Wondering if I'm going to lose my job and I am wondering if anyone else is going through this. I may just be paranoid but with the economy the way it is I guess you never know. Today at work I overheard the father say " here are the daycare papers" as he handed her some papers. She then took them and put them in their office. Now maybe they thought I didn't hear them...but I did as it was pretty much done right infront of me. Curiousity got the best of me after they left for work and I did look at the paperwork(I am allowed in the office and they were setting out in plain sight). Apparently there is a daycare at my employers work and these were doctor forms to make sure they had correct immunizations and etc. They have never spoken to me about daycare. I do get paid a large amount($850) but I do work 65 hours a week. They have one child that is in elementary and one that is of daycare age. Am I being paranoid? There is also backup care at this daycare and maybe they are just being prepared incase something were to happen. What should I do?
Thursday
Oh the Economy...II
Received Thursay, March 26, 2009
Wondering if I'm going to lose my job and I am wondering if anyone else is going through this. I may just be paranoid but with the economy the way it is I guess you never know. Today at work I overheard the father say " here are the daycare papers" as he handed her some papers. She then took them and put them in their office. Now maybe they thought I didn't hear them...but I did as it was pretty much done right infront of me. Curiousity got the best of me after they left for work and I did look at the paperwork(I am allowed in the office and they were setting out in plain sight). Apparently there is a daycare at my employers work and these were doctor forms to make sure they had correct immunizations and etc. They have never spoken to me about daycare. I do get paid a large amount($850) but I do work 65 hours a week. They have one child that is in elementary and one that is of daycare age. Am I being paranoid? There is also backup care at this daycare and maybe they are just being prepared incase something were to happen. What should I do?
Wondering if I'm going to lose my job and I am wondering if anyone else is going through this. I may just be paranoid but with the economy the way it is I guess you never know. Today at work I overheard the father say " here are the daycare papers" as he handed her some papers. She then took them and put them in their office. Now maybe they thought I didn't hear them...but I did as it was pretty much done right infront of me. Curiousity got the best of me after they left for work and I did look at the paperwork(I am allowed in the office and they were setting out in plain sight). Apparently there is a daycare at my employers work and these were doctor forms to make sure they had correct immunizations and etc. They have never spoken to me about daycare. I do get paid a large amount($850) but I do work 65 hours a week. They have one child that is in elementary and one that is of daycare age. Am I being paranoid? There is also backup care at this daycare and maybe they are just being prepared incase something were to happen. What should I do?
I think you should be honest and say. I overheard your conversation this morning about daycare and was wondering if you are considering switching the care provided to your child. don't be defensive just factual. And when they say Yes we are considering it (I bet they will say for "social skills" as an excuse) then I would start looking for another job. If they say "No" I would ask well, if you change your mind I would love as much notice as you can give me so I can find other work.
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully, they will clue you in!
Good luck and keep us posted.
What Becky said...
ReplyDeleteI'd just start looking - it definitely sounds like they're looking into daycare, at least part time. Plus, you snooped, and if you seem to know too much about the daycare options that will become obvious.
ReplyDeleteI'd look for a job.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a contract? Must they give you notice? Were you placed through an agency?
I'd get to work looking for a placement. It's obvious they plan to put their child in daycare. It's a shame they can't be honest with you.
I agree with Becky. And start looking for a new job asap!
ReplyDeleteYou need to be prepared. I was let go from my last position VERY ABRUPTLY. The parents apparently had been considering daycare for a month and didn't think it important for me to know I was going to lose my job. I was let go with one week severance and no notice.
ReplyDeleteStart looking for other positions immediately, even if they aren't letting you go it's better to be prepared. If you happen to find another job before they bring this up then you can go to them and let them know you've been offered another position and want to know if you should take it.
Good Luck to you, the economy sucks.
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ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI would say start looking for another job, the same thing happen to me a few months ago. They gave me 1 week and 3 days notice and informed me that they were putting the baby in day care. I have worked for this family for over 2 years. And I found out on my own when i went to use the computer and saw the day care's they were looking into, then they told me a week after they found the one they wanted. They gave me 2 weeks salary and that was it. Now it's months after and I am still trying to find a full time position.
It sounds like they're looking to daycare. My boss lost her job 4 months ago and has yet to find a new one. Just this week she cut my hours and salary in half. She had mentioned she considered daycare but I don't think she could come to terms with putting her kids in one or losing me completely. So, I'm only working two days a week and desperately scrounging for a part-time job.
ReplyDeleteBack to you though, OP :-)
I wonder when they were planning on telling you about the daycare...I'd definitely take Becky's advise. You overheard them and was wondering what was going on.
You have a right to know. They aren't the only ones with bills to pay.
I have a clear air policy with my employers. I bring everything up that is bothering me to eliminate paranoia, and so things won't fester and turn into resentment.
ReplyDeleteTell them you overheard them talking about daycare papers, and ask them if there are putting their child into daycare.
Tell them that the economy being the way it is you are going to need time to look for something else (begin looking anyway) and that you expect a minimum of 1 month notice. If they do not agree to the 1 month notice then ask for 1 month severance pay. I hope you have a work agreement. Oh! I put an end to the social skills excuse once by signing my charge up for every playgroup, storytime, tumbletime, freeplay and craft class I can find. Let me tell you there wasn't a shy bone left in this girls's body!
They could very well have been setting things up for emergency back-up care. Have you taken sick or vacation time recently or do you have a vacation coming up? Could be they are just preparing or trying to arrange for coverage should you be out. Ask them directly. Don't tell them you snooped. Just say you overheard as Becky said.
ReplyDeleteSince you said that they mentioned "daycare" almost right in front of you, I would just casually mention what you overheard from the father and ask if they were going to put their child in daycare. I would stop there, however and not mention that you snooped. If they are honest and say "Yes", then you can go from there about discussing severance pay, etc. If they deny it, and based on what you found out from going into the office, then I would assume they are not going to tell you the truth, and start looking for a new job as well as saving up some of your salary in case you do not find something soon. Yes, the economy is crummy now and I am even finding it hard where I live (CA) to find even a part-time nanny job. Seems for every nanny job advertised, there are 50 nannies fighting for the position.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to you OP.
You mentioned you worked 65 hours a week. Are most daycares open that long? Maybe, they are going to switch to daycare. Then ask you to work from 3-7pm. You mentioned you watched one child that is school aged. So maybe they are going to ask you to pick him or her up bring home or to activities. Then they will bring the baby home with them from the daycare. Which will be cheaper for them. But not good for you
ReplyDeleteOP, you should definitely ask the parents ASAP by saying, I heard so and so say "here are the day care papers" this morning. Politely and gently explain that you'd love to know as soon as possible if there's any chance that they might not need you, or might not need you as much. Explain that you're happy with your job but if it's ending or being reduced, you'd need to know right away so that you'd be certain to be able to support yourself.
ReplyDeleteLet us know what happens!
most parents dont care, i worked for 3 months for a horrible family both docrors one day they came and say, we cant afford a nanny anymore! BS
ReplyDeleteyou need to talk to them and they need to give you 3 weeks notice, good luck to you and i am very sorry!
Sheesh! I don't really understand why a parent would not try to take their own child to the doctor! I mean, I know there are emergency situations and all where it might be necessary to send the nanny...but these are their KIDS. I learned a lot of things from my kid's doctor visits and asked a lot of questions of the doctor. I would have hated to have to send a proxy.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly DO some of these parents do with their kids? Anything at all? Or do they just dress them up pretty when it's time to be seen with a family and otherwise shove them to the periphery of their lives?
Your situation is eerily similar to what I went through a month ago.
ReplyDeleteI found a piece of paper out in the open on the kitchen table one morning, it had prices written on it for what was obviously some kind of daycare. The majority were prices for the older two school aged children that I only watch a couple of hours in the summer, so that wasn't alarming but then I saw that she had also written down information and prices for all 3 kids, including my toddler charge for the entire next school year.
I know it was wrong but when it was my charge's nap time I am allowed internet access on their computer and I looked through their history and found the place in question. It was a small academy that had elementary school as well.
I was very, very alarmed and worried and there was no way I could just wait to be fired. The next week I brought up that I wanted to make sure with the economy how it is that everything was going to still be the same and I was needed. She assured me that her and her husband are secure in their jobs and mine was secured as well and that they were probably going to put the older two in the summer camp program that the academy offered but that was likely it. But then she mentioned that she had considered putting the toddler in the program there that's only 3 hours a day for 2 days a week and that if I wanted to take some classes in the morning or something at the college then she could do that. That worried me as it did mean she was thinking about it and even if it were just that scenario of 6 hours a week, that's no doubt 6 hours I wouldn't be paid for.
For now I am trusting the family as I've worked for them 10 months now and have had no complaints and by all means they seem to like me so I have faith that if they were to go with something else they would give me fair warning but who knows. I don't think I'll feel completely secure again until after September. I am definitely keeping a look out for other options if I am given short notice here.
I would advise you bring it up like others have said. Just say you overheard the daycare comment. See what they say. If you don't it'll just worry you to death. For all you know it's just back-up and you have no reason to worry so why not face it?