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Original poster

Advice needed re part-time nanny's holiday pay

36 replies

Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 11:49

Hi there

I wondered if any nannies/employers out there could give me a bit of feedback, please? I have not hired a nanny before, and we have just found a lovely one for two days a week, roughly 16 hours in total. How does 10 days paid leave per annum sound? Too mean? Too generous? She will be able to take her holidays when she likes, and be on unpaid leave when we take ours - up to a max of 10 days, thereafter paid.

Any advice greatly appreciated, as I am drawing up her contract tomorrow! TIA x

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jura · 28/03/2007 12:52

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Original poster
Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 12:45

That's nice and clear Eleusis - thanks

OP posts:
Eleusis · 28/03/2007 12:27

You have to:

Give her 4 weeks hols.
Give her bank holidays off.
Pay her if you decide she is not to come to work for any reason.
Pay her maternity pay if she turns up pregnant (I recommend a fixed term contract to minimise damage to you here)

So, she is entitled to 8 days off paid hols. She is entitled to have bank holidays off, but you do not have to pay her for these days (hoever most people do). If you pay her for bank hols you can count those days as part of her holiday entitlement. This is perfectly legal, however, most people don't do this.

As for when she goes on holiday, you can choose. So, for you 5 weeks of holiday you can tell her that that is when her holiday is as well. However, you probaby won't have a very happy nanny if you do this.

Original poster
Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 12:11

Great!

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Original poster
Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 12:11

Thanks Bozza - I'm not sure what I'm talking about either with days/weeks either ... arrrgghh, it's so confusing. But yes, basically, she has a fixed number of paid days that she can take when she wants, and/or combine with unpaid leave when we go away. I'm just wondering now if the days I'm offering are generous enough ...

OP posts:
bozza · 28/03/2007 12:08

I think 5 weeks hols is fine.

Original poster
Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 12:07

Yes, that was my thinking Soapbox - to give her the choice. Thanks.

Does anyone else think that, pro rata, that amount of holiday is okay for 2 days per week?

OP posts:
bozza · 28/03/2007 12:05

Well I suppose she could opt to take her hols (or at least some of them) when you are and then expect to get paid, or she could take them at other times but not get paid when you are on hols IYSWIM.

My take on it was that she is working a two day week so you are offering her 5 weeks of paid holiday but also expecting her to take 5 weeks of unpaid leave. A week is not 5 days, it is 7 days, but the usual working week is 5 days, your nanny's working week si 2 days. Do bear in mind that I don't really know what I am talking about, but at least I am bumping your thread so somebody knowledgable might come along.

Soapbox · 28/03/2007 12:03

That sounds fine - she is getting 5 weeks paid holiday a year and the option to take 5 weeks unpaid. It is her choice really - if she takes her holidays when you take yours then she will have no unpaid weeks.

Original poster
Takenoprisoners · 28/03/2007 12:00

Thanks for replying, Bozza! I don't want to be harsh with this nanny as she is so lovely and I want to make sure her conditions are good. Wouldn't it be two weeks - or 10 working days - without being paid? I want to be able to give her the flexibility to take her paid holidays whenever she likes in the year - as I gather lots of families expect their nannies to take their holidays when the family does. I thought that giving her a min fixed number of unpaid holidays (i.e. when we go away) would get around this?

OP posts:
bozza · 28/03/2007 11:52

The 10 days unpaid leave when you are on holiday sounds quite harsh - that is 5 weeks without being paid. Or is this normal with nannies?