Sunday, August 23, 2009
Couple Faces Possible Life Sentence for Pimping 6-year-old Girl for Alcohol, Cigarettes - Kansas
A Wichita woman and her friend face life in prison after being convicted of prostituting her young daughter so he could rape and sodomize her. A jury Friday afternoon found the girl's 48-year-old mother and her friend Reggie Stafford, 51, guilty on two counts of rape and one count of aggravated criminal sodomy. The mother was convicted of aiding and abetting the sex crimes, which were based on the girl's age. She was between 5 and 6 at the time of the attacks. (continued)
Police: Baby Sitter Key in Missing Haleigh Cummings Case - Florida
Putnam County investigators say they don't think that Misty Croslin-Cummings has been straight with them as they continue to investigate the disappearance six months ago of Haleigh Cummings from her father's home in Satsuma. They said, Misty Croslin, who was baby-sitting the girl when she vanished from her father's mobile home in February, "continues to hold important answers in the case." (continued)
Debate: Parents Disciplined for Kids' Crimes - Michigan
Parents in one metro Detroit community whose kids break the law could be breaking the law themselves. The Eastpointe City Council approved the final version Tuesday night on a parental responsibility ordinance.The ordinance imposes fines and jail time for parents of children who are reprimanded in any way that requires them to appear in court. Eastpointe Police Chief Michael Lauretti said his department has little patience for parents who don’t take responsibility for their children. (continued)
Question From ISYN reader:
I have been asked to go with my family on a one week trip to Hawaii. I have been with this family for almost 2 years. They have a 2.6 year old and a one month old. My question is: The Mom has asked me how I would like to be paid: keep track of my hours or just work for a set amount for the week. What is a typical pay for nannying while traveling? The family I work for are great: They are generous, friendly and my charge is a sweetie. They are paying for my flight and meals.
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18 comments:
Wow for the first one. That is just sad. There is no excuse for what the mother did, but I can't help but feel she was probably abused as a child.
Of course they should pay for your ticket and meals, thats not a perk.
I would have them give me a set amount of hours per day.
Nanny that needs advise--
The fee schedule I use is: pay for ALL room and board. Pay usual hourly rate whenever you are on duty. If you do not have a ergualr hourly pay schedule, some simple division will figure it out based on salary. Then $50 for each ovdrnight you are there. Hope this helps!
Definitely make it clear before you go with them on the trip about what you have come up with for your pay. If I were you, I'd make sure they cover the cost of your flights, your food, your room, and pay double your hourly rate for each hour you work. This is a HUGE convenience to them-having someone help while they are on vacation. Who else could they trust and take with them? Right!?
Both of my parents were abused as children. Really, being abused as a child is no reason or excuse to abuse your children. As an adult, you know right from wrong. Simple as that.
Hi thanks for the comments from the various nannies out there...I am the nanny going on the trip to Hawaii. It sounds like from my post that I have to pay my own lodging--that is not the case. All meals, flight and my lodging is being paid by them. Also, I am not flying with them. I am on a later flight.
If a family brings a nanny with them on vacation, they need to pay for flights/lodging/all meals, as well as offering the nanny her standard salary, plus additional pay for extra hours work, overnight pay, and extra pay if she is required to sleep anywhere but her own seperate room, i.e., they want her to share with the children.
I would work out a basic schedule based on the hours you normally work, then if they want you for extra time, charge them OT for those hours.
If you are responsible for the kids while YOU would normally be sleeping, I would charge between $200 and $250 per night, since the baby will be in need of lots of care. If not, a simple $50 fee would be apropriate.
I can not believe the first story. The little girl was sold out for $6 and she had two older sisters (now in their 20's) who this also happened to...so tragic. I hope her mother and her friend both rot in jail. Disgusting people.
I thought that the vacation in itself was a perk....but I guess not according to the other posters. As a nanny, I would simply be grateful for the "free trip" and do a set rate. But I guess I am still living in the 50's....LOL.
I do travel as part of my job, though not a nanny, so my outlook is from that perspective.
It is pretty standard that the employer should be responsible for the plane ticket, the lodging, all meals, even if they only pay you a per diem for your meals. However any extras like travel bonuses etc.. You need to work out with them.
Also exactly what hours you are going to be working and when your time off is. What lodging, are they providing, are they paying for a room in the same hotel or are they sticking you into a cheaper place down the road?
Note you should not expect a first class ticket or luxury accommodations, but you should expect to be in a place that is safe and clean. Has reliable transportation to get to them and paid for by them. That if you are working hours beyond your normal, that you are paid for by them as per an agreement. Either a set amount per day or an increase over you hourly. Especially if there are over nights. You should expect that they will want Mommy/Daddy time at night. Do ask for when you can have time off to get a breather. If you are going to be with the kids 24/7 the entire trip, make sure the compensation is worth it too you. For it will be a much more hectic job then normal.
Old Fashioned Nanny,
It's not any kind of a vacation, free or otherwise, when you're working. :-)
to curious dad: yikes, you scare me. why are you on here? after reading your comment, you obviously don't have a clue about what being a nanny entails. i highly doubt the family is sticking her down the road in a different hotel. come on now. go be curious about something else.
Bozch
Just goes to show how much you know. I have had nanny friends put up in different hotels and the parents dropping the kids of at the "lesser than expensive" hotel while they go for a night on the town. Not all nannies are treated equally. What planet are YOU from?
going to Hawaii nanny here: The family is renting a 3 bedroom house. I will have my own bed/bath. I will occasionally be with both kids but mostly with the 2 year old. I am excited for the trip. I will have time off some nights and some afternoons to go explore/hang out at the beach or take a surf lesson!!
If it helps, this is what we do when traveling with our nanny.
We count on duty hours as 7am-9pm and pay the regular hourly rate for each of those hours. She usually has off several hours within there, but this works for us cause we avoid the overtime issue. We do not pay an extra overnight fee and our nanny is off work at night. I think covering the cost of food, lodging, travel goes without saying. If we travel first class and our nanny is working, she travels first class with us. If we are in first and she's off during the flight, she is in coach unless we have enough miles to upgrade everyone.
If we rent a house, she has her own room. If a hotel, she shares with the kids. We also invite her similar age daughter along when we can afford to (when driving rather than flying usually). If her daughter comes along, we cover all costs for her daughter including food, gifts, arcades, minigolf, whatever activities we do.
Usually it comes out to our Nanny earning roughly double pay for the week (though it is a 7 day rather than 5 day). We make sure she has the next day off work when we return regardless of which day it is. We have also often given bonus/tip pay at the end of a big trip, though that depends on the length of the trip and our resources.
I believe our nanny works much harder while traveling with us than while home. We always give a choice about whether they want to come as we have a few back-up sitters who would love to go if our nanny did not want to. However, both she and our prior nanny have always opted to come along because they do also enjoy the chance to go to places they might not ordinarily go, despite the extra work, and like the chance to earn the extra money. Plus, with our current nanny I think it works well since her daughter (and other family) can often visit or join us.
Advice:
-agree on a set fee or salary ahead of travel. do not wait until the end and hope it works out.
-spell out clearly ahead of time which hours you are on duty and which hours you are off
-make sure parents don't assume they can just go out after kids are sleeping UNLESS you are being paid for working hours
-clarify your responsibilites during traveling times
-clarify if you are responsible for all the kids' packing and unpacking (and thus making sure all important items get packed)
-determine how much you are able to work and set that as a limit. don't agree to more hours than you can handle.
-when you are off work, if at all possible, leave the area/go to the beach/go for walks. If you stick around, you may end up helping by default (no one's fault, just kids might gravitate to you)
-if working hours include family dinners, who will be watching the kids (assuming they don't sit still the whole time). we usually take turns and all help clean up together, but it can be a confusing issue.
Good Luck!
Thanks, NYC Mom.
Your post was really helpful!
bozch said...
"to curious dad: yikes, you scare me. why are you on here? after reading your comment, you obviously don't have a clue about what being a nanny entails. i highly doubt the family is sticking her down the road in a different hotel. come on now. go be curious about something else."
I do not claim to have a clue about what being a Nanny entails. But there are certain things you should expect from an employer. My answer was from that perspective. Yes, I have read of nannies being placed somewhere besides the hotel that the Family is staying at. I also see when I go to conventions or other job related travel similar things happening, my company is pretty good about placing us in the hotel that the convention, training or the job is at. But other companies will only put the Bosses at that hotel and everyone else down the road at the $50.00 a night Econolodge. Human nature, is human nature and cutting corners is endemic to all levels of humanity. Especially if the family "corporation" is on a budget. If a Nanny is supposed to be a professional then I feel they should be treated as a professional. Many professionals do not get extra pay for travel, but they are also not expected to work more then an 8 hour day, unless they are salary. Since a nanny is an hourly employee and may work over their normal hours in a day, then they should expect and negotiate to be paid more. If it is not already in their contract. Travel for a job is not a time for relaxing, though you can still ahve fun. I would not consider the trip a vacation for the Nanny, while they can enjoy themselves on the trip and have fun, it is a working trip. The one thing that I dislike reading about is the Nanny having to stay in the kids room. Unless it is for a very specific reason, if the a child or the children are special needs. If the parents end up doing that then the Nanny should really get a bonus on top of her hourly wage, besides anything over 40 hours in a week, or their negotiated weekly work schedule, considered overtime.
An employee usually gets the following for travel for work:
Per Diem for all food or food provided by the Employer.
Lodging paid for by Employer.
Plane, train, bus or boat tickets provided by employer and/or a car provided by the employer if necessary for the job.
Extra pay if any part of the travel, is above and beyond normal working hours or work. Or as an incentive to the employee to go on the trip for the company.
Employee responsibility:
Must represent their company in the best possible light at all times. Even if they are off duty and out drinking and partying.
Be there to do the job at the scheduled times the employer or the travel arrangements have set.
Keep track of all extraneous expenses incurred and keep all receipts especially if using employer money directly for the expenses (cash or credit card).
As to why am I on here? Well I also lurk in some butler forums, personal assistant forums, and other domestic service websites. I am fascinated by the concept of domestic service and how different it is from other forms of service. Especially as it has grown from the Edwardian style, through to the modern incarnation we see here in the States. There actually seems to be two or three different versions (Not including non-european versions) of how domestic service is applied. I stick around becuase I get to see a slice of human life I have never experienced directly either as an employee or employer. Eventually I will move on I am sure. I will move on even faster if Jane Doe or Mary poppin pills ask me too. Since they seem to be the administrator and owner of this board.
Curious Dad
We really appreciate your input on this board and are sure we would not be the only ones disappointed if you were to leave... we hope you stick around for more than awhile.
The fact that you are just about the only known male point of view has nothing to do with it. ;)
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