OP: my employers agreed to guarantee a certain number of hours each week. I told them I would have to look for another job otherwise.

We always paid if we were the ones "calling out" but did not pay if the nanny was the one calling out, unless she was electing to use that as one of her paid days off (she got five discretionary days per year, and then about 2 weeks of vacation). When we went on vacation, we just paid as usual for the minimum threshold of hours we had agreed to in the contract. For us, the guarantee was 22.75 hours per week, so that's what we did. I can't imagine being a nanny that couldn't have some minimum expectation from week to week.

Anonymous wrote:From Dec 10th through January 5th, my employers won't need my services except for 2-3 days. We don't have a contract and I don't expect to be paid when they don't need me, but I also need to make money hence why I work part-time. I'm also expecting them to take 1-2 weeks off in the Spring.
My question is: when is it too much. Would it be unreasonable to start looking for a new job, even though the next job might be the same way regarding time off?

If you need the money you make part time to live and they don't need you for weeks at a time, you should have started looking a lo.g time ago.

They've got a sweet deal. You -- not so much. If you need consistent income, this job obviously isn't going to work for you as it is. If you like the very part-time nature of it, but need a little more consistency, maybe you can negotiate with them for a minimum number of guaranteed hours per week.

If they're not willing to do that, then I think that if you don't want to quite without a new job, you should start looking and start advertising that you're also available for other people for part time work.

Honestly, I don't think your next job will be the same, because I don't think you'll agree to it.

Anonymous wrote:You should start looking yesterday.

+1

If you otherwise like the job, I think you should sit down with the parents and tell them you need a certain number of hours guaranteed each week. And that you should be paid for those hours whether you are needed or not. Decide for yourself what would be the minimum required for you to have enough income that you didn't need to look for another job. This is a TOTALLY REASONABLE REQUEST.

And if they can't do that, you should start looking for an employer who will.

You should start looking yesterday.

OP here: the schedule varies week to week. I can work anything between 10 and 30 hours a week(and now 0).
There are no guaranteed hours.

Our nanny started off very part-time and is now working 32 hours/week. We have ALWAYS paid her when we take vacation. How else can we expect her to reserve that time in her schedule for us?

From Dec 10th through January 5th, my employers won't need my services except for 2-3 days. We don't have a contract and I don't expect to be paid when they don't need me, but I also need to make money hence why I work part-time. I'm also expecting them to take 1-2 weeks off in the Spring.
My question is: when is it too much. Would it be unreasonable to start looking for a new job, even though the next job might be the same way regarding time off?