Received Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - Perspective & Opinion
I am a nanny for a very wealthy family. I work full time Monday to Friday. I make an excellent salary. My issue is this. I have worked for three years at a very demanding job and got a raise one time, last spring of 50 dollars a week.
I just found out that the high school baby-sitter, who is an incompetent 16 year old, is making 3 dollars an hour less than me. She does not drive and my boss complains about her work constantly. And that the weekend nanny got a raise putting her 5 dollars ahead of me per hour.
My boss raves about how good I am and has had me doing a lot of house manager stuff in the last year. One of my friends just started a job where she is making what I make to start with only one kid, not three. I want to ask for a significant raise because the next year is going to be extremely difficult, the family is moving, there is going to be a lot of foreign travel and all three kids are in different schools.
That said, the economy is tanking (not her husbands job) and I am relatively happy. I don't want to quit over this, but i do want more money to stay happy.
Am I being whiny or do I deserve a raise?
20 comments:
Hi OP, if I was in your shoes, I am sure that I would feel the same way. I would ask for a meeting with your boss. Perhaps you could prepare an outline stating your current duties, and another one stating your duties for next year. Begin by asking her if she feels you are doing a good job, if there are any areas you could improve on, and then state your case. I, however, would not bring up the other women's salaries. It is not your buisness how much she chooses to pay them, and I think it would just come off tacky. Anyways, good luck, and keep us updated!!
I agree with swiss nanny. I had this same problem before, and I made the mistake of mentioning salaries of other nannies in the neighborhood. They said I shouldn't compare salaries, but they still gave me a raise. Make sure to mention that you love the kids, lave your job, want to do your best, but at the same time you feel that your abilities and how long you've been with them deserves a raise!
Good luck!
OP: have you ASKED for a raise? If no, why is it you think you deserve something you're not willing to make an effort to obtain?
Ask for a raise! You deserve it! I really believe that everyone deserves one buy nannies deserve it more!
From the Book Of Mathew.
9 "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
Don't think just because you do more you deserve more. If you want more, ask for more. Simple as that, maybe your boss has no idea that you want to work for more money.
I've never seen the bible quoted on ISYN. Great job, i love jason castro!
OP, put together something that lists all you do and what more you expect to do next year and ASK FOR A RAISE! Good luck to you!
I do PT nanny work for a family that has a FT live-in Nanny. I cover her days off and some eves when they want to go out. They pay me more per hour, because I get none of the benefits that the FT Nanny gets....paid holidays, sick days, vacation, etc.
That being said, I do believe that you deserve to have your contract reviewed each year and a cost of living raise (at the least). I wouldn't bring up what their other sitters make, employers tend to not like their staff discussing their fees. Discussing what other nannies in the area make is fair game, tho That's how any employer bases their pay scale.
Good luck to you.
If you think you deserve a raise... ask for one.
As for the weekend nanny making $5/hr more than you are... weekend nanny positions simply pay more than weeday positions do. Giving up every weekend is quite a committment and deserves to be paid accordingly
When are your employers responsible for their children? Day nanny, night babysitter, and weekend nanny? Wow.
Just because they have that much help doesn't mean the parents aren't involved. We get so very judgemental about people's families on this site so quickly sometimes!
In response to WOWS question: I do not know the OP'S situation but I can tell you that I was a nanny for a wonderful family who also had 3 nannies. Me from 6am-430pm M-F,A night time nanny from 5pm- 6am and a weekend nanny for a few set hours on both Sat & Sunday.
Why?Becuase after 10 yrs of not getting pregnant,invitro was the way to go and baby #1 came along..11 months later after more invitro..twins came and then surprise all on their own came baby #4 9 months later(after being told she could NEVER conceive on her own)..4 babies under 2 is a hell of a lot of work,especially when both parents work full time.(dad owns a huge AG company which keeps him very busy)They love their children but yes, they do need 24/7 help...with four daughters to put through college, they both need to keep working.
They are wonderful and loving parents.
Perhaps the OP"S situation is similar.
I think the full time nanny should make, by far, the most money out of the other providers. You are the one running the house. I would be insulted if I were you too. I wouldn't rush into a meeting, take time to cool down from this news you just learned (so you don't go into the meeting and blurt out, how can you pay them x amount and me only x amount??). Start to research salaries and list all your duties you do around the house, those they ask you to do and those you just do to do and those that they don't even realize you do. Put all this info on the table and then professionally ask for x amount of money from now on. You know they can afford it, they know they can afford it, but they're just getting by paying what they can pay because they can. I can't stand when people complain about their salary when they haven't even asked for a raise because that's their own fault for not advocating for themselves. Parents aren't going to throw extra money at you, you have to ask for it (and, of course, earn it).
Good luck!
By all means, if you think you deserve a raise ask for one. Just be prepared that the family might say "no". I've worked with the same family for 3 years now and have gotten a raise only once and it was a dollar. Should I have tolerated that? Absolutely not, but I did because I love the kid and didn't put myself first.
They have another nanny too, and she gets paid far more than I do. The reason why? "She's older than you are and this is her job." Whattt? That was the mom's words. Right then and there I should have quit, but I'm still sticking it out. Next time around I won't make the same mistake, so be careful. Ask for what you're worth.
OP,
it comes down to whether or not you think you can secure another job that you will like just as much for better pay.
do your research and see what you find out there. register through an agency or two and see what the recruiter thinks about your chances. (don't give out your current boss's info as a reference yet)
THEN, with that info in your mind you can talk to you boss about the raise. if they need you more than you need them, you can pretty much insist on the raise or walk.
i actually just wrote about a similar situation on my blog. i know how you feel!
You are being whiny. You should kiss your boss's feet that you have a job. A job indoors, then yet. You are not in the fields picking beets or shucking corn.
It definitely sounds like you deserve a raise, and I'm sure the family can afford it if they are really wealthy. I'm also sure they will at least consider it if they are really happy with you - and it sounds like they are. It can't hurt to try. When you talk to the mom, I would leave out the information you have on what the other babysitters make. Focus on your strengths and how you've taken on more responsibility. Good luck!
Did you get more money?
Did you ask?
UPDATE, please?
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