Have to let nanny go

[Anonymous]

My youngest just got off a daycare wait list, so we've decided to send her there in September. Our current nanny has been with us not quite a year and has only watched our youngest, not the older two (much older). We are giving her 5 weeks notice instead of the 2 weeks that is in our contract. What, if any, severance should I pay? I'm planning to pay her for unused vacation days, but not sure if I should do something else since we are giving so much notice. There is no mention of severance in our contract.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Did your nanny know you were waiting for a spot in daycare?

[Anonymous]

Technically, you don't have to pay severance if you are giving her proper notice. If you can swing it, it's obviously nice. I'd try to do a week's pay and aggressively help her find a new job. This is a decent time of year to find a new family so hopefully she will not have any trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Technically, you don't have to pay severance if you are giving her proper notice. If you can swing it, it's obviously nice. I'd try to do a week's pay and aggressively help her find a new job. This is a decent time of year to find a new family so hopefully she will not have any trouble. [/quote

PP here - by aggressively help her, I mean to do things like post a rave review on here, post on your neighborhood listserve, Nextdoor, Facebook groups. A glowing recommendation from her current employer should go a long way.

[Anonymous]

It’s almost August so I’m assuming most families are looking for new care for the new school year. As someone said above help her find a family. 5 weeks is a lot of time and better than 2 weeks, but there’s always a chance it’ll take her longer to find another family. As I said, after school nannies are needed right now due to school starting in a couple weeks. However, she might be looking for full time so it’s best to try and give her recommendations on Facebook etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did your nanny know you were waiting for a spot in daycare?

This.

Families, if you are planning on putting your kids in daycare please tell potential hires.

Twice I’ve been told a family wanted long term care only to find out a few months in they just needed me until a daycare spot opened. It’s a waste of my time.

[Anonymous]

She was there less than a year. No need for severance. I'd just give a good reference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s almost August so I’m assuming most families are looking for new care for the new school year. As someone said above help her find a family. 5 weeks is a lot of time and better than 2 weeks, but there’s always a chance it’ll take her longer to find another family. As I said, after school nannies are needed right now due to school starting in a couple weeks. However, she might be looking for full time so it’s best to try and give her recommendations on Facebook etc [/quote


Not true. I hate this logic from parents. Parents looking for help with achooo kids is great for a part-time nanny, but it’s not relevant for a full-time nanny like OPs. A full-time nanny isn’t going gi just switch to after school. I am a full-time nanny ( work with infants), and I was annoyed when I was told this by a former employer. I had to tell them that I’m a full-time nanny for infants, not a part-time nanny for school aged kids, so the timing of kids going back to ahxooo has little to no relevance on my job search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s almost August so I’m assuming most families are looking for new care for the new school year. As someone said above help her find a family. 5 weeks is a lot of time and better than 2 weeks, but there’s always a chance it’ll take her longer to find another family. As I said, after school nannies are needed right now due to school starting in a couple weeks. However, she might be looking for full time so it’s best to try and give her recommendations on Facebook etc

Not true. I hate this logic from parents. Parents looking for help with achooo kids is great for a part-time nanny, but it’s not relevant for a full-time nanny like OPs. A full-time nanny isn’t going gi just switch to after school. I am a full-time nanny ( work with infants), and I was annoyed when I was told this by a former employer. I had to tell them that I’m a full-time nanny for infants, not a part-time nanny for school aged kids, so the timing of kids going back to ahxooo has little to no relevance on my job search.

[Anonymous]

Our nanny had been with us a year and we recently gave her a months notice ( instead of the 2 weeks in our contract like you). No serverence but will give her a small parting gift. For most it’s either adequate notice OR severance not both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your nanny know you were waiting for a spot in daycare?

This.

Families, if you are planning on putting your kids in daycare please tell potential hires.

Twice I’ve been told a family wanted long term care only to find out a few months in they just needed me until a daycare spot opened. It’s a waste of my time.

Since most daycare/preschool lists can be years long you never know when you will get a spot. It took me two years to get a spot for my oldest and 6 months to get a spot for my youngest. Nannies must assume that kids are going to go to school at some point (typically sometime when they are between 2 and 4 years old).

[Anonymous]

Do you need her to stay the entire 5 weeks? I would offer her a week’s pay as a retention bonus. Was she planning on having this job for years to come?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks All.

I'd like her to stay, but if she receives another offer that starts earlier I would encourage her to take it and we would make due. I want her to be set up in a good position more than I want the coverage. She's a great nanny, we just need to do what's best for our family. I wouldn't think she was planning on having the job for years as most kids start preschool around age 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks All.

I'd like her to stay, but if she receives another offer that starts earlier I would encourage her to take it and we would make due. I want her to be set up in a good position more than I want the coverage. She's a great nanny, we just need to do what's best for our family. I wouldn't think she was planning on having the job for years as most kids start preschool around age 3.

Full time school at three has been proven to have negative affects on children. I have never left a family when the child was 3 and I would never accept a position that was temporary as they waited for daycare, unless the family lied about it. I would give her severace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your nanny know you were waiting for a spot in daycare?

This.

Families, if you are planning on putting your kids in daycare please tell potential hires.

Twice I’ve been told a family wanted long term care only to find out a few months in they just needed me until a daycare spot opened. It’s a waste of my time.

Since most daycare/preschool lists can be years long you never know when you will get a spot. It took me two years to get a spot for my oldest and 6 months to get a spot for my youngest. Nannies must assume that kids are going to go to school at some point (typically sometime when they are between 2 and 4 years old).

There’s a huge difference between daycare and preschool or kindergarten. Nannies plan on the slow transition to a few hours of preschool 1-2 days per week starting around 2, then increasing every year until kinder.