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[quote=Anonymous]I saw a job posted on care.com recently. I live in a smaller city than DC, nanny rates here are just slightly lower. The job basics as described in the care.com post: pick up two kids from school (car and safe driving record required), watch for two hours, $15/hr. I reached out and MB scheduled a phone interview with me. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: please tell me more details about the position
MB: well, my son goes to preschool in X neighborhood, and my daughter goes to elementary school in Y neighborhood...
Me: oh, I didn't realize that much driving was required!
MB: it's not so bad, it's only about 20-25 mins from his school to hers
Me: and then how far from her school to your home?
MB: ten minutes max
Me: okay. Please tell me more about the exact hours and other duties you are looking for
MB: my son needs to be picked up by 4:30, so you can get my daughter by 5. You are to take them home and get them settled, put away shoes and coats, wash hands, help DD start with homework, and prepare dinner, making sure to wash all pots and dishes from dinner. My husband arrives home every day between 5:30 and 6pm
Me: oh, I'm a little confused, I thought your ad said you needed care for two hours each day
MB: no, it's 1-1.5 hours.
Me: okay, how are you planning to compensate for gas and mileage?
MB:....that is built into your pay already
Me:....
MB: well, we would be willing to pay you for 1.5 hours every day you work, regardless of if my husband comes home early and you only work one hour.
Me: so, that's about $22 per day? Are you willing to offer guaranteed hours?
MB: ....well, yes, we'd guarantee 1.5 hours of pay on days you work.
Me: I'm confused again. On care.com it looked like you need help five days per week.
MB: we need help Monday's, Wednesday's, and Fridays. But we won't need you on school holidays, teacher work days, or if someone in the family stays home sick.
Me: guaranteed hours mean you would pay me the same rate (1.5 hours) for every day of the week I am normally scheduled, even if you don't need me that particular day.
MB: I've never heard of that. No, no if you don't work I don't see why we should pay you.
Me: so...you're looking to pay $22 per day, $66 per week on weeks you need me every day, for 30-40 mins of driving each day and 1-1.5 hours of care, including preparing dinner and washing all dishes, with no additional compensation for gas?
MB: yes, we've seen ads on care.com for positions at $10-$12/hr so we feel this is a competitive rate
Me: Thank you anyway, I don't think we are a good fit after all.

Honestly, I don't know what these parents are thinking! I mean, maybe they'll find a high school or college student willing to do it, sure, but it's definitely beneath any experienced, educated nanny. Also, it sounds like I would potentially have less than 30 mins after we got home to get the kids settled, help with homework, cook and serve dinner, and wash all dinner dishes before DB got home, which is a little crazy, too. I guess reading over it all it doesn't sound SO terrible, but I think what bothered me the most was how the mom clearly thought she was being the patron saint of generosity by offering 1.5 hours of pay at $15/hr for two kids when there was the /potential/ to get off after only one hour. (Which wouldn't have been so bad if the position didn't require so much driving, cooking, dishes, and no guaranteed hours!) And this is the third family I've discussed after school care with in the past two weeks who thought it totally acceptable to not pay for gas or guarantee hours!

End vent.[/quote]

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