured already & didn't really need the reference, I would leave in two weeks.

I don't know many other jobs that require the employee to give a 30-day notice to their bosses.

Good luck OP.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't give a good recommendation either if that happened, unless there were some serious extenuating circumstances (and "got a better job" would not be one of them). No other job "requires" employees to give 30 day notice -- legally with at-will employees no notice is required from either side -- but it's all about whether you want to burn those bridges.

[Anonymous]

^PP here. To clarify I would not change anything I say about your childcare ability (so if you were good with kids I would say that), but I would let anyone who called know that we had a 30 day notice agreement and you only gave 2 weeks. To most parents that would not be a positive reference.

[Anonymous]

If you are not honoring your contract you cannot expect to get a stellar reference.

Not sure why you even ask.

Honor your contract just as you would want and expect and deserve them to do for you.

[Anonymous]

Idk.

Ask you boss.

[Anonymous]

As an employer, I have always respected an employee that gave notice and did the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are not honoring your contract you cannot expect to get a stellar reference.

Not sure why you even ask.

Honor your contract just as you would want and expect and deserve them to do for you.

+1. Future employers will want to check all your references, not just your last one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't give a good recommendation either if that happened, unless there were some serious extenuating circumstances (and "got a better job" would not be one of them). No other job "requires" employees to give 30 day notice -- legally with at-will employees no notice is required from either side -- but it's all about whether you want to burn those bridges.

However, if you could hire someone cheaper or could get free childcare, you would not hesitate to let your nanny go with zero notice.