Anonymous wrote:The problem with the common sense approach is that many of us have worked hourly positions. It's actually quite rare in most hourly positions to be paid when you are not scheduled to work. Our nanny got guarenteed hours, and I agree its a good benefit to discuss. But I wish we could tone down the outrage when people don't know to discuss it. The onus truly is on the person who wants an extra benefit to ask for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't sound like the nanny was discussing this in a professional manner at all. The OP offered a compromise in banking hours. The nanny didn't offer any compromise solutions just wanted the OP to give in. The nanny didn't apologize or acknowledge that she should have brought this up when she was hired. I would bet that this nanny did not receive guaranteed hours at her last job if she is illegal and under the table.

OP said that nanny has a child of her own. She can't just allow OP to bank hours to use as she pleases if she has other commitments. It's not unprofessional to have your boundaries and stick to them. I also don't accept banking hours as acceptable, but this is something I discuss up front. I also will help with household chores but there are some things I will NOT do. This doesn't make me unprofessional.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't sound like the nanny was discussing this in a professional manner at all. The OP offered a compromise in banking hours. The nanny didn't offer any compromise solutions just wanted the OP to give in. The nanny didn't apologize or acknowledge that she should have brought this up when she was hired. I would bet that this nanny did not receive guaranteed hours at her last job if she is illegal and under the table.

Anonymous wrote:Its manipulative and dishonest for nannies to not negotiate upfront for benefits.

Anonymous wrote:This is tough because it is absolutely something that should have been handled/discussed during the hiring process. Do you have any agreement re holidays, vacation/sick time, etc...? How long has she been with you? Is she full time (every work day, all day?) How satisfied are you with her overall? Are you prepared to lose her if she can't accept the unpaid week or is it worth the money to pay her some/all of it?

Obviously you need to decide how to handle this but it sounds like you don't have a solid agreement about leave/vacation time (for all parties) and that is clearly needed.

Typically a nanny who works full time for a family and for whom it is their primary employment would reasonably expect to be paid even when the family decides they don't need her for any given day or set of days. Some agreements ask the nanny to take a week of vacation concurrent with the family's vacation but not all.

I'm an MB and our nanny gets two weeks of vacation leave (plus sick leave and holidays) and she can take that vacation time whenever she likes (giving us notice so we can plan for it obviously). When we have travelled with the kids she gets paid - even though we're not there. It's not her fault that we don't need her - she would be expected to be available to us that day so we need to honor our agreement.

I think you, and your nanny, made some rookie mistakes and now you're paying the price. A lot depends on whether you're pleased with her and want to retain her. If you are then I think it's reasonable for her to expect to be paid for that week - especially if she's working full time for you. And, as I'm sure you know, if you really like her and she's doing a good job you are getting a pretty amazing deal for $14/hr under the table. Especially if you're in the DC metropolitan area. (I hope you're prepared for the flaming you're likely to receive.)

My advice is to first look at the big picture - if you don't want to find another nanny then the cost of her salary for one week is probably a small price to pay. Second - get an agreement between you that deals with these things so you all know what you're agreeing to and what to expect going forward.

The problem with the common sense approach is that many of us have worked hourly positions. It's actually quite rare in most hourly positions to be paid when you are not scheduled to work. Our nanny got guarenteed hours, and I agree its a good benefit to discuss. But I wish we could tone down the outrage when people don't know to discuss it. The onus truly is on the person who wants an extra benefit to ask for it.

nannydebsays wrote:Right now, you need to sit down and talk about a contract. Guaranteed hours are not a plush benefit, they are a basic benefit that is reality based. YOUR choice to leave town, you pay nanny just like you'd pay daycare of any type.

If you don't settle these issues now with a detailed contract, you will have more issues pop up down the line.

Anonymous wrote:OP ignore the nasty nanny. There is one poster who loves to put forward the idea that nannies are extortionists. Once you hire them, you should give them anything they ask for or your children will suffer trauma.

Some nannies do play this game and intentionally don't ask for anything at the interview and then later on keep hitting you up for new things. They aren't naive and just forgot to mention something. They are banking on the idea that you will be afraid to lose them so you will increase their compensation. They know that if they are honest and make these requests in the interview that another nanny might be hired so they wait.

The really good professional nannies don't do this because they are qualified enough to compete for many jobs and they can be honest with employers. The mediocre or less qualified nannies do play this game.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree that guaranteed hours are a standard perk for positions that pay under the table. It isn't as standard as everyone wants to think for above board positions but its much rarer for under the table jobs.

OP- you may want to call your nannies former reference and confirm whether she did receive guaranteed hours. Its likely that she never did but read or heard somewhere that other nannies get this benefit. If this is the case, she is lying to you and trying to renegotiate her compensation. Not good.

If her former employer did give her guaranteed hours, your still within your right to say no as you never offered it and she never asked. However, at least you would know that she was being honest in saying she received this in the past.