Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why? This wasn't an interesting thread in the first place.

She's just the laziest troll ever. She goes back and bumps old threads to reignite old arguments, and sadly people fall for it every single time.

Anonymous wrote:Why? This wasn't an interesting thread in the first place.

Anonymous wrote:Just to be accurate, it's an agreement, not a contract. A contract is legally enforceable; whatever you call it, it's not legally enforceable.

So when you take a job with unreasonable demands, find a new job and leave. No two weeks. Nothing. You don't owe them anything. They owe you. They owe you decent treatment, like a person, not a slave girl. They owe you a living wage. No judge in this great land will let anyone sue a poor hard working nanny, for anything.

You can sue them, and win, if they don't pay you properly. That's the main reason to have an agreement. That's the only part that is legally enforceable. That long list of housecleaning is NOT the job of a nanny. If they wanted a house cleaner, they have to be honest and say so. A nanny is NOT a housekeeper. If they want you to do two jobs, they need to pay you to do two jobs. A nanny takes care of the child, not the toilet scrubbing and floor polishing. Please. Wake up to nanny abuse. It's too much to ignore. Most of us see it happening.

Anonymous wrote:Actually, nanny agreements, so long as they state the term of employment and terms of employment, are legally enforceable. Not disagreeing that some people abuse their employees, but people all over these boards say the agreements are not enforceable, when, if written properly, they absolutely are.

Anonymous wrote:It's legally an agreement, not a binding contract.

Anonymous wrote:No one is talking about the changing development process of the child, as cited by your "diaper" example. Don't try to derail the issue here. That nonsense doesn't contribute to the discussion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But my point is you could if you wanted to, and that IS a powerful tool for nannies who feel they are being taken advantage of by employers who try to change terms, and not pay for things they previously agreed to pay.

If you never want your job tasks to change then you need to prepare to be job hunting every year or should go work in a daycare center where you are with the same age group all the time.

The reality is that the tasks that a nanny does changes as the kids get older. Good nannies and good employers often find a balance of changing responsibilities and are flexible enough to make this work where it is valuable to BOTH parties. This does mean that once the changing diapers and constant holding the baby days are over that more driving kids around and housekeeping tasks come in.

+1

Anonymous wrote:00:32, here, just to follow up for 22:50, who is clearly not getting it, this is a longer explanation of what a contract is: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/contracts-basics-33367.html

You'll notice that it begins, "a contract is an agreement." Did you agree to do housework? Did you agree to give two weeks notice? If so, you have a contractual obligation to do those things. If not, you do not have a contractual obligation. It is that simple.

Anonymous wrote:

Notice that in jobs sections, "nanny" jobs and "housekeeping" jobs are in separate sections.
Just ask any housekeeper if she thinks that babysitting is part of a housekeeper's job. Kitchen cleaning yes, kids, no.

This is ludicrous. There is no magic to the words "nanny" or "housekeeper" or inherent restrictions on their activities. Your job is what you and your employer agree on and/or sign a contract for. It is perfectly legal to employ someone to e.g. babysit 3 hours, mow the lawn and shop for groceries. If your contract is not for a set time period, it is then perfectly legal for either of the parties to request a change to that contract, e.g. babysit 2 hours, clean toliets and make dinner. That is not abuse (of nannies or anyone else). If one or the other of the parties to the contract do not want to accept the new terms, the solution is to terminate employment (subject to the provisions of the original contract re: notice, severance, etc.).

OP, what are you talking about??

Anonymous wrote:It's legally an agreement, not a binding contract.

Notice that in jobs sections, "nanny" jobs and "housekeeping" jobs are in separate sections.
Just ask any housekeeper if she thinks that babysitting is part of a housekeeper's job. Kitchen cleaning yes, kids, no.