NOt sure how to go about this situation so some advice would be greatly appreciated. I currently work for three different families. I have my morning family, in which I drive the two boys to school everyday. My afternoon family for whom I work approx. 15 hrs/wk and my Saturday night family. Spring break is coming up and I'm in a bit of a financial bind. I had told both families that I would be going away for my college break which is the last week of March. I knew it matched my morning families break and when the kids aren't in school I don't have to work, but I normally still get paid. However, for my afternoon family, I was also hoping my break would coincide for when they went on vacation, but they have decided to go the week before instead (the eldest child has two weeks off, and the younger one is only in preschool). I do not get paid when I don't work for my afternoon family. I am now left with two weeks of no pay because they'll be gone one week, and I'll be gone the next. I've tried looking fr a parttime spring break, but I've had no luck. Should I ask my afternoon family to be compensated? Is that rude? I try very hard to be available for them. I work extra hours when I can. Thanks everyone!
OP - I was a nanny part time for a few families when I was in college. Sorry, but I don't think you can ask them to pay you for their vacation time. If you don't have a contract or if this wasn't discussed in it, you're probably SOL. I mean, you can ask I guess. I suppose it can't cause too much harm.
ReplyDeleteBut no offense, something tells me that for 15 hours a week, they view as a babysitter and not a nanny. Which makes the whole asking them to compensate you during their vacation even more ridiculous. I was only paid once when my family didn't need me. And it was because I was scheduled to work extra that week and had reworked my schedule to do. Then, a family emergency came up for them and they had to leave the state. They paid me because they knew I had made sacrifices for them.
Also, if not being paid for a 15 hr work week is going to put you in financial distress, you have no business going away for Spring Break.
Hi OP. I kind of agree with the PP. Crummy situation, absolutely. But if you value your job, coming out and asking to be compensated when it wasn't discussed as part of the job may not be the best thing for you. Depending on your relationship with the parents, maybe mentioned how strapped for cash you will be in a very relaxed, conversational way (possibly mention how you are searching for work to make-up the loss and that they may be getting reference calls but that you are having a hard time finding anything) may motivate something...
ReplyDeleteLike others have said since you did not have an agreement for them to pay you for vacation, you are most likely out of luck.
ReplyDeleteSave the money you make over the next few weeks every penny you can.
Try looking on the various care sites for a spring break sitter or even contact a local agency that maybe looking for fill in sitters.
For a part-time position...actually less than part-time, I wouldn't even ask. Honestly, I work these types of jobs from time to time and would never think of asking to be paid for not working. If you were working full-time, it would be a totally different situation.
ReplyDeleteI advise you OP not to even approach the subject. You will come off as a little selfish and might damage the relationship you have w/this family. They may view you in a totally different light from now on and it may affect future relations.
Go on Care.com and/or Sittercity.com and look for families who are looking for someone to watch their kids during the Spring Break. I would start looking now because families are already planning ahead.
Good luck.
I hope you find something soon! ☺ ☺ ☻ ☻
As others have said unless they agreed to pay for that time , which is not the norm for the type of job you are describing, you are out of luck.
ReplyDeleteIt stinks I know.
Just save whatever money you can over the next few weeks , and keep looking for spring break jobs. I don't know where you live, but I see these type of ads every day on Care.com with parents looking for a vacation sitter.
Maybe you can even offer to sit for friends of your regular family during that week if they need a vacation sitter.
I think you could at least ask. If you feel uncomfortable talking face to face about it, send an email. Say something like, "I know we don't have a contract, but if I don't get paid when you don't need me, I cannot pay my bills. I'm not trying to be greedy, I just need to make end meet."
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could also say that if you ask for time off, you don't expect pay, but if they don't need you, they should still pay.