Colds and nannies

[Anonymous]

My children gave my nanny a cold I let her go home early on Friday because she was clearly under the weather. She had a three day weekend to rest because of the holiday. In my opinion she can work today Tuesday but I’m getting push back from her. She’s saying she’s still fighting the flu and I’m being unreasonable. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

If you believe you hired a liar, perhaps it’s best to move on to another nanny.

How your children can cope with the upheaval, I don’t know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you believe you hired a liar, perhaps it’s best to move on to another nanny.

How your children can cope with the upheaval, I don’t know.

Your response is dumb. OP is clearly a jerk and so are you. The issue with some parents is they will make a nanny work through colds, stomach bugs that their kids passed onto them but can’t understand that a nanny needs to heal and rest as well. Apparently we are not human. A flu doesn’t just disappear in three days let her rest up so she can return to work and give 100 percent of herself.

[Anonymous]

Yes you are unreasonable. It can take 7-10 days to feel better. You were selfish to have her come when kids were sick. You should give her another day or two off and give her a bonus as she lost her weekend being sick because of you.

[Anonymous]

If she is fighting the flu you can be down for over a week. You’re definitely being unreasonable. The virus is going around like crazy now. Nannie’s are human too. If she has PTO/Sick days have her use it . It is your responsibility to have back up

[Anonymous]

Do not litigate "how sick is too sick" with your employee.

You should have a contract that spells out a number of sick days per year (generally 5-10). It's HER decision when she needs to take a sick day. If she says she's too sick to come in, that's the answer.

If she hits the limit in her contract, you deal with it then.

If you don't have a contract, write one!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not litigate "how sick is too sick" with your employee.

You should have a contract that spells out a number of sick days per year (generally 5-10). It's HER decision when she needs to take a sick day. If she says she's too sick to come in, that's the answer.

If she hits the limit in her contract, you deal with it then.

If you don't have a contract, write one!

A nanny shouldn’t loose sick days if the family she’s working for got her sick. Op you said “your” kid got her sick and she came into work on Friday feeling under the weather so you cut her day short therefore you are responsible for back up care and still pay her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not litigate "how sick is too sick" with your employee.

You should have a contract that spells out a number of sick days per year (generally 5-10). It's HER decision when she needs to take a sick day. If she says she's too sick to come in, that's the answer.

If she hits the limit in her contract, you deal with it then.

If you don't have a contract, write one!

This. Sick days are for employee to as needed for their health. Did you also get the cold OP? Unlikely nanny got flu from kids, could be from grocery store or a million other things with flu season going around.

[Anonymous]

Is she generally reliable otherwise? In this field you will see a lot of “I’m never sick Nannies” but the reality is most of them use a lot of days off because many of us are desperate for safe and reliable childcare. We haven’t gone on a single vacation for the past 2 years because of our nanny and her random sick days/time off needed. I save all my leave to accommodate her schedule, and with child care being what it is in this country that’s just reality.

You can fire the nanny but it’s just easier to deal with her drama until the kids are in school. That’s my 2 cents. And before the Nannies start bashing me, I pay $31 an hour for this Luxury service, provide a car and stipend for insurance. I’m not comfortable with a revolving door of help; so we are where we are. She is very good with the kids, so I appreciate her dedication in that regard.

[Anonymous]

That’s your stupidity. Get backup then problem solved!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she generally reliable otherwise? In this field you will see a lot of “I’m never sick Nannies” but the reality is most of them use a lot of days off because many of us are desperate for safe and reliable childcare. We haven’t gone on a single vacation for the past 2 years because of our nanny and her random sick days/time off needed. I save all my leave to accommodate her schedule, and with child care being what it is in this country that’s just reality.

You can fire the nanny but it’s just easier to deal with her drama until the kids are in school. That’s my 2 cents. And before the Nannies start bashing me, I pay $31 an hour for this Luxury service, provide a car and stipend for insurance. I’m not comfortable with a revolving door of help; so we are where we are. She is very good with the kids, so I appreciate her dedication in that regard.

You honestly could've kept your "two cents" in your pocket. It's so easy to attack "the help" when most of you moms act like you can't lift a finger. No one's going to bash you, YOU bashed YOU by leaving such an asinine response. She clearly said "her kids got the nanny sick" so explain how is the nanny drama? Also you boasted about what you pay like you're doing your nanny a favor, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR SERVICES PROVIDED. YUCK!! The funny part about all of this is the majority of the parents that get on here to bash the women that help run their households would never be so bold in person. We are not all timid and weak and afraid to stand up for ourselves those days are long gone. It is simple if you have a good childcare provider who cares for your children like they're her own treat her kindly and if your Rugrats got her sick then let her get well with PAY. What if she comes out in that deadly cold weather we've been experiencing already sick as can be and her flu gets worse or turns to pnuemonia and she ends up in the hospital or dead all because she can't afford to lose the job that got her sick in the first place then what?! Oh I know you get to replace her. Nannies need to continue standing on business when working for people like you and OP at the end of the day no job cares and no job is worth your health and life.

[Anonymous]

OP here let me clear some things up. My two oldest are school aged so they're always sniffling then they passed it to the baby who's with her ten hours daily. Yes, she caught the flu from us I can admit that. Yes she is reliable or she would've been long gone. The entire household got sick and when my husband and I couldn't care for the kids because we caught the flu she stepped in that's her job. My issue is after three days she should be coming around we were up out of bed after two days. We both have to work. I can't wait around a week without childcare. Yes we paid her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here let me clear some things up. My two oldest are school aged so they're always sniffling then they passed it to the baby who's with her ten hours daily. Yes, she caught the flu from us I can admit that. Yes she is reliable or she would've been long gone. The entire household got sick and when my husband and I couldn't care for the kids because we caught the flu she stepped in that's her job. My issue is after three days she should be coming around we were up out of bed after two days. We both have to work. I can't wait around a week without childcare. Yes we paid her.

Unfortunately this is the mentality of many parents. You need to let her get well she did nothing wrong but continue to work in your home while your entire family came down with the flu. To some that can be dangerous but she did it selflessly the least you can do is let her get well and hire back up care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here let me clear some things up. My two oldest are school aged so they're always sniffling then they passed it to the baby who's with her ten hours daily. Yes, she caught the flu from us I can admit that. Yes she is reliable or she would've been long gone. The entire household got sick and when my husband and I couldn't care for the kids because we caught the flu she stepped in that's her job. My issue is after three days she should be coming around we were up out of bed after two days. We both have to work. I can't wait around a week without childcare. Yes we paid her.

You should give her the paid time off plus a bonus for coming in when everyone was sick to care for you all. Different people react differently to illnesses. You sound terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here let me clear some things up. My two oldest are school aged so they're always sniffling then they passed it to the baby who's with her ten hours daily. Yes, she caught the flu from us I can admit that. Yes she is reliable or she would've been long gone. The entire household got sick and when my husband and I couldn't care for the kids because we caught the flu she stepped in that's her job. My issue is after three days she should be coming around we were up out of bed after two days. We both have to work. I can't wait around a week without childcare. Yes we paid her.

OP, different people have different immunity levels so yes while you recovered fast she may need a week or more to get better. Your nanny seems to have a weaker system so consider for the long-term if she is going to be a good fit. This won't be the first time your kids catch something from school. You can't be in a childcare job if you are getting sick often and it's not good for your nanny's health either.