“Flex hours” for nanny?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone hired a nanny for say 35 hours a week on a regular schedule, plus 5 hours a week that are offered but moved around? How would this work? I heard a friend talking about this but I didn’t totally understand and don’t know how common it is. Do you give a weeks notice? Do you pay even if she can’t do those hours (which of course would seem to incentivize never being available for the extra hours)?

[Anonymous]

Most nannies won't do this. We have lives outside of work and do not want to give up on planning things further in advance just because you want flexible care. You need to schedule the hours that you might want to use and then just pay for any that you don't end up having the nanny work.

If you can't afford 40+ hours per week, then you can't afford a nanny and should just stick to daycare. They don't care if you pay for a FT schedule and pick the kid up early. A nanny will also require the exact same thing, any potential hours you might want to have them available to work needs to be "saved for you" and paid for regardless of if you use them or not.

[Anonymous]

You should think twice before coming out with this to your potential nanny. All nannies requiere to be paid with guaranteed hours. In your case you have to pay for her 40 hours. You need her services or not. And those 5 hours that you are thinking to set like "flexible hours" just don't exist. You need give her a schedule for your nanny of the start and end of the day. Need her or not; you pay her 40 hours. If you need her to have some flexibility besides her work schedule; you just pay for every hour worked additional; including OT or some aditional babysitting any other wknd.

[Anonymous]

A little hard to understand from original post, but there are various ways of doing this depending on your needs and nanny's availability. I don't think it's very common though.

For example, regular schedule is 35 hours. You would like to do a date night once a week and will give the nanny first dibs on those 5 hours, but if she doesn't want to do it some weeks, you just don't pay her those 5 hours and find a different babysitter. Or maybe because of custody agreements in a blended household situation, you have a week A and week B that look different and they alternate. Or maybe you have a somewhat irregular schedule (like doctors/nurses at a hospital or flight attendant who get work schedules a month out), so every week is a little different. This last one is going to be tough because nannies want to have their personal lives too... you'd have to screen for someone ok with this upfront, and the more notice you can provide of the work hours, the better.

[Anonymous]

Why would a nanny be on call for you, for free? You sound cheap. My bosses pay me 40 hours to be on call 8 hours a day, 9-5. If they need ‘flex’ hours, it’s if I’m available. Most nannies babysit on the side so no one is reserving their time for you unless you pay them to reserve that time. So entitled. You’re basically asking for 24 hr availability while paying 35 hrs since there is no schedule for these ‘flex’ hours. Sadly for you it’s a nanny market right now, so good luck unless you’re paying $40/hr.

[Anonymous]

I’m a nanny and I am extremely strict about guaranteed 40 hours so I would never accept your position.

That said, you may be able to find a nanny who only needs 35 hours guaranteed and just see if she wants to and is available to work extra hours. No one is going to guarantee that she’s going to be available for “flex” hours.

[Anonymous]

You won't attract quality candidates. You'd essentially be saying your nanny has to be on call all the time in case you choose to use the flex hours.

[Anonymous]

There is no such thing as “flex hours” with a good nanny.

Think about it, OP - why would a good nanny ever agree to that? Especially in this market where she could easily get 40 hours guaranteed and maybe even overtime. Ask your friend but I seriously doubt her nanny is any good if she agreed to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone hired a nanny for say 35 hours a week on a regular schedule, plus 5 hours a week that are offered but moved around? How would this work? I heard a friend talking about this but I didn’t totally understand and don’t know how common it is. Do you give a weeks notice? Do you pay even if she can’t do those hours (which of course would seem to incentivize never being available for the extra hours)?

You can definitely find a nanny who will do 35 hours set and 5 hours that flex... as long as you pay on call rates for all the possible flex times. Here are two examples:

Family 1:

Base hours are 9 am to 4 pm M-F. Family wants another 5 hours, and the on call periods are 8 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 5pm. Week one, Nanny works 8-9 Monday, 8-9 and 4-5 Tuesday and Thursday. 4-5 Monday and 8-9 and 4-5 Wednesday and Friday are paid at half rate, for keeping them available. Week two, Nanny works 4-5 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 8-9 and 4-5 Friday. 8-9 and 4-5 on Monday and 8-9 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are paid at half rate, for keeping them available. There is no overtime.

Family 2:

Base hours are 9 am to 4 pm M-F. Family wants another 5 hours, and the on call periods are 6 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm. Week one, Nanny works 8:30-9 Monday, 4-6 Tuesday, and 6:30-9 Friday. The rest of the hours (20) are paid at half rate for keeping them available. Week, Nanny works 4-5 Tuesday, 4-6 Thursday, 8:30-9 and 4-5:30 Friday. The rest of the hours (20) are paid at half rate for keeping them available. There is no overtime.

On call hours are not calculated into overtime, and an overtime rate does not apply unless Nanny works 40+ hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone hired a nanny for say 35 hours a week on a regular schedule, plus 5 hours a week that are offered but moved around? How would this work? I heard a friend talking about this but I didn’t totally understand and don’t know how common it is. Do you give a weeks notice? Do you pay even if she can’t do those hours (which of course would seem to incentivize never being available for the extra hours)?

I suspect this is illegal but it is definitely unethical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most nannies won't do this. We have lives outside of work and do not want to give up on planning things further in advance just because you want flexible care. You need to schedule the hours that you might want to use and then just pay for any that you don't end up having the nanny work.

If you can't afford 40+ hours per week, then you can't afford a nanny and should just stick to daycare. They don't care if you pay for a FT schedule and pick the kid up early. A nanny will also require the exact same thing, any potential hours you might want to have them available to work needs to be "saved for you" and paid for regardless of if you use them or not.

Stop with the you can't afford a nanny nonsense. She obviously can!! And FYI there are plenty nannies who just want 30hrs
We paid our nanny 40hrs though she only worked 35 plus benefits and gas. Rate was 27 an hour. We finally went the daycare route not because we couldn't afford it because your attitude suck and the entitled behavior. Daycare has been a blessing. Less drama and more reliable care. Nannies have become very entitled since the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most nannies won't do this. We have lives outside of work and do not want to give up on planning things further in advance just because you want flexible care. You need to schedule the hours that you might want to use and then just pay for any that you don't end up having the nanny work.

If you can't afford 40+ hours per week, then you can't afford a nanny and should just stick to daycare. They don't care if you pay for a FT schedule and pick the kid up early. A nanny will also require the exact same thing, any potential hours you might want to have them available to work needs to be "saved for you" and paid for regardless of if you use them or not.

Stop with the you can't afford a nanny nonsense. She obviously can!! And FYI there are plenty nannies who just want 30hrs
We paid our nanny 40hrs though she only worked 35 plus benefits and gas. Rate was 27 an hour. We finally went the daycare route not because we couldn't afford it because your attitude suck and the entitled behavior. Daycare has been a blessing. Less drama and more reliable care. Nannies have become very entitled since the pandemic.

Do you have a job or do you just sit on the couch every day? What do you mean by entitled?
If you worked at a bank and your hours are M- F 8-12pm, but in order to keep this job you have to agree to an extra 5h a week, and your boss will choose them for you. Your bank closes at 5pm every day. So now you have to be sitting next to your phone M- F 12-5pm and wait when he will need you.
Would you work this job? I’ll answer for you: hell now!
You think we’re Nannie’s are still entitled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most nannies won't do this. We have lives outside of work and do not want to give up on planning things further in advance just because you want flexible care. You need to schedule the hours that you might want to use and then just pay for any that you don't end up having the nanny work.

If you can't afford 40+ hours per week, then you can't afford a nanny and should just stick to daycare. They don't care if you pay for a FT schedule and pick the kid up early. A nanny will also require the exact same thing, any potential hours you might want to have them available to work needs to be "saved for you" and paid for regardless of if you use them or not.

Stop with the you can't afford a nanny nonsense. She obviously can!! And FYI there are plenty nannies who just want 30hrs
We paid our nanny 40hrs though she only worked 35 plus benefits and gas. Rate was 27 an hour. We finally went the daycare route not because we couldn't afford it because your attitude suck and the entitled behavior. Daycare has been a blessing. Less drama and more reliable care. Nannies have become very entitled since the pandemic.

Do you have a job or do you just sit on the couch every day? What do you mean by entitled?
If you worked at a bank and your hours are M- F 8-12pm, but in order to keep this job you have to agree to an extra 5h a week, and your boss will choose them for you. Your bank closes at 5pm every day. So now you have to be sitting next to your phone M- F 12-5pm and wait when he will need you.
Would you work this job? I’ll answer for you: hell now!
You think we’re Nannie’s are still entitled?

This is pretty common in the rest of the working world. Many of us go to work not knowing when we'll be finished.

[Anonymous]

Lots of nannies are happy with 35 hrs if you pay $40 per hr, and ask occasionally to work extra hour in the evening

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most nannies won't do this. We have lives outside of work and do not want to give up on planning things further in advance just because you want flexible care. You need to schedule the hours that you might want to use and then just pay for any that you don't end up having the nanny work.

If you can't afford 40+ hours per week, then you can't afford a nanny and should just stick to daycare. They don't care if you pay for a FT schedule and pick the kid up early. A nanny will also require the exact same thing, any potential hours you might want to have them available to work needs to be "saved for you" and paid for regardless of if you use them or not.

Stop with the you can't afford a nanny nonsense. She obviously can!! And FYI there are plenty nannies who just want 30hrs
We paid our nanny 40hrs though she only worked 35 plus benefits and gas. Rate was 27 an hour. We finally went the daycare route not because we couldn't afford it because your attitude suck and the entitled behavior. Daycare has been a blessing. Less drama and more reliable care. Nannies have become very entitled since the pandemic.

Do you have a job or do you just sit on the couch every day? What do you mean by entitled?
If you worked at a bank and your hours are M- F 8-12pm, but in order to keep this job you have to agree to an extra 5h a week, and your boss will choose them for you. Your bank closes at 5pm every day. So now you have to be sitting next to your phone M- F 12-5pm and wait when he will need you.
Would you work this job? I’ll answer for you: hell now!
You think we’re Nannie’s are still entitled?

This is pretty common in the rest of the working world. Many of us go to work not knowing when we'll be finished.

Right, hence the salary you earn. Nannies are hourly employees.