I have worked for you for almost two and a half years. I love your children and have seen them grow and learn. I have worked for you longer than anyone else who is with you at the moment.True I am young (26) and in school for post-grad work. You have been nice and have let me have time off around my midterms and finals. But to e-mail me and tell me that, by the way, we will not need you these next two Mondays, is not ok. I still have to pay my rent. This is my JOB. I am not just doing this for fun no matter how much I love your children.
You said you could help me find extra hours. You said I could add an hour to the others days I work until 10 hours are made up (the total hours I would lose for two Monday shifts). While I appreciate your thought (and will take you up on it, because really I have no choice and need the money) that does not mean that it is just ok to do this. Especially when I am the 'senior' babysitter working for you, with the other woman having worked for you for 6 months, not even close to how long I have been with you.)
You say you have to look at priorities. You took away my two Mondays because of this:
You are going on a trip on Friday and Saturday (two of the days the other woman works for you) and you told this other woman she could make up the Friday and Saturday that she is losing; the problem being the only days she can make up are Mondays, when I work. So you took two Mondays away from me to give to her because I am more 'part-time' (I work 10-12 while this other woman works 30).
I do not see this as fair. Is there something I am not seeing here? This is no way to treat people even if I am 'part-time.' You have refused a raise, and have refused to pay me what I am paid by other families on the weekends even though you have three kids which makes my weekend rate even more acceptable since $20/hr is what I get paid on the weekends for two kids from another family. How do you not understand that $15/hr especially on a Saturday for three children is not enough?
While I love your kids, and they love me since you have told me that they constantly ask when I am coming over, I cannot wait to quit at the end of July.
Sincerely,
Pissed Babysitter
12 comments:
Threre is something you're not seeing... You are not the senior babysitter in this household even if you have worked there longer. The other woman is senior even if she had been there only a week.. I think your employers are trying their hardest to accommodate everyones needs. They are not shafting you..they are letting you work the same number of hours and earn the same amount of money,something that you don't feel the other lady deserves. You complain that they are not paying you enough for the weekends but if that is what you agreed to work for you cannot suddenly expect more just because another family made a different offer. It seems your employers have been really nice in letting you take time off when you needed it during your exams but when they ask you to be flexible over these two Mondays you act like they are mistreating you. 26 is not that young and certainly old enough to act like a grown up instead of the way you come across in your post.
How would you like to be in my shoes? My employer of the past 3 years just told me I have today AND next week off. NO PAY!!! She said she is doing this to save money. I was shocked! She knows my situation and she knows this is a hardship for me. It's fine though. Turn about is fair play. I am looking for a new job now and my boss just gave me a whole week to interview! When I find one I will be sure to give as little notice as possible. This will put her in a bind because one of her kids is special needs so a sitter for her at my rate won't be easy to come by.
I am well aware this will be tough on her kids but hey...not having a week's pay will be pretty tough on mine. When I explained this will cause a real problem for me she didn't seem to care. Where the hell do people get off acting like this after I have done favor after favor and never was late or called out sick??? That's OK, screw me, screw you too. Off to an interview in one hour and with my other excellent references I don't even need the current witch I work for to give me one. Parents, you really shouldn't mess with the people you entrust your kids to, especially when you depend on us so you can go to work. And before anyone says it there were plenty of other way she could have saved money if she was really hurting. Or how about just give me a little notice so I could at least plan for this.
Quit in July OP and don't look back. Best wishes.
I can understand why your upset but at the same time it seems like your employer is trying to be fare by allowing you to work other days to make up your hours. She has been flexible with your exams, so why can't you be flexible once in awhile. Also you may have been with her longer but your not working full time for her, the other nanny is. She needs that nanny more then you.
I think age has nothing to do with it, and 26 is not that young. Your old enough to reason and try to see her side.
As for being paid less, that's your own fault. You stand by your rate and don't change it. If you allow someone to lower it, you have no one to blame but yourself.
If your that upset then leaving is a good idea and I wish you well.
I also think nannies/babysitters need to realize that we are a luxury and easily replaced. We need to be flexible within reason and stand our ground but there is price to pay for that.
Another screwed nanny- I completely agree with your anger. I would leave as soon as a new position presented itself. Unlike the op, your employer is selfish and unreasonable. She could have gave you noticed or tried to help find you temp position but instead did nothing. Move on and good luck.
What if it was the other babysitter weighing in- the family planned a last minute trip and should be paying her for those hours she would normally work, because they are the ones "taking time off" not her. If the family was doing right by the other nanny, she would not have to work other hours outside her schedule to "make up" her pay, and OP would also not have this problem. What's the magic word, people? That's right- CONTRACT
"I'm Tired of Getting the Shaft"
---that's what she said---
Sorry, I just had to :)
I think you need to stop complainging. I think that your employer is being very fare. And you can't force them to accomadate you to the way you see fit. To be honest she sounds lovely compared to the other employers that we've heard about. You being 26 is only an exscuse. Doesn't mean shit. I am younger then you and have my CPA. So if you keep whinning like a child then your age will be a factor. To me it sounds like you're a bit jealous of the other women.
I agree whole-heartedly with XYZ.
I would NEVER accept a position where it was not established in writing that I would be paid for my regular work week even if the family does not need my services for part or all of that time. At the very least, their full-time nanny should have that agreement with them and then she wouldn't be "making up" hours.
I want to come to the defense of the OP. She is unhappy. She is entitled to her feelings. And her feelings were hurt when her two Mondays were taken away.
I think she is doing the right thing by looking for another job, one that she likes better and pays more, and hopefully one that will involve a contract, so things like this don't happen in the future.
Good luck OP, and I hope you find a new family quickly. Once respect and trust are lost, it's hard to continue the relationship, IMHO.
I usually feel that if parents can count on the nanny to always be available for the days and hours they need her, she should be able to count on that schedule and income. I don't think it is fair to their full time nanny to expect her to make up hours that they chose to take off.
The OP however is part time, and the employers have been flexible to accommodate her school needs, so asking her to make a schedule change to accommodate them seems like a fair trade. Sorry OP, but you can't have it both ways.
If you were a cashier at Target or Walmart, you wouldn't get paid for hours not worked. Most jobs do not pay for hours not worked. Some jobs even post you for say...9-4, but then unexpectedly business is low and they have to send some employers home. This is life..the jobs that pay salary are usually higher up...for example teachers, etc. Nanny jobs usually do not fall in that category. I am a nanny so I fully understand how it must feel when someone gets screwed (as I have many times over!!)OP, I do not think you are being screwed. What about all the budget cuts to the State where businesses have to close one or two days a month or all the employees who get pay cuts for the same reason, etc? This is life and in the working world, we all get screwed...at one time or another..but it is circumstances and people have to accept it.
And 26 is not that young. So grow up. Sheesh.
I agree with the majority here. You need to be able to see this situation from ALL angles, and stop thinking solely of yourself. Does it suck that you are having to make up hours because your boss doesn't need you on these days? Yes, of course, but unfortunately sometimes things like this happen (especially in the childcare field, which tends to be ruled almost exclusively by parental needs). Unfortunately, it is also slightly irrelevant that you have worked for this family longer, you are extremely part-time and preparing to leave THIS month (I'm guessing this family is aware of this) with that in mind, it is quite normal that their focus would be on an employee whose hours are more demanding and who is continuing care for their family. Even if you have not given notice of leaving, this family still isn't in the wrong as quite frankly, your boss attempting to find ways for you to make up lost hours is not the norm. When my husband loses hours at work (and thus pay) I can guarantee that his boss has never once attempted to help him find ways to make up for lost income.
Lastly, sorry, I have to agree again, 26 (though obviously not ancient) isn't that young. My husband and I are 26 and 27, and expecting our first baby next month (we've been married since we were 22). I hate to say it, but you kind of need to grow up.
All I have to say is this: 26 is not that young. My mom had 2 kids by the time she was 26. Grow up, princess.
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