Au pair’s long weekend trips

[Anonymous]

We like our au pair, but holy cats - the number of long weekend trips she keeps putting in front of us are exhausting me! She’s been with us since December and has scheduled eight or nine of these trips, all of which include a Friday off and/or a Monday. She offers to work the evening she returns or the morning she departs so it’s not a vacation day, but it still means we have to take time off work to cover the hours she would have been scheduled that day. Anyone have good advice on how you’ve gently and fairly managed this is the past? She clearly wants to travel, which is great, but at this rate she’s taking or planning to take two (occasionally three) weekend trips per month.

[Anonymous]

You have a set schedule and count them as vacation days.

[Anonymous]

We allow 3 of those per year, otherwise she needs to use vacation

[Anonymous]

Yes- advice- tell her going forward, those will count as her vacation days. See how the situation will change pronto!

[Anonymous]

Just tell her "No sorry, that doesn't work for us. We would have to take time off from work and can't do that."

Why can't you just say no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just tell her "No sorry, that doesn't work for us. We would have to take time off from work and can't do that."

Why can't you just say no?

This exactly. You set the schedule. Any days off when she would be working are vacation days.

[Anonymous]

I use Google calendar to set my Au pair schedule, and I set them weeks in advance, She has to work around my schedule not the other way around. You don't need a conversation with her, just send her the schedule for the next two weeks and if she come asking for favor you say no. This is an easy one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tell her "No sorry, that doesn't work for us. We would have to take time off from work and can't do that."

Why can't you just say no?

This exactly. You set the schedule. Any days off when she would be working are vacation days.

+1

[Anonymous]

How is she paying for all of this travel? Where does she go?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Lots of trips to various cities around the country. Goes with friends, shares rooms.

We’re trying to be fair to her and let her have a good experience but I can’t take off Mon and Fri afternoon/morning twice a month to align with her travel plans.

[Anonymous]

Tell her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Lots of trips to various cities around the country. Goes with friends, shares rooms.

We’re trying to be fair to her and let her have a good experience but I can’t take off Mon and Fri afternoon/morning twice a month to align with her travel plans.

Yes, simply tell her.
Does she just drive to all these cities with her friends?

[Anonymous]

Our schedule is made one month at a time. Her vacations need to fit around the schedule. If she is planning a trip, she can speak with us before the schedule is made. If it works for us, great. If not, she needs to reconfigure her travel plans. The end.

[Anonymous]

100% agreed with PPs. That is why they get paid vacation days. If it fits with your schedule, then great. But if you can’t accommodate, then they need to use a vacation day.

[Anonymous]

One time for special occasion we are willing to take off our work to give au pair extra time off. But we don’t have the luxury to stay home anytime we want to so she has to work trips our regular schedule. Simple.