Interesting Nanny Issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, do you let your child ride in the front seat while he is with you? If so, I really don't think she was at fault for having him in the front seat of her car. Also, as far as giving her the extra money, maybe she figured you would get it fixed correctly the first time instead of looking for a cheap way out. My DH would have done the same thing, although he probably would have wanted to talk with you in person. Finally, ever think the reason your child is so violent is because you hit him?

PP, I discussed the repair with the nanny, informed her which auto repair agency was going to do it, discussed the cost of $300 with her, and asked her to think about whether she wanted me to make an appointment to have the work done.

Nanny came back and asked me to set up the repair, which I did for the very next day. The next day she came over before the repair work to collect the cash payment for the window replacement, and I informed her that she would also be paid her regular rate for any hours spent at the repair shop.

Only after the repair was finished, about a half hour afterwards, did she first broach the subject of after-market versus maufacturer's glass for her 1999 automobile. She even had an estimate of $1,200 handy for such work. I have never replaced a car window, and was not even aware that they use different auto glass at this premier national company -- in fact they asked me the details of the vehicle beforehand.

I am a person of good faith, and wish only that the nanny had made her specific interests know to me at any of the several points we discussed the repair. Since she had the $1,200 estimate handy, and I gave her $300 for the repair before the appointment, that might have been one good point (before the work) to make her preference known.

In any case, I subsequently paid her the $1,200 to have the repair done to her satisfaction. The nanny has since informed me that her spouse is actually satified with the repair as it was done, and so she would like to refund me $600 if she can return to work for us.

I actually never spank my DC, but I think that if you break your nanny's windshield while throwing a tantrum -- then you deserve one swift spank across the bottom (fully clothed) for having done such a bad thing. DC is also suspended from their favorite activity for the rest of spring/summer.

I think maybe you might be mistaken about her knowing beforehand that SHE knew there was a difference in the windshield glass. She might have just spoken with her husband about it being repaired and you paying the cost. It seems to me, that she picked up the money, had it done and then her husband might have said something about there being a difference and then wanting it to be the good glass used (to replace what was good glass to start with). It seems like she could then have talked to the company when picking up the car and received the quote from them about how much it might cost with the other glass instead, again most likely after it had already been worked on. Then she mentioned it to you. Since this was only 30 minutes after she got the car back, it could have happened that way. Then, after bringing the car home, the husband could have seen the windshield and said that it actually looked ok with how they did it after all. I think offering the $600 back would have been fair, as there obviously IS a difference in the 2 types of glass (so much that one costs 4 times the amount), and since her higher quality glass was replaced with cheaper stuff, keeping half of that $1200 seems fair IMO.

To her, it looked like you were unhappy about having to pay out all that money and so you let her go. I find it ridiculous if you fired her for not being honest, when it could have gone down like I said above and there was nothing premeditated about her asking for more money after the repair. If you were already considering starting to take on the job duties yourself, then I think you just need to make clear to her that was a big part of your decision to fire her (in addition to the rest).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is some information about windshields:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_a_human_kick_in_a_windshield_from_inside_the_car

or:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/removing-windshield-kick-out-766564/
(if your child kicked it that hard, she would have caused herself damage)

+1000

Thank you for evidence that I may have been played. It did not occur to ask if there may have been a pre-existing crack. Live and learn, but I do not regret having paid to take care of the nanny's concerns.

I have stuck by my original decision, and honestly I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Another of my DC said yesterday that s/he liked it better when I drove them around.

Ok, not going to say anything about the windshield anymore, but yeah, obviously most kids are going to prefer it when their parents drive them to activities.

[Anonymous]

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I think maybe you might be mistaken about her knowing beforehand that SHE knew there was a difference in the windshield glass. She might have just spoken with her husband about it being repaired and you paying the cost. It seems to me, that she picked up the money, had it done and then her husband might have said something about there being a difference and then wanting it to be the good glass used (to replace what was good glass to start with). It seems like she could then have talked to the company when picking up the car and received the quote from them about how much it might cost with the other glass instead, again most likely after it had already been worked on. Then she mentioned it to you. Since this was only 30 minutes after she got the car back, it could have happened that way. Then, after bringing the car home, the husband could have seen the windshield and said that it actually looked ok with how they did it after all. I think offering the $600 back would have been fair, as there obviously IS a difference in the 2 types of glass (so much that one costs 4 times the amount), and since her higher quality glass was replaced with cheaper stuff, keeping half of that $1200 seems fair IMO.

To her, it looked like you were unhappy about having to pay out all that money and so you let her go. I find it ridiculous if you fired her for not being honest, when it could have gone down like I said above and there was nothing premeditated about her asking for more money after the repair. If you were already considering starting to take on the job duties yourself, then I think you just need to make clear to her that was a big part of your decision to fire her (in addition to the rest).

It was NOT higher quality if it broke that easily from a young child. She never should have taken the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:.

I think maybe you might be mistaken about her knowing beforehand that SHE knew there was a difference in the windshield glass. She might have just spoken with her husband about it being repaired and you paying the cost. It seems to me, that she picked up the money, had it done and then her husband might have said something about there being a difference and then wanting it to be the good glass used (to replace what was good glass to start with). It seems like she could then have talked to the company when picking up the car and received the quote from them about how much it might cost with the other glass instead, again most likely after it had already been worked on. Then she mentioned it to you. Since this was only 30 minutes after she got the car back, it could have happened that way. Then, after bringing the car home, the husband could have seen the windshield and said that it actually looked ok with how they did it after all. I think offering the $600 back would have been fair, as there obviously IS a difference in the 2 types of glass (so much that one costs 4 times the amount), and since her higher quality glass was replaced with cheaper stuff, keeping half of that $1200 seems fair IMO.

To her, it looked like you were unhappy about having to pay out all that money and so you let her go. I find it ridiculous if you fired her for not being honest, when it could have gone down like I said above and there was nothing premeditated about her asking for more money after the repair. If you were already considering starting to take on the job duties yourself, then I think you just need to make clear to her that was a big part of your decision to fire her (in addition to the rest).

It was NOT higher quality if it broke that easily from a young child. She never should have taken the money.

It really doesn't take that much to put a break in the glass. I was watching a video of a guy trying to kick out his windshield, and there is one point that he kicks in the middle, not near other damage and can cause it to break with his toe area. That is NOT the area that forces as much weight as possible, the heel generally does that. It was also quite high on the windshield, not down lower. I can see a child that has very strong legs kicking a windshield and doing the same damage with their heel, where they can get all their weight behind it. The glass isn't made to stand up to force like that and not crack in the least bit. It is difficult to kick out the entire window, but putting cracks all over it is not that hard.

[Anonymous]

I don't think her husband asked someone to remove the after market windshield then replace it w/the dealer's glass. They probably just pocketed the money.

And it is highly likely their insurance covered everything.

[Anonymous]

There's a few different issues here OP.
First of all, you're either okay or NOT okay with nanny driving DC in front seat. It's illegal, so I'm assuming you're NOT okay with it. However, you could've given you're nanny a warning and let her know how bad it was (I admit when I started nannying five years ago I let my 9yo charge ride to school in the front seat a few times because there were three other kids in the back seat. I actually didn't know it was illegal and my MB was fine with it. BUT had I known, I wouldn't have let her, and I wouldn't have put my job on the line). So either you give her a warning or fire her. That itself is one issue.

Secondly, it's a 14 year old car. There's no way you had to fork over $1500 for a new windshield. Not to mention, this happened because SHE let the kid ride in the front seat.

Third, you mention that you think you just want to watch the kids yourself- that's a completely separate issue. Either you eventually let the nanny go because you choose to stay home, or you fire her for the above offense. One should not have to do with the other. Do not fire her with the added "I kind of want to stay home with the kids anyways.."

[Anonymous]

This posting brings up an issue I have always wondered about. Can a parent let a nanny go for any reason, or do they have to have a just cause for letting someone go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This posting brings up an issue I have always wondered about. Can a parent let a nanny go for any reason, or do they have to have a just cause for letting someone go?

A nanny can be let go for any reason and a nanny can quit for any reason. It is called "at-will" employment.

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny and I would absolutely never accept $1200 from my boss to fix my windshield with the highest quality windshield glass in a 19NINETY-NINE car! The $300 after market one should have been just fine.
It is hard to believe that a child can break a windshield unless it was already a shitty one anyway (with cracks). In any event, she got her windshield replaced for $300 then took another $1200 that was clearly meant to be pocketed (no way she was going to replace the job already done) and then only after she lost her job she decides it's the right thing to return the $$ to OP, HALF nonetheless.

We are not talking about a 2013 BMW that would lose that much value in case of after market parts installed. We are talking about a 99 car that likely isn't even worth more than 2k as it was before.

OP I would even go as far as getting her back, get your $600 back and then fire her again. That's what you get for being greedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a nanny and I would absolutely never accept $1200 from my boss to fix my windshield with the highest quality windshield glass in a 19NINETY-NINE car! The $300 after market one should have been just fine.
It is hard to believe that a child can break a windshield unless it was already a shitty one anyway (with cracks). In any event, she got her windshield replaced for $300 then took another $1200 that was clearly meant to be pocketed (no way she was going to replace the job already done) and then only after she lost her job she decides it's the right thing to return the $$ to OP, HALF nonetheless.

We are not talking about a 2013 BMW that would lose that much value in case of after market parts installed. We are talking about a 99 car that likely isn't even worth more than 2k as it was before.

OP I would even go as far as getting her back, get your $600 back and then fire her again. That's what you get for being greedy.

Thanks, PP, part of me feels like a fool for having parted with the money so quickly. The better half of me understands that it was a small price to pay for parting with someone I no longer had faith in to take care of my DCs.