Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I interpreted this as meaning the family went on vacation, but it was outside of the nanny's vacation time - so she was still being paid. If she is being paid, just the family is on vacation so there are no children to watch, it seems fine that she's being asked to do some small tasks. However, if it is one of her two weeks of vacation, then it seems completely out of line.

It depends on what is written in the contract.

Period.

If there is no written contract then a conversation is necessary to spell out the specifics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Your nanny’s job is child related, I’m surprised any nanny would agree to this.

Our nanny's job is whatever both parties agree it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Nanny here - i don’t get the outrage at this comment... one week of nanny’s choosing and one of the family’s is pretty standard. Asking for some small tasks when she’s not on the week of her choosing (even non-child-related) is pretty much like every job I’ve ever had and I don’t know many nannies that have guaranteed hours that don’t water plants and fetch mail on occasion... we just consider ourselves lucky to have paid vacation at all.

A nanny’s job directly relates to children, not home/pet care when the family is gone. If vacation of one week of each party’s choosing is mutually agreed upon, fine, but that in no way addresses families using nannies do housesitting when they are out of town. If you are washing their underpants, tending to their pets, house sitting, cleaning, etc., it is because you cannot get a better job. I’m great at what I do and if I get the random perk of an extra week off when working for above average but still low pay, then I’m taking it!

Nanny here - i don’t get the outrage at this comment... one week of nanny’s choosing and one of the family’s is pretty standard. Asking for some small tasks when she’s not on the week of her choosing (even non-child-related) is pretty much like every job I’ve ever had and I don’t know many nannies that have guaranteed hours that don’t water plants and fetch mail on occasion... we just consider ourselves lucky to have paid vacation at all.



If this is a real nanny voicing this opinion, I can only imagine how 'well' you are treated by your employers. If you perform duties outside of taking care of the children, then that's on you. However, fetching the mail, anwatering plants, supervising odd jobs in employer's absence is way out of job description. Paid vacation go3s with your full time status. Please stop that plantation mentality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Nanny here - i don’t get the outrage at this comment... one week of nanny’s choosing and one of the family’s is pretty standard. Asking for some small tasks when she’s not on the week of her choosing (even non-child-related) is pretty much like every job I’ve ever had and I don’t know many nannies that have guaranteed hours that don’t water plants and fetch mail on occasion... we just consider ourselves lucky to have paid vacation at all.

You’re either a nanny being taken advantage of or the employer that posted that. It’s not standard at all for a nanny’s vacation or pto to be used when she still will be coming over and doing things for the employer or doing nothing at all because they are gone. I had one Mb that tried that with me when I was young and just transitioning to nannying from working in preschool and once I was hired through a reputable agency NO family has ever even thought of my time off being lined up with their own. That means the nanny really only gets one week of vacation. If that’s the case and all the family wants to offer they just need to call a spade a spade and hopefully the nanny will negotiate to have 2 actual weeks of vacation going forward. Being on PTO or vacation means you are free to do as you please. I don’t mind helping when my family travels and doesn’t require me for childcare but they certainly will be paying me my normal salary and not taking it from my vacation days. The vacation time is up the the nanny.

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Nanny here - i don’t get the outrage at this comment... one week of nanny’s choosing and one of the family’s is pretty standard. Asking for some small tasks when she’s not on the week of her choosing (even non-child-related) is pretty much like every job I’ve ever had and I don’t know many nannies that have guaranteed hours that don’t water plants and fetch mail on occasion... we just consider ourselves lucky to have paid vacation at all.

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

This is bull and you should be ashamed. If nanny has TWO WEEKS VACATION then that’s her choosing

OP, do you have a contract? If the contract does not have limits on the vacation time, it is the nanny’s choice. This should be discussed and written into the contract. My contract with my current family guarantees 2 weeks of their choosing, which rollover to my choosing the following year if unused, 6 days of my choosing with the allowance of 5 days rollover. All additional un-requested days off are paid, in addition to sick pay and holidays.

Anonymous wrote:We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

Your nanny’s job is child related, I’m surprised any nanny would agree to this.

We put in our nanny's contract that they get two weeks of paid vacation per year - one week at their choosing (that they need to let us know at least one month in advance) and one week at our choosing.

Often times when we are on vacation and our nanny technically isn't, we ask them to go to our house to get mail, water plants, etc. Sometimes we have repair work done when we're not there so we want the nanny to meet those people, etc.

It depends on what is in the contract! If the contract is silent on the issue, then generally the nanny gets to choose her vacation days. Some contracts outline that the nanny and family split choosing vacation days.

This is similar to how many companies close for the week between Christmas and New Years and force employees to either take the time unpaid or use vacation days.

Since the nanny has no say in these days, you pay her. These are not to be used as her vacation days.

Why should a nanny use HER vacation days for compensation just because her employers are deciding to go away and not use her scheduled services? Bills don’t stop just because the family leaves. Any ethical employer would pay and any nanny with good sense would quit if she found herself working for folks that think it’s ok to make her use her pto.

When your employer goes on vacation, should the nanny use her vacation days or should the employer pay nanny without nanny using her vacation days?