Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PPs - the MB is not a lawyer. Pay attention.

And if she was, even lawyers can get unceremoniously fired without another penny. It happens.

Under what conditions would a lawyer get fired without notice or severance?
Fraud?

MB is NOT a lawyer, she worked in the business aspect as I stated. I don't know if she had a severance package, I don't know why she was fired. I just feel like it was a low blow not to give me anything.

Just, oh hey. Later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how could you have had advance notice if mb lost her job over the weekend? I agree it sucks, but not sure what can be done. If they donthave the money , they dont have the money.

Lawyers don't just lose their jobs within a weekend, nor are they left without pay. MB is definitely collecting. She's a cheap, selfish biotch!

She's not a lawyer!! She worked in the business end of the firm and people (lawyers included) can lose their jobs without notice. It happens all the time!

OP, did sbe not pay you for hours already worked? If so, sbe had to pay you for these hours!

Anonymous wrote:She owes you the money for the hours you worked. I would not have left without my last paycheck, just because she was fired doesnt mean she shouldnt pay what she owes. They can downsize, collect unemployment and live off one income like many other families in America. You however have no other income and that was a scummy move on her part. Collect unemployment and threaten to take her to court for your remaining wages. People can do the right thing but some are too selfish to do it.

Everyone should have an emergency fund for situations like this.

I agree with this.

Nannies do need to realize that you are an expense not an adult dependent or child of you employer. Your employer is not responsible for supporting you or ensuring your well being outside working hours. Your employer is only responsible for paying you for your work.

If the employer's income situation changes, the first thing anyone would do would be to look at discretionary expenses. You as a nanny may think you walk on water and deserve whatever but you are a discretionary expense as an at will employee. You also are probably one of the largest expenses an employer has on par with a mortgage.

Many people feel they need a nanny when their children are infants but would be fine with preschool/before/aftercare and camps once the kids get older. They stick with their nanny because they have grown to like her and don't want to hassle with a change but the nanny just became a less valuable discretionary expense. As a nanny you are at risk in this situation too not just from a sudden change in your employer's income but also any concern your employer has about possible changes or concerns over new expenses.

I wonder how many couples are debt-free with a year's worth of expenses in liquid savings, and fully funded retirement funds, but still both work and hire nannies.

If that were the criteria, there would be a fraction of nanny jobs available. People should think before they post. Encouraging people to forego hiring nannies based on unrealistic criteria is self-sabotaging to your profession.

She owes you the money for the hours you worked. I would not have left without my last paycheck, just because she was fired doesnt mean she shouldnt pay what she owes. They can downsize, collect unemployment and live off one income like many other families in America. You however have no other income and that was a scummy move on her part. Collect unemployment and threaten to take her to court for your remaining wages. People can do the right thing but some are too selfish to do it.

Everyone should have an emergency fund for situations like this.

Anonymous wrote:PPs - the MB is not a lawyer. Pay attention.

And if she was, even lawyers can get unceremoniously fired without another penny. It happens.

+1

MB here. I agree with the concept that someone who can't afford to pay severance probably isn't doing a great job on finances (you are supposed to keep at least 3 to 6 months of expenses in emergency savings).

However, I disagree with the thought that if you have debt, you shouldn't have a household employee. How are the two connected? My DH and I both work full time and make almost $500K combined a year and have approximately $1M saved in retirement funds (401ks and IRAs). We have a nanny because we have 2 kids who are in part-time preschool and need someone to pick them up from school and take care of them until I get home.

We do have debt - a mortgage of a little over $500,000. We can afford the monthly mortgage payments on one salary but would have to change our budgeting if one of us lost our job. One of those changes would probably be (unfortunately) to the childcare costs - which are our biggest expense after the mortgage. (We would pay severance though.) I fail to see how we should have had our kids in daycare instead so that we could use the savings to pay down our mortgage instead of employing a more expensive nanny. As it is, we are on a 15 year fixed so we will pay off our mortgage pretty quickly. Seems odd to say only those who are debt free can hire household employees. Most people are not debt free until they are older - i.e. a time when their kids no longer need child care! Plus as a nanny, I would think you would want more employers not less even at the increased risk of being let go without severance pay.

Anonymous wrote:PPs - the MB is not a lawyer. Pay attention.

And if she was, even lawyers can get unceremoniously fired without another penny. It happens.

Under what conditions would a lawyer get fired without notice or severance?
Fraud?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's your issue with filing for unemployment? This is what it is for.

The money does not come directly from your former employers.

Because where I live people who are unemployed are looked down on as lazy "Welfare Queens".

Seriously, who cares what other people think?

You are not entitled to unemployment benefits if you're not actively looking for another job. Don't skip out on benefits you need because someone else is uninformed. That's ridiculous.

PPs - the MB is not a lawyer. Pay attention.

And if she was, even lawyers can get unceremoniously fired without another penny. It happens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's your issue with filing for unemployment? This is what it is for.

The money does not come directly from your former employers.

Because where I live people who are unemployed are looked down on as lazy "Welfare Queens".

No people who refuse to work and instead have multiple children and sit on welfare and EBT cards are looked down upon as "Welfare Queens" -- Not someone who is let go with no means of financial support. As a lawyer, your MB was NOT laid off without compensation and/or notice. Why should you?

Anonymous wrote:how could you have had advance notice if mb lost her job over the weekend? I agree it sucks, but not sure what can be done. If they donthave the money , they dont have the money.

Lawyers don't just lose their jobs within a weekend, nor are they left without pay. MB is definitely collecting. She's a cheap, selfish biotch!

Did op tell us if she had a written agreement that addressed terms of notice?