“We don’t need you the 15th so I’m going to have to watch my friends two girls”

[Anonymous]

Have you ever had this happen?

MB told me today they won’t need me a day next week and so she scheduled me to watch her friends kids all day. She didn’t even ask.

I don’t want to watch her friends kids. They’re terrible and an age group I don’t like working with.

I want to tell Mb no, but I know she’ll give me hell about it.

Help?!?!

[Anonymous]

Refuse. You were hired to be the nanny for her children and she does not have the right to "volunteer" you EVER. Stand up for yourself. If she gets mad then she can get glad. This should tell you what she thinks of you. Start looking for a new job.

You could tell her that the other MB will also have to pay you as well as your MB paying you.

[Anonymous]

"It seems we have a miscommunication about duties, MB. I agreed to care for YOUR children during days and times we set. I agreed to do the child-related non-childcare duties during times in which I don't need to be actively caring for YOUR children. I am happy to set up and host play dates for your children. However, I am not a lawnmower which can be loaned to friends when you aren't using it. We agreed to guaranteed hours, and if I don't need to care for the children on that day, there are others things which I would be happy to do. I can sanitize, sort and purge the playroom. I could sort the kids' clothes and bag them for donation. I'd be happy to research activities and events which will occur or start in the next few months. If there are any other child-related tasks you would like done that day, please, let me know! However, I will not be caring for your friend's children. I've found that play dates work well with children on my employers' friends, while direct care of their children leads to acrimony either between my employer and their friends or between my employer and me. Either way, thank you for the offer, but I'm not interested. If you would prefer that I am not here that day, I'd be happy to do the research at my home."

[Anonymous]

Absolutely refuse.

Yes, I had an employer I actually really liked (and still like) ask me to do this. I smiled and said - no, it doesn't work that way. I'm not a loan out. I agreed to work with Larla here in your home and not another child in a strange home. No. My employer was pissed and asked what she was paying me for with guaranteed hours and I said "To stay available to you". She was bugged but got over it.

[Anonymous]

Let us know but stand up for yourself!

[Anonymous]

Stand up for yourself or she will have more unreasonable requests from now on ...

Nanny -

[Anonymous]

You have to say no today, OP. Give her friend time to find other childcare.

Yes, it is wrong of your MB to expect you to go work for another family. But give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she simply didn't know. Say no or get on board with being treated like a prized cow for the rest of the time you are working for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to say no today, OP. Give her friend time to find other childcare.

Yes, it is wrong of your MB to expect you to go work for another family. But give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she simply didn't know. Say no or get on board with being treated like a prized cow for the rest of the time you are working for her.

Her MB. Didn't know that OP contracted to work only for her? If OP had negotiated with other MB the s&it would have hit the fan! OP's MB is treating her as though she is a servant. There is no benefit of the doubt to be given.

[Anonymous]

This is unusual for nannies, but she is probably thinking of it from an office work perspective (it wouldn’t be absurd to “lend” an employee to another department).

If you have a contract with guaranteed hours then I would simply tell your MB that you aren’t comfortable working for another family since your employment agreement is with her and then suggest some other child related tasks you could do that day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is unusual for nannies, but she is probably thinking of it from an office work perspective (it wouldn’t be absurd to “lend” an employee to another department).

If you have a contract with guaranteed hours then I would simply tell your MB that you aren’t comfortable working for another family since your employment agreement is with her and then suggest some other child related tasks you could do that day.

Do not say this. Being "comfortable" isn't something a boss has to care about. Completely changing the nature of your work agreement is. You need to go with what the PP said and say "no."

[Anonymous]

MB here. Wow. Absolutely tell her no and begin looking for a new job today!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely refuse.

Yes, I had an employer I actually really liked (and still like) ask me to do this. I smiled and said - no, it doesn't work that way. I'm not a loan out. I agreed to work with Larla here in your home and not another child in a strange home. No. My employer was pissed and asked what she was paying me for with guaranteed hours and I said "To stay available to you". She was bugged but got over it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is unusual for nannies, but she is probably thinking of it from an office work perspective (it wouldn’t be absurd to “lend” an employee to another department).

If you have a contract with guaranteed hours then I would simply tell your MB that you aren’t comfortable working for another family since your employment agreement is with her and then suggest some other child related tasks you could do that day.

No, a different family is akin to a different employer altogether. Your corporation wouldn't/couldn't "lend you out" to another corporation.
If you were to get injured at the other family's home, who would be responsible for you? Who's home insurance or worker's comp would cover your injury?
Just a bad idea all around. Not part of your contract at all. Just say no.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely, not okay! Tell her NO! Guaranteed hours means that you are promised to get (at least) X amount of hours per period- regardless if you work or not. So if they don't need you on a specific day, then they can give you the option to not come in (which most families do) or ask that although you aren't caring for A, do you mind doing child-related task or if in your contract, run errands etc. You have to nip that in the bud, immediately! Otherwise, in the future, she may make these types of arrangements again because she thinks it is right and that you're fine with it. However, if you don't speak up, at least let her know that her friend has to pay and pay YOUR babysitting rate (if different)- that's another reason why someone shouldn't volunteer your services without asking. Anyone I've worked for has always asked if they could share my info with a friend who is looking for a sitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MB here. Wow. Absolutely tell her no and begin looking for a new job today!

I would look for another job if she acts a fool, once I tell her "no!"