Need Advice! My nanny expects me to pay her when our family goes on vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me and my husband are planning to take our two children to visit relatives out-of-state in May. Last evening my nanny stayed an extra 15 minutes to discuss payment for the week we will not need her services. She basically expected to be paid the whole week for free and explained her reasoning including her availability and need of a stable paycheck, which I can understand. I tried to compromise with her, asking her if she would like to make up the hours over time (Saturday nights or If I run late or decide to run an errand after work). She told me she could not do this because of other obligations on her off hours, including spending time with her 11-year-old child. I told her I would need to talk to my husband and will get back to her.

No we did not discuss this prior to her employment last June. She is paid under the table and I pay her $14 per hour for two children (1-year-old and my eldest who spends 10 hours per week in preschool),
Can somebody please help me out and give me some advice on this issue. I know she's expecting an answer when I get home tonight.

What if you lost pay every time your boss went on vacation? Seems absurd, doesn't it? The nanny has bills to pay too you know . We have a nanny, and we certainly pay her when we take off work - it wouldn't be fair for her to lose pay at my every whim. I mean, I can understand not paying her for sick days when she doesn't show up to work and you have to pay somebody to cover her shift, but to cheat her from pay whenever you take off is very, very low and nasty IMO.

Again, tone down the outrage. No it's not absurd. This is how hourly positions work. No one is cheating anyone.

Absurd would be me asking my boss to pay me extra because I had to stay late. Because I have salaried position. If I had an hourly position, I would get overtime, but I don't.

To repeat: in hourly positions, the standard is that you are paid for hours you work. Period. Full stop. Not for holidays. Not for sick time. Not for hours you are cancelled.

If you want these benefits, not matter how standard or market, you need to ask for them up front.

If you do not have a contract that gives you sick time or PTO or guarneteed hours, then you are not entitled to them.

+1

Op, what did you do? Are you paying her or not?

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP 11:45 on all accounts, including her earlier post.
and FWIW, I do pay my nanny guaranteed hours, offer paid sick and vacation days. As PP probably does too. That does not make the point different though.

[Anonymous]

OP here and I want to say wow, didn't realize I'd get so many responses. I've read a good majority of them but we (me, my husband and our nanny) came to an agreement.

- She will take our dog for a week and make sure he is fed, walked, etc. I initially asked if she could stop by daily for this and she offered to take him for the week.

- She will organize the childrens rooms including their closet. She will also take out Summer clothes and put away Winter clothes.

- She will also take in the mail daily.

- She will take care of all child related tasks in the house.

- She will also do any light cleaning/organizing in the home (not my bedroom).

Thank you everyone for your opinions, except for the disrespectful comments which I paid no attention to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP once more.

I just want to clarify.... I'm not saying OP shouldn't seriously consider offering her nanny guarenteed hours. It's a very reasonable, common benefit. But the over the top outrage is obnoxious. And, it is actually a disservice to nannies who may be negiotiating a job in the future. You cannot either assume these benefits or demand them as a right. You need to negiotiate for them.

I absoloutely agree. It might be hard for nannies to bite but it's so true! Both your comments!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP once more.

I just want to clarify.... I'm not saying OP shouldn't seriously consider offering her nanny guarenteed hours. It's a very reasonable, common benefit. But the over the top outrage is obnoxious. And, it is actually a disservice to nannies who may be negiotiating a job in the future. You cannot either assume these benefits or demand them as a right. You need to negiotiate for them.

Since you are obviously not a nanny, you have no clue what is or is not, a "disservice" to nannies. You know what benefits your only yourself, never mind your child, or your child's primary caregiver.

[Anonymous]

PP - of course the earlier poster has an idea what benefits nannies - she has hired one and may be in the market for another in the future. I am an earlier poster that offers these benefits - like the quoted PP MB, i suspect - but many MBs do not realize what is typical because their experience with hourly work themselves has been nothing like what nannies get in this area. (and that is a good thing!)
It creates confusion and potential ill will when nannies keep silent on this stuff in the hopes that the MB will just concede later. If you are truly looking for a good and long-term relatinoship with a family you need to be up front about what you want/need in the position.
Happy to hear things worked out, OP. Sounds like a good solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP - of course the earlier poster has an idea what benefits nannies - she has hired one and may be in the market for another in the future. I am an earlier poster that offers these benefits - like the quoted PP MB, i suspect - but many MBs do not realize what is typical because their experience with hourly work themselves has been nothing like what nannies get in this area. (and that is a good thing!)
It creates confusion and potential ill will when nannies keep silent on this stuff in the hopes that the MB will just concede later. If you are truly looking for a good and long-term relatinoship with a family you need to be up front about what you want/need in the position.
Happy to hear things worked out, OP. Sounds like a good solution.

Have you been a professional nanny, pp? If not, your position is perfectly understandable.

[Anonymous]

We always did so, and we kept our nanny for ten years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

mbd wrote:If you want to keep her, pay her. If not, don't.

It's really that simple.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP, there is an 85% chance your nanny has started job hunting during your vacation time among the other tasks she VERY graciously accepted.

[Anonymous]

Op: an mb herr - Start looking for a new nanny as I can promise your nanny is seeking new employment... Your a shitty mb to first leave her a week short of payment because your vacationing but secondly make her work to receive payment as if she doesn't deserve paid vacation as well (although I can imagine your terms of employment and that a sel respecting nanny would agree to them).

[Anonymous]

Here *

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, there is an 85% chance your nanny has started job hunting during your vacation time among the other tasks she VERY graciously accepted.

85% chance, eh? Sure it's not 74% or 87%?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and I want to say wow, didn't realize I'd get so many responses. I've read a good majority of them but we (me, my husband and our nanny) came to an agreement.

- She will take our dog for a week and make sure he is fed, walked, etc. I initially asked if she could stop by daily for this and she offered to take him for the week.

- She will organize the childrens rooms including their closet. She will also take out Summer clothes and put away Winter clothes.

- She will also take in the mail daily.

- She will take care of all child related tasks in the house.

- She will also do any light cleaning/organizing in the home (not my bedroom).

Thank you everyone for your opinions, except for the disrespectful comments which I paid no attention to.

Glad you and your nanny were able to come to a mutually-satisfactory arrangement. As it should be!

[Anonymous]

OP that is a good arrangement for you, dog boarding or sitting alone, for an entire week, can get quite expensive. Will you give your nanny 1-2 weeks of paid vacation to take at her own discretion and time frame?