Sunday

Full-time to Part-time...

Received Sunday, August 22, 2010
perspective and opinion I have a question to ask all the nannies and employeers. I have never worked as a nanny part time before, however I have been a full time nanny for 9 years. I just was hired with a new family and we are working out all the details of the contract. At every other position I was paid 50 weeks/year regardless of whether I worked or not. I was wondering is this standard for part timers as well? I will be working a set schedule of 24 hours a week and making $14/hour plus overtime for any hours worked beyond 8 in a single day. I am not asking for vacation or sick time, but is it unreasonable of me to assume I should be paid 50 weeks/year even if I don't work them all, as I am only a part time employee?

10 comments:

TC said...

No it's not unreasonable but you should be paid for 52 weeks a year not 50.

Look at this way. If the parents put the kid in a daycare they would be paying for the entire year, not just when the child is there. If the child is sick for a week they are still responsible for paying the daycare. If you take a vacation and your kid doesn't attend for a week or two you are still required to pay. Why should it be any different because you're the nanny and not a daycare? You have bills to pay just like a daycare does and it's hard to pay them when you can't count on your paychecks

Dear Abby said...

I am not too sure if the same rules apply to part-timers or not. I would not assume so, but I do not have any actual experience to back this up.

Nanny Consultant said...

I think it just depends on what the family is offering. Some offer 52 paid weeks/year (2 weeks paid vaca) as a part of the deal, others will offer you 51 paid weeks/year (1 week paid vaca, 1 week unpaid), and then others offer no paid vaca at all leaving you with 50 paid weeks/year. It usually depends on how many part time hours you are working. The way I figure it is:

50 hrs/wk: 2 weeks paid vaca
40 hrs/wk: 1 week paid vaca, 1 unpaid
30 hrs/wk: 2 weeks unpaid vaca

Make sure that you and the family are on the same page about this, ie. put it in a contract! You do deserve to be paid the hours you are scheduled regardless of them needing you or not.

Cha ching! said...

Ask the family, not us. It is different in every situation.

Meme said...

I think this is something that perhaps you should ask the parents. I know you want nanny advice but I think part time nanny-ing is so varied that it is really just going to come down to what you and the parents decide.

Huh said...

Your finances are at stake, stability ought to be absolute.

Manhattan Nanny said...

Yes, if you are working a set number of hours per week and signing a one year contract, then you should be paid every week.
There are basically two types of PT nanny jobs. As needed, where you schedule hours from week to week. In this arrangement, the employer has the flexibility of not having to pay the nanny when she isn't needed, but the nanny may not always be available when the employer wants her.
With set weekly hours, the employer can count on the nanny for those hours, and the nanny is guaranteed a weekly income she can count on.
As for 50 versus 52 weeks, that is up to you whether you will accept a job with an unpaid vacation. Some PTs offer paid vacations, sick days and holidays, some don't.

nycmom said...

When I have hired pt nannies with set hours, I give prorated vacation and would expect to pay all weeks. In return, I would expect said pt nanny to commit to being available for those hours 52 weeks a year, barring vacation weeks. Many nannies combining two part-time jobs are putting them together for a full-time job. If they didn't get vacation and paid 52 weeks, then they would NEVER get paid time off. Manhattan Nanny said it perfectly that pt jobs with variable hours generally do not offer this. Also this question comes up a lot on the mommy message boards (UB, YBM), and the responses are usually split. So I think employers have different perceptions and will make different offers. It's up to you to negotiate the terms you need/want so that you aren't resentful later. However, if you aren't getting paid for 52 weeks, then it's not reasonable for them to expect you to reserve availability 52 weeks.

bippityboppityboo said...

It definitely is not a given that you will be paid. I have worked both part and full time and learned my lesson from not asking this question early on. In my experience (I have worked on both coasts) it is more common that you are not paid for when you do not wok as a part time employee. Best of luck though. Don't get less than your worth! Stand you ground and get what you are comfortable with.

Chrissy said...

I work PT as a nanny (30 hours a week). The days I work vary from week to week, but I know my schedule one month in advance. You absolutely should be paid for 52 weeks a year if you are keeping your schedule open for your employer. I cannot get another job since my schedule varies and my employer realizes this, and pays me 52 weeks a year (even on weeks she does not need me).