Summer pay

[Anonymous]

We have a party time nanny who helps us in the mornings during the school year.

We only need her for about an hour for school drop offs, but she was willing to help us with errands/groceries/kitchen so we agreed on 15 hours per week for the school year. We pay her well and she gets about 3-4 paid weeks off during the school year when we are traveling. She also has a 30 hr/week afternoon/evening childcare position that is her main job.
This summer, we will be traveling for 7 weeks (my work takes us abroad). Unfortunately and stupidly, we did not discuss the summer and the contract was only through the school year. I would like for her to stay with us for the next school year, and this was implied/understood. I thought she would take on other morning work over the summer (and she still has her other job) or just relax, but she has not. What are my responsibilities for this summer in terms of paying her? I want to do the fair thing, but it’s also a lot of money. Do I pay her even though she will not be working at all, in order to “reserve” her time for next school year? Full pay? Half pay?
This morning she told me her other 30 hr/week family is paying her for the entire 4 weeks they are away this summer. Of course I wish we had discussed this upfront but we didn’t
FWIW, she’s excellent.

[Anonymous]

Fair is to pay her if you want her to return.

[Anonymous]

I’d pay her if you want her to return and she is great! If she has guaranteed hrs in the contract I hope

[Anonymous]

I agree that you pay her. Finding a morning person is super hard.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely pay her. Finding someone good to so work so few hours is RARE. Like hang on to her for dear life rare.