Boss always late!

For those who think that the boss being late home is absolutely fine because its part of being "flexible"...how would you feel if it was the NANNY who was late, and came 15 minutes late every morning because of "traffic"?

Nannies have families, friends and lives outside of work. They work long hours. If the MB works from e.g. 8.30-5.30, the nanny is working longer than that to cover the MB's commute. The nanny then has HER commute on top of that. The MB should be considerate and fair.

Of course, lateness happens occasionally, and there should be SOME give and take. The MB may be held up in traffic once in a blue moon, and likewise, the nanny may be late in the morning once in a blue moon. Lateness on either side isn't acceptable on a regular basis though.

Wonder what happened with op?

And for the reply below I would say to both parents then your finishing time is 7pm etc and when dad comes home it's later

Or I would call him at 705 and ask where is he?

Do you say to him he is late?

When working at home I would knock on his door at 7 as say you are going
Now as 7pm

(ZOMBIE)

This is an old thread but thought I'd see what the consensus was on bosses being late. I work for a couple and while Mum is always on time (sometimes by the skin of her teeth) Dad is always late. I am happy to be flexible (trains delayed, meeting ran over etc) which is very rare but mum will call me and let me know asap HOWEVER Dad is always late - and he sometimes works in the office at home! I am not talking 1 minute or 2 but sometimes upto 20 minutes late without any explanation,phonecall etc so I sit and wait for him without knowing how long I'm waiting for and what I should be doing with the toddlers. It is very rare for Dad to do handover (5 times since Xmas and before that less than once a month) but each time he is late. Mum says that's Dad for you but after a long 12 hour day I just want to go home (I leave the house before 6am) I have tried to broach dad but he got annoyed at me asking if he needed me to extend my hours (I don't want to but tried to find a solution for us both) I feel like I'm being unreasonable for wanting to leave work on time and it's souring my relationship with my boss but I just want to know what time I'm going home!

did you speak to your employers sharkteeth?

its by no means unprofessional to have a conversation with them about renegotiating your hours. to be last 2-3 times a week isn't fair.

i set my own late fees so that i don't feel hard done by when parents are 15+minutes late. if its a one off i wouldn't charge, but if it was happening regularly i certainly would. as a nanny you can't invoice them as such, but its only right that your employers make every effort to be on time.

Behind, I think that's fair enough on your part. Doesn't sound like OP has that kind of set up, though the employers could always make her a new "offer" if they want to keep the flexibility (extended hours or whatever).

AKnickerful: I agree and we do offer all of those, plus unpredictable hours are something we make very clear when we recruit so anyone who chooses to work for our family knows the deal before even submitting a CV.

I am in a professional job and, except for rare occasions, I leave right on time, because my employer know I have to. Of course, I am expected to take work home if I need to, but the flexibility is there. I think this is quite common

Say something to them OP. Why would this be unprofessional? And not sure why your job is being compared to a surgeons etc. If you are paid as much as a surgeon, then yes, you have to be flexible. But you're not.

"But since the New Year she has been late 2,sometimes 3 days a week. She's a cyclist and sometimes gives the excuse of traffic. Other times she might text saying she's running 10 minutes late and that usually means twenty. Once she just outright said she was down at the pub!

I'm not leaving work now until 6:15 at the earliest. I'm not even getting apologies anymore or any extra pay. "

This doesn't sound like someone getting the job down regardless of the clock, it sounds like someone pushing her luck.

Behind, I work in a professional job, as does DH. It is established that we leave early on set days (we take it in turns). Whilst I sympathise with the fear of redundancy, your generalisation of staying regardless of the clock doesn't apply to every job.

Again, if you need that flexibility then you need to pay your nanny longer hours or compensate in some other way (higher basic pay, annual bonus, additional holiday or whatever).

A professional role carries commensurate pay for those unpredictable hours. At the very least the OP's boss should pay the extra time. If she is unhappy working the extra time, maybe she's not in the right job - but she's in no way unreasonable for being fed up at working the extra time regularly and not receiving an apology or the extra money she is due.

DearGirl: yes, absolutely. In professional jobs you stay until the job is done, regardless of the clock. So if one evening I have to shoot, I make sure colleagues etc know well in advance (and apologise). Leaving on time regularly would mean no promotions and being first in line for the very regular redundancy rounds.

I am staggered at some of these responses here

I am very upfront - I pay until 7 pm but I'll be home around 6.30 pm so we can chat - it takes the pressure off that end of the day - sometimes I'm home at 6 and our nanny leaves at 6.10 (but paid to 7 because that's the deal) and on three occasions I've called at 5.30 because I've been stuck in something will run late and asked how late they are able to stay that day - and then if they say 7.30 I'll pay through until then

It's a conversation - not an expectation though - we are a partnership in many ways

I always pay in 30 minute increments too - otherwise it feels like I'm nickel and diming them

A nanny is an expensive option but the best one for us - I'm going to do everything I can To ensure out nanny feels respected and that includes with money - I never want our nanny to feel short changes - Id rather they felt we were generous because then the goodwill is better

And they are with my children - it's not like they are washing my car ....

When I had a nanny I always paid for more hours than I needed to accommodate having to work late myself, so although my office hours ended at 5 with a 30 minute commute I always contracted until 6.45 or 7 that way there was always leeway.Just to assume that the nanny can sometimes stay late would have been unprofessional

Yes dear girl I do.

I don't agree that the nanny should state that they need to leave on time if they have plans. Do you tell your bosses that you need to leave at 530 because you have plans?

Flexibility has to be two way.

Any other form of childcare, you have to pick up on time or you pay late fees. A nanny should be no different.

People that work long hours with no overtime get compensated handsomely for it IME. The average nanny salary doesn't fall into that bracket. Plus, where that's been expected, it's always been in my contract. I bet it isn't in the OP's.

Just on the subject of working for doctors, I have nannied for 2 doctors for the past 7 years and would say on average they are late about twice a month BUT they always call or get someone to call me if they are unable to for any reason and apologise when they get home, I also get paid overtime and flowers to say sorry. I knew when I started the job that occasionally I might need to stay late but equally I often get to finish 15/20 mins early, to me that's being flexible on both sides and completely acceptable.

I have also worked for a single parent who was a gp and was sometimes late, again always a phone call, apology and pay. I stayed for 4 years till youngest started school.

In a previous job I worked for a sahm who was late at least 3 times a week because she lost track of time whilst shopping or visiting friends. She never called or apologised or paid overtime. I left after 6 months.

It's fine if you offer the job saying "I am a doctor, on occasion I won't be able to leave on time, if this happens I will... Are you ok with that?"

But not to just assume being late every day is fine!

You are right Blondes finishing time here (time paid up to) is/was 7pm my "normal train" got me back at 6:40 the next one at 6:55. I am late I would estimate once every 2 weeks.

Previous posters have mentioned doctors, my last nanny job was with 2 doctors. In 3 years with them I only ever left late once and obviously I didn't mind one bit.

Most nannies are flexible but there is a fine line between being late due to work commitments/traffic etc and taking the p* out of your employee. I genuinely have no issue if my employer gets stuck in a meeting and rushes home afterwards. I do have an issue where my employer goes to the pub or to bed and forgets the time. I have had to ring my employer in the past due to no one tuning up 25/30 minutes after my finish time. There has to be some respect shown. I have never been late to work ever and if something happens in the future causing me to be I would phone immediately. I think it is very disrespectful and rude not to. I always have plans after work as I volunteer, swim, run and meet friends etc so if my employer is late it does effect my evening. Emergencies happen but I doubt very much the op means these type of situations.

OP has not suggested that she'd be pissed off by a tube breakdown. That's very different to being called two mins before finishing time!

Threatening to leave the kids alone=breakdown of t&c because I could simply not trust that person again. Does not seem unreasonable to me. Would you like your surgeon to leave mid-op because it is 6pm?

On the other hand, I do think OP's employer should have done a better of managing expectations. We always stipulate a finish time that is 30 mins later than we think we need, as I think it is better to let someone go early rather than constantly arriving at finishing time or slightly after. But when the tube breaks down, or all hell breaks loose at work I do expect our nanny to act like the responsible professional she is and help out. Similarly we arrange ourselves to accommodate her needs and would not dream of cutting pay if she needs to leave early one evening. Give and take etc.

tho we shouldnt have to say i need to leave bang on finishing time, nannies should always expect to finish at 6/7pm whatever time n their contract

guess ive always been lucky, my employers have always got home on time apart from odd train delay or unless they have pre arranged a later finishing time

as i said emergencies do happen but in op's case seems that her boss keeps being late for no reason and doesnt let her nanny know OR pay her over time