We used a very reputable staffing agency in Atlanta and paid a large fee for a nanny who was with our family for just less than 3 weeks. One week into her employment, she, SHIRLEY from Atlanta and Lithonia GA shared with us that she was on total disability benefits and medicare. Not only do we need a person physically fit to work to care for our 3 children, but we are not willing to violate law and help this individual hide her earnings with us. Based on this loss of trust we asked her to leave and shortly our weekly cleaning ladies came in and reported to me that the week before, they witnessed her verbally/emotionally berate and abuse our 4 year old.
So, now we have spent a large fee for a deadbeat and abusive loser named Shirley AND the agency can offer us nothing more but another pool of candidates that they assure us have been thoroughly screened, JUST AS SHIRLEY was!!!!
23 comments:
God, how scary. I don't think of these agencies screen the people they send over. They just have them fill-out some paperwork. And ask who they babysat for in the past. How do you know they don't use their family members or friends as references?
I hope you fire your cleaner for not saying anything to you before you got rid of Shirley.
Ok. Shirley's gone... now get rid of your housekeepers for NOT telling you that your child was being abused. Ugh, I'd be so pissed about that I'd polish the floor with their face... and then charge them for it.
Now, the next Nanny that comes in... make sure YOU screen her, too. Don't depend on just the Agency's word for it. You have to be vigilant!
BTW... I'm thinking your Nanny wasn't legal (shame on you!) because Shirley would NOT have allowed you to claim her for tax purposes because she would have wanted to hide her earnings.
The cleaning ladies come in once a week, and told her about the 'abuse' that they witnessed the week before.
Shirley couldn't be collecting disability if she wasn't legal. She would want her earnings hidden as it would prevent her formclaiming the disability benefits. That seems clear to me.
So the cleaning lady gets a pass? I don't think so - if I saw my employer's child being bullied & emotionally abused I wouldn't let a week go by without mentioning it to her. the cleaning lady can't pick up a phone? Or leave a note where the employer will find it?
This sounds like an agency that I wouldn't want to be placed with. How this nanny was placed with you is beyond me, since she would have to prove in the interview with the agency and you that she was physically fit to handle the job. Did you see any red flags such as not being able to sit or stand for long periods or any other sign that would make you think she was not able to handle the job OP? I'm surprised the agency didn't catch this red flag, then again SOME agencies are in a rush to place a nanny applicant regardless of background and qualifications so the finders fee can be collected by the agency. Sounds to me like this agency placed this woman to collect a fee. Most agencies will replace the nanny for free if for some reason the nanny doesn't work out, however OP, I know you don't want to get another nanny from this agency. Have you looked into legal action or small claims court?
Um, lol, I meant legal, as in not paying taxes, not her immigration status.
And thank you, wonkettegirl!! That's what I'm thinking. They could've called OR something!
Let us know what shitty agency sent her to you. They deserve to be outed.
Call your local welfare office, here in KS it's called SRS, but different states have different names. Anyway, call the one in your town and let them know. To get those benefits, she is working with a social worker who would LOVE to know that she is in good enough health to work in childcare and be sneaky about her earnings. Just like with child abuse reports, you can do it anonymously.
There is so much wrong in this situation. The agency did a poor job of screening. The housekeeper should have alerted you immediately, the nanny is abusive. As for her collecting disability under false pretenses, yes, that is criminal. I have to ask OP however, how is she doing that, unless you are paying her off the books, in which case you are breaking the law as well.
What happens in a case like this? Isn't the agency obligated to prove they checked references? I used to work in HR years ago. I know privacy laws have changed, but using the SS#, we could find out if you had outstanding warrants, unpaid child support, your last 5 jobs and all court cases.
I don't see how she worked for an agency and off the books as well. Please explain. Does the agency, besides sending out unqualified applicants, also allow off the books employment contracts?
As for the disability, unemployment...a few simple lies and most people can get it easily. I have a relative on disability for her back and gets doctors notes to back her up...but can, and does, lift the equivalent of a small horse in her daily activities. Her adult kids also live on various forms of assistance. They pool the money and live in one house...all quite nicely. And there is nothing to "report" to have it stop. It's all "legit" and would almost certainly hold up if challenged. get a job of fthe books on top of that and you're a "high roller."
CHEEKY MONKEY! You're a biatch! Get laid... something!
minneapolis nanny or manhattan nanny or whatever ID you use,
YOU need a life. Have you nothing better to do but sit on this blog ALL day, EVERY day? Maybe it is YOU that needs to get laid, huh? Now, bugger off, bitch.
You know what? I take back what I said. It's Christmas and I don't want to be mean.
The agencies don't care if you are working off the books are not. They just "suggest" that you should be getting paid on the books. But its not enforced. I assume because the families pay the employee, and it doesn't go thru the agency.
Well, I htink my feelings about people who pay/get paid off the books have been made more than clear by now. I have no sympathy for them when it comes back and bites them in the but...in either direction.
Cheeky Monkey,
That was very big of you to take back your comments and mom sends you a big Christmas hug!
Thanks Mom, right back at ya! :)
OP wrote the following 3 Posts:
Anonymous said...
Here is what I can say! We used the absolutely most reputable/expensive agency available (I do not want to reveal name as we are still trying to recoup our fee), but we were led to believe that they only placed the best of candidated who were thoroughly checked out. Our nanny was legal in US, but has aquired a "medical"diagnosis that is questionabel and is enjoying benefits. The 3 families before us must have been paying cash and not reporting her earnings. WE REFUSED TO DO SO! She is totally capable of working. We saw nothing that looked like she was disabled. AND, I work in the field of supporting people who are REALLY dealing with a disability. SHIRLEY WAS NOT DISABLED.
I have dealt with cleaning ladies. Have no doubt.
We are still out a fee of $8000.00 to agency who now has only given us a referral of 1 person who is 2 years from retirement. And says, "Sorry, we have no other referralfor you."
We have not finished this fight with the agency, but, I am just not sure at the end of all of this that I can accept another nanny at all.
So badly burned, I may not be able to do this again. AND, this is hard, as I work because we depend on my income. But, my children are priority, so I will most likely have an uncomfortable conversation soon with Dad about the possibility that I may not be able to continue working.
10:21 PM
Anonymous said...
For Sarah & Others - do not worry - When I can, I will let you know which Agency placed this loser with us.
I am also on the quest to be sure that her disability case worker in informed of her ability to work.
Just know, that we used the absolutely most reputable, expensive, finely promoted agency available to us in Georgia. We did so , not because money was easy to throw around for us, BUt because our children mean the world to us and we are willing to make any sacrafice to be sure they are cared for - what a lesson for us.
Anonymous said...
To Me Said -
the agency now says to us that they are so busy, they cannot promise that every reference is checked. We ASSUMEd that for the fee we were paying that all references were checked. NO more Assuming for us. So sad, we are not idiots, 2 professionals, but believed that we could believe whta reputable agencies advertised.
10:39 PM
Go see a lawyer. You probably have a good case.
Also, contact a local television station that will air the dispute. If you make it sound interesting enough, they will air it. Just before contacting the stations, be sure to tell the agency that you are now going to alert the media (newspapers, television stations, and radio stations, and maybe postings on the internet) about your experience with them and that they do not check references and allow them one chance to return your entire fee to you before you do that. (My father got a car dealership to undo a sale where they sold a used car with a cracked block using that particular method, after all else had failed.)You can say anything that is true and not be in legal trouble.
When you have your money safely in hand, be sure to warn your friends and neighbors about how terrible this agency is. Come back and tell us who they are too. Their practices are dangerous to children.
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