Nanny Sick All The Time

[Anonymous]

What do you do if your nanny is sick all the time. One week it’s a headache, the next stomach issues, then a runny nose. Everything “could be COVID” so she’s been getting tested and we’ve been paying her to wait for the (so far negative) results. She doesn’t think that rapid test is reliable so she’s been getting the full test, which kills the week. She just started in August and has missed 3 weeks since then for these false alarms and we gave her most of last week off for Thanksgiving. I want to be reasonable, but I can’t afford to keep paying her every time she has a sniffle or slight headache, and I’m worried it will get worse as winter goes on. Is it reasonable to ask her to wear a mask and continue to come in? (If she had a fever or lost sense of taste that would be different). But this is a huge financial burden for our family that we had not expected, and it’s not really making our lives easier the way we had hoped. We have 2 kids under 5 and are struggling with WFH. I also don’t understand how she is getting these random symptoms if she is being as cautious as she says. Do I cap her sick leave? My employer certainly isn’t going to pay me to take a week off + holidays every month.

[Anonymous]

We give our nanny five sick days per year and consider how many were used when giving the holiday bonus.

If the headache was just that, rather than a migraine I'd have asked the nanny to pop some Advil, go lie down in a dark room for a half hour and then keep working. Stomach issues? I'd send home. Runny nose? I get a runny nose when it's very cold out sometimes, so that might mean nothing.

[Anonymous]

Oh wow. You’re being taken advantage of.

Are any of you high risk?

No need to wait for her covid test each time. If she has covid, she’s already exposed you. She may as well come to work.

[Anonymous]

OP - did you tell her that you were taking Covid really seriously and that you wanted to know to know if she had ANY symptoms and that if she did she should get a test and the quarantine?

That’s what is happening.

The other side of this is that you’ll be a poster writing “my nanny didn’t tell me that her child had Covid...”

These are tough times. But don’t be mad because she’s doing as you asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - did you tell her that you were taking Covid really seriously and that you wanted to know to know if she had ANY symptoms and that if she did she should get a test and the quarantine?

That’s what is happening.

The other side of this is that you’ll be a poster writing “my nanny didn’t tell me that her child had Covid...”

These are tough times. But don’t be mad because she’s doing as you asked.

We said we were all taking staying home/wearing masks seriously. But I haven’t asked her for testing. We sort of left it as a case by case thing. I didn’t realize she gets frequent headaches and stomach issues (even pre-COVID). I think I need to have a talk with her about which specific symptoms we will test/quarantine for and maybe set a cap on paid sick days. I had assumed with all of us being cautious that illness wouldn’t be a major issue (we haven’t been sick at all in our house since before March because we don’t really go anywhere). The frequency of her illnesses has caught me off guard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh wow. You’re being taken advantage of.

Are any of you high risk?

No need to wait for her covid test each time. If she has covid, she’s already exposed you. She may as well come to work.

We are not high risk. And I agree if we’ve all been together anyway it seems silly to quarantine from each other every time. Although we did give her 3 paid days off for Thanksgiving break last week (I was taking off work anyway and thought it would be nice to give her some time off). So in theory we haven’t been together for several days now, I guess we could be cautious. She claims she didn’t see anyone over Thanksgiving besides her immediate family who is all doing work/school from home. But now I sort of wonder.

[Anonymous]

Most of the recommendations I have seen qualify "new" symptoms. So if you always have post nasal drip or lack a sense of smell that is not something you need to note as a Covid concern. If you always have difficulty breathing, that is not the same as a sudden onset.

Stomach issues are tough not for COVID but because no one wants a stomach bug ripping through the house. I would talk to her about her health and what her traditional health issues /!concerns have been and what is on going (she has Chrones versus this is new). I would also talk to her about where she is going and her current hand washing. We have had a nanny since July and she has not had a sniffle let alone miss weeks at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the recommendations I have seen qualify "new" symptoms. So if you always have post nasal drip or lack a sense of smell that is not something you need to note as a Covid concern. If you always have difficulty breathing, that is not the same as a sudden onset.

Stomach issues are tough not for COVID but because no one wants a stomach bug ripping through the house. I would talk to her about her health and what her traditional health issues /!concerns have been and what is on going (she has Chrones versus this is new). I would also talk to her about where she is going and her current hand washing. We have had a nanny since July and she has not had a sniffle let alone miss weeks at a time.

+1. Our nanny has been with us for two years and has taken exactly 1.5 HOURS off once for a stomach ache. Precovid, she got colds when DS did but never missed a day. Since covid, none of us have had so much as a sniffle because we’re so careful.

OP, I think your nanny either has serious issues with her health or is taking advantage of you.

[Anonymous]

She is 100% milking the situation. I would begin looking for her replacement and ask her to wear a mask as she awaits a COVID test every time. If she had health issues (ie frequent migraines, stomach issues etc.) she would know the difference and not need a COVID test. So she is either irresponsible and not taking precautions as you think, or taking advantage of you.

[Anonymous]

I don’t believe this is covid symptoms,she must have allergic reactions ,why you not take her to the doctor or call your doctors and ask about...,if she doesn’t have fever ,sorry this is not covid.
I see lots of nannies without masks and ,and kisses each other’s on the faces at the park,I am a nanny us well I use mask all the time,not socializing with anybody..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe this is covid symptoms,she must have allergic reactions ,why you not take her to the doctor or call your doctors and ask about...,if she doesn’t have fever ,sorry this is not covid.
I see lots of nannies without masks and ,and kisses each other’s on the faces at the park,I am a nanny us well I use mask all the time,not socializing with anybody..

Very wrong. I had COVID and my only symptom was a post nasal drip for a day, then 5 days later loss of taste and smell but never a fever or cough.

[Anonymous]

Mismtach. I think you need to hire a new nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you do if your nanny is sick all the time. One week it’s a headache, the next stomach issues, then a runny nose. Everything “could be COVID” so she’s been getting tested and we’ve been paying her to wait for the (so far negative) results. She doesn’t think that rapid test is reliable so she’s been getting the full test, which kills the week. She just started in August and has missed 3 weeks since then for these false alarms and we gave her most of last week off for Thanksgiving. I want to be reasonable, but I can’t afford to keep paying her every time she has a sniffle or slight headache, and I’m worried it will get worse as winter goes on. Is it reasonable to ask her to wear a mask and continue to come in? (If she had a fever or lost sense of taste that would be different). But this is a huge financial burden for our family that we had not expected, and it’s not really making our lives easier the way we had hoped. We have 2 kids under 5 and are struggling with WFH. I also don’t understand how she is getting these random symptoms if she is being as cautious as she says. Do I cap her sick leave? My employer certainly isn’t going to pay me to take a week off + holidays every month.

Get rid of her before the kids get attached to her. There are two non-negotiables for a nanny: reliability and ensures safety for the children. The rest depends on a family's particular needs, but every family needs these. As long as you are paying reasonably well, you just need to bite the bullet and get someone new. And all PTO should be accrued before being paid out. Ask me how I know.