I am a nanny/personal assistant for a family...The son is starting kindergarten in the fall and I am afraid they are going to want to lessen the amount they pay me because of this...here is the reason why I think this is very unfair and I need advice on how to handle it!
I have been a daycare provider/nanny for the past 20 years...2 1/2 years ago the family I am with decided they wanted a nanny situation rather than daycare so I took the position and let go of 4 other kids. At the time their kids were 3yrs and a 4 week old. I vacuum, dust, mop and do the whole families laundry 1x per week. I run errands, do preschool drop off and pick up, take them to swim lessons. I also keep them at my house for occasional sleep overs and I keep them for a week every spring while mom goes to New York. I started at $400 a week and am at $450 a week now. I am WAY underpaid and I know this and I think the family knows this but I love the kids so much. This is all I get paid...no vacation time paid, no gas reimbursements, when I take the kids out for a fun day mom pays for food and activities but I pay for my own Sea World and Zoo passes. I work as an independent contractor so I pay all my own taxes and such so the $450 is NOT net pay. Also the sister had a boy last may and he started with me 6 months ago and she pays me separately but she only pays me $200 a week. Although I do no extras around the house for her and do not run any errands or do any shopping for her. If I get sick I have a couple of back up people that I call and then I pay them my wages for the day...none of the parents have had to take more than 2 days off this past year due to my illness or vacation time as I find alternate care for them and pay them my wages.
So here is my issue....I really love this family but because I am already so underpaid if she says she wants to take some of my pay away due to the fact that her son will be in Kindergarten for 6 hours a day what do I do. I CANNOT afford to have any pay deducted at all....
Can you get me some advice from your readers??
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| Jade Fang |
I have been a daycare provider/nanny for the past 20 years...2 1/2 years ago the family I am with decided they wanted a nanny situation rather than daycare so I took the position and let go of 4 other kids. At the time their kids were 3yrs and a 4 week old. I vacuum, dust, mop and do the whole families laundry 1x per week. I run errands, do preschool drop off and pick up, take them to swim lessons. I also keep them at my house for occasional sleep overs and I keep them for a week every spring while mom goes to New York. I started at $400 a week and am at $450 a week now. I am WAY underpaid and I know this and I think the family knows this but I love the kids so much. This is all I get paid...no vacation time paid, no gas reimbursements, when I take the kids out for a fun day mom pays for food and activities but I pay for my own Sea World and Zoo passes. I work as an independent contractor so I pay all my own taxes and such so the $450 is NOT net pay. Also the sister had a boy last may and he started with me 6 months ago and she pays me separately but she only pays me $200 a week. Although I do no extras around the house for her and do not run any errands or do any shopping for her. If I get sick I have a couple of back up people that I call and then I pay them my wages for the day...none of the parents have had to take more than 2 days off this past year due to my illness or vacation time as I find alternate care for them and pay them my wages.
So here is my issue....I really love this family but because I am already so underpaid if she says she wants to take some of my pay away due to the fact that her son will be in Kindergarten for 6 hours a day what do I do. I CANNOT afford to have any pay deducted at all....
Can you get me some advice from your readers??
EMAIL isynblog@gmail.com with your questions and experiences.
9 comments:
No advice other than QUIT NOW! It really doesn't matter how much you love these kids or people! You will love every child you care for, at least I have. Why would you care for two kids for 400 per week?!? I wouldn't nanny one baby for that little! Also, the extra services you provide are generally done by a house manager. House managers make 28-35 per hour in my area. Plus benefits. You are entitled to sick leave without having to give your pay to a replacement. You're also not obligated to find alternative care. That's a parents' job. You do so much and give a lot to a family who doesn't deserve you. Leave. Find better paying work. Get paid on the books witj benefits. It's a great career if you do your due diligence and advocate for yourself.
Tell them exactly what you said here. You love their children and helping their family, and you literally can't afford to be paid less. It is important to be paid enough for doing a great job. You have graciously accepted the joy of working for them as a substitute for totally appropriate pay, and now they need to do what needs to be done to keep you!
Thank you for your comments I am so torn on what to do.
Please look around your region. You're grossly underpaid. Do not stay!
You made your own bed! I feel no pity.
I would quit, and look into watching several kids in your home, for a fair rate. They are taking advantage of you. Stop letting them! I know you love the kids, but it isn't worth it. You have to be able to afford to care for yourself, or you are no good to those kids!
Also I just want to say that the parents cannot claim you as an independent contractor. They have to declare you as their employee and supply you with the appropriate tax documentation-ie a W-2, NOT a 1099. giving sick time off and paid vacation is very standard. Please please please do yourself a favor and make a contract the next time you start working with a new family and include terms that work for you both, not just the parents.
you need to take a second look at your situation - now is the time to take care of yourself
these people are REALLY being harmful to you - trying to jack down your pay and paying you illegally for their own benefit - you not a contractor you are an employee - take all the advice here - take care of yourself - and let us know what happens
Where are you located? The pay scale can vary depending on where you live. I think you are under-paid for New York, but not for a place like Iowa or Indiana.
Well, maybe a bit under-paid. I would find out what the going rate is in your area, and proceed from there. You obviously agreed to this rate, correct? If you didn't think it was fair, why agree to it?
I will say that I pay my nanny the same amount when my oldest went to school as I did when he was home (I have 2 kids, 5 and 2) because I figured that I would not want to walk into work one day to find out that I would need to be there all day but get less pay. But not everyone thinks like that.
I know previous posters said that sick time off and paid vacations are the norm - but that is not really the case where we live. Maybe that is normal for New York or another large city.
My nanny and I agreed that I will only pay her for when she is there. No paid days off or vacations. She agreed to this.
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