Nanny is late regularly

[Anonymous]

We hired our first nanny a few months ago and she is great in so many ways, but she is late to work 3 out of 5 days per week and it’s starting to really annoy us. She takes the Metro to get to us and we are only a 2 minute walk from the station, however she texts me nearly every morning to say that the trains are delayed and she will be there as soon as possible. I know there are delays that are completely out of her control, but is it wrong of me to expect her to leave a buffer to still make it on time despite the delays?

I usually need a good 5 mins to get out the door once the nanny comes (DH leaves for work much earlier) and the later I leave the worse the traffic is, which makes me really late to work a few times per week.

We have spoken to the nanny about this and the importance of being on time and she is apologetic but just keeps saying it’s out of her hands when the metro is delayed and that’s that. The obvious solution is for her to leave a little earlier but is that unreasonable?

How should we handle this?

[Anonymous]

If she allows plenty of time and trains are delayed, break down, it isn't her fault just as if you run into a horrible traffic jam two or three times a week and are late coming home isn't your fault. If you want her to be there five minutes early then you have to pay for this.

[Anonymous]

Simply tell her that being late is unacceptable and she must be on time.

- a nanny who is never late

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she allows plenty of time and trains are delayed, break down, it isn't her fault just as if you run into a horrible traffic jam two or three times a week and are late coming home isn't your fault. If you want her to be there five minutes early then you have to pay for this.

Nonsense. Any adult employee in any field can figure out how to be on time for work. Same goes for parents coming home in the evening.

[Anonymous]

If you are late for work you will be out of a job. If you are out of a job, then she will be as well. Her being late more than a few times a year is not an option. It is not out of her hands. She needs to come up with a way to be on time, or find other employment.

[Anonymous]

My start time is 8. I leave my house at 7am and end up sitting in my car for 30mins outside until my start time, just in case anything happens with traffic. Maybe once in 8 years there’s been traffic and I needed those 30 minsZ I still leave that buffer just in case. If I took the metro, I’d use a buffer then sit at the metro or a cafe until start time. Your nanny is irresponsible and doesn’t respect your time.

[Anonymous]

Unacceptable. I have a nanny who takes mass transit to our house. If they arrive early, they sometimes sit outside listening to their air pods, or reading, and sometimes come in early.

If I were in your position I would start looking for someone new.

-MB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are late for work you will be out of a job. If you are out of a job, then she will be as well. Her being late more than a few times a year is not an option. It is not out of her hands. She needs to come up with a way to be on time, or find other employment.

This.

You don't have to say it quite this baldly to her, but pretty close. "Jane, when you're late - I'm late. When I'm late my boss notices and my colleagues notice and it's bad for me. You need to allow sufficient time to get here on time, or we will need to change your hours so that the day starts earlier. Which would be easier for you?"

[Anonymous]

Grown-ups all over the world manage to get to work on time. You tell this nanny that she will be fired if she’s late again.

I am a nanny who is never late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My start time is 8. I leave my house at 7am and end up sitting in my car for 30mins outside until my start time, just in case anything happens with traffic. Maybe once in 8 years there’s been traffic and I needed those 30 minsZ I still leave that buffer just in case. If I took the metro, I’d use a buffer then sit at the metro or a cafe until start time. Your nanny is irresponsible and doesn’t respect your time.

Well that’s extreme! I understand leaving early but sitting in a car for 30mins on a regular basis is plain stupid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are late for work you will be out of a job. If you are out of a job, then she will be as well. Her being late more than a few times a year is not an option. It is not out of her hands. She needs to come up with a way to be on time, or find other employment.

This.

You don't have to say it quite this baldly to her, but pretty close. "Jane, when you're late - I'm late. When I'm late my boss notices and my colleagues notice and it's bad for me. You need to allow sufficient time to get here on time, or we will need to change your hours so that the day starts earlier. Which would be easier for you?"

disagree with the bolded. don't reward her with extra pay/overtime because she can't manage to get to work on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My start time is 8. I leave my house at 7am and end up sitting in my car for 30mins outside until my start time, just in case anything happens with traffic. Maybe once in 8 years there’s been traffic and I needed those 30 minsZ I still leave that buffer just in case. If I took the metro, I’d use a buffer then sit at the metro or a cafe until start time. Your nanny is irresponsible and doesn’t respect your time.

Well that’s extreme! I understand leaving early but sitting in a car for 30mins on a regular basis is plain stupid

It isn’t stupid - it’s professional. I am always early too but usually go right in and start work. A nanny is the first in the chain - if she is late then the parents are late. If the parents are late their appointments/ clients/ patients are late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My start time is 8. I leave my house at 7am and end up sitting in my car for 30mins outside until my start time, just in case anything happens with traffic. Maybe once in 8 years there’s been traffic and I needed those 30 minsZ I still leave that buffer just in case. If I took the metro, I’d use a buffer then sit at the metro or a cafe until start time. Your nanny is irresponsible and doesn’t respect your time.

Well that’s extreme! I understand leaving early but sitting in a car for 30mins on a regular basis is plain stupid

It isn’t stupid - it’s professional. I am always early too but usually go right in and start work. A nanny is the first in the chain - if she is late then the parents are late. If the parents are late their appointments/ clients/ patients are late.

As an MB, this would annoy me. 5 min no issues. More than 15 min? I'm probably still getting ready and half dressed. Plus I don't want to pay OT just because you're early

[Anonymous]

OP - its time to find another nanny. Reasonably, you could expect someone to be late due to unforeseen circumstances one to two times a month. 3 days a week - that's all her.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm as far as I know if you work for apple and I believe you’re late once- you’re gone for good
It’s unacceptable
Especially if it makes you late too
Do you want to lose your job? Surprised you didn’t lose your job yet....because of you being late because of her