S/o asking about health issues

[Anonymous]

Spin off from the chronic health condition thread

What are the "rules" of asking your nanny about medical conditions. As an employer of a larger group of people you can't and run the risk of discrimination complaint. Are the rules for nanny employers different? Can you ask about a medical condition? Can you fire or not hire someone who needs accomodations?

[Anonymous]

You need to be concerned only if she can do the work, or not. Beyond that, stay out of her personal life.

[Anonymous]

I would ask references how many days did the nanny call in sick while she was employed by you ? Was she able to preform all aspects of the job ?

[Anonymous]

Employers of a single employee are not subject to the same regulations that employers of numbers of individuals are.

That said, it's never a good idea to leave yourself open to questions of bias or discrimination. So, what you can and should do is write a well crafted job description and interview (candidates and references) very thoroughly based on the requirements of the position. It's perfectly reasonable and legal to use language like:

- the job requires the nanny to be able to lift a squirming child of up to X pounds in order to lift them in/out of bed or highchairs, move them to safety if they've gotten into a dangerous spot, etc...
- the job requires the nanny to be able to nimbly move from the floor to standing, to potentially run after a child, to do multiple flights of stairs during a day, and to be able to physically keep up with the child well enough to keep them from harm and play actively with them
- It is expected that the nanny will take the child on daily walks, in all types of weather (with appropriate garments).
- Of paramount importance is reliability. The nanny is expected to be on time, and to give as much notice as possible if he/she will be absent for illness.

For references:
- How often was Jane late?
- How many sick days did you offer? How did you handle it if Jane needed more sick leave than she had accrued?
- Tell me about the physical requirements of the job when Jane was with you? Did you ever observe her struggling with those demands?
- Can you tell me how active Jane was with your child? Walks? Duration? Down on the floor playing? Able to move quickly if the child got near a hot stove?...
- No nanny is perfect, so what do you wish Jane had brought to the table?
- The things that matter most to me are absolute honesty, complete reliability in terms of punctuality and attendance, a sense of fun and playfulness, and that my child is active and not on devices. How satisfied do you think I will be with Jane on those issues?

[Anonymous]

Nannies must expect “absolute honesty” from the parents, as well. If you sense any question about their character, consider that a red flag and run. Always trust your gut.

[Anonymous]

I would not ask health related questions. Period. I would call references.