If the nanny babysits

[Anonymous]

Curious. We hired a nanny last month. We pay on the books and overtime for after 40 hours. Everything is done the right way. If we ever can go out again, I would like to offer the nanny the first ask for weekend sitting. She can of course say no and there is no expectation that she would want to, but she would be the first choice.

Do those babysitting hours count as overtime or are those hours a "new" job? Just want to make sure we are doing things right

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny of 10 years and it’s never been considered overtime.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it counts as overtime. It’s not a “new” job. You are not a “new” employer on the weekends.

Also, for the nannies moaning on a different thread how cheap their employers are because they have to bring their own lunch, please see this thread.

[Anonymous]

https://www.homeworksolutions.com/knowledge-center/how-do-i-calculate-overtime-for-my-salaried-nanny-what-about-compensation-for-occasional-overnights/

Whether it’s an overnight or just date night, the law is clear. The nanny is paid for the same job, same employer, just different circumstances, so it’s part of normal weekly hours.

This is why many families don’t ask their nanny to work date nights.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I babysit for my nanny families and they pay me cash off the books. I work on the books during the week but I'm not going to sit around and figure out OT or expect them to for four to six hours of weekend sitting once a month or less while the kids are mostly asleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, I babysit for my nanny families and they pay me cash off the books. I work on the books during the week but I'm not going to sit around and figure out OT or expect them to for four to six hours of weekend sitting once a month or less while the kids are mostly asleep.

You really should as it makes it harder for the next nanny they get that knows her worth and will want overtime, whereas it didn’t matter to you. If your rate is 20$ an hour for 4 hours I’d rather make $120 not 80$

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. I didn’t charge overtime in my former position and it was a huge mistake.

My former employers wouldn’t come home on date-nights (go out straight from the office) and my charge would cry and cling onto me when we did try to get her a different babysitter so that’s the only reason I agreed in the first place.

Here’s how this backfired: my employers totally took this for granted and never came home on time. And my sweet charge never got used to a babysitter. And I was fricking exhausted!

So my advice to all nannies is to definitely charge overtime to deter your employers from asking you to babysit! And, for your charge’s sake, to encourage him/her to get used to other caregivers.

[Anonymous]

We also give our nanny rights of first refusal for babysitting.

It's not overtime. We have a standing Friday night date night (which we're not doing now) and our nanny would leave in the late afternoon and then come back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We also give our nanny rights of first refusal for babysitting.

It's not overtime. We have a standing Friday night date night (which we're not doing now) and our nanny would leave in the late afternoon and then come back.

You’re lucky you found a nanny willing to do this.

[Anonymous]

We all have to work this out between ourselves. Before Covid hit I made extra $ on the weekends for both current and previous employers. Now no more. It's not only a matter of procuring jobs but also having to live within the safety parameters of our current jobs. My current employers do not want me to babysit on the weekends. They have a newborn. I get it. Not that many people are going out so if I get an offer from my current family to sit over the weekend I will accept the equitable rate they always pay me off the books and be glad for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I didn’t charge overtime in my former position and it was a huge mistake.

My former employers wouldn’t come home on date-nights (go out straight from the office) and my charge would cry and cling onto me when we did try to get her a different babysitter so that’s the only reason I agreed in the first place.

Here’s how this backfired: my employers totally took this for granted and never came home on time. And my sweet charge never got used to a babysitter. And I was fricking exhausted!

So my advice to all nannies is to definitely charge overtime to deter your employers from asking you to babysit! And, for your charge’s sake, to encourage him/her to get used to other caregivers.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I didn’t charge overtime in my former position and it was a huge mistake.

My former employers wouldn’t come home on date-nights (go out straight from the office) and my charge would cry and cling onto me when we did try to get her a different babysitter so that’s the only reason I agreed in the first place.

Here’s how this backfired: my employers totally took this for granted and never came home on time. And my sweet charge never got used to a babysitter. And I was fricking exhausted!

So my advice to all nannies is to definitely charge overtime to deter your employers from asking you to babysit! And, for your charge’s sake, to encourage him/her to get used to other caregivers.

I agree.

+2. Don’t give up overtime, nannies. It’s the law and your employers should never ask nor expect you to do so. In fact, your employers should absolutely not allow it.

- an employer and mother

[Anonymous]

https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/backpay

Whether the nanny agrees at the time or not, the onus is on the employer. And the nanny has 2 years from pay date (3 if she can prove the employer knew it should be overtime) to file.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/backpay

Whether the nanny agrees at the time or not, the onus is on the employer. And the nanny has 2 years from pay date (3 if she can prove the employer knew it should be overtime) to file.

This is key, nannies. File against unscrupulous employers!

[Anonymous]

We always asked a neighborhood babysitter to do date nights for this reason. Plus, I think it's important for her to rest, and for the child to not be too locked into one specific carer.