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Original poster

Nanny resigned after 3 weeks! Do I give her Xmas pay?

29 replies

florenceuk · 14/12/2009 09:25

Our nanny resigned after 3 weeks (because she found dealing with my two kids too stressful ), and gave us notice for the week ending 8th Jan. This is just the most awful time to find someone - with the Xmas break, it may appear to be a month but is more like about two weeks. This is for after school and holiday care, nanny had some childcare experience but not qualified. TBH I think DD is difficult, she is very good at school, but she is a very stroppy and stubborn 5yr old - but then again, she's 5 - most of her defiance consists of not listening and an awful lot of screaming, which I am doing my best to ignore/discipline.

Anyway, should I pay her for the holiday period - we're taking holidays from the 23rd to the 3rd anyway, and it feels just wrong to give her a week and half holiday pay. But then again, I'd like her if possible not to spend her last few weeks in a resentful frame of mind and make matters worse. What should I do?

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lou031205 · 14/12/2009 09:55

All employed people are entitled to 5.6 weeks of holiday per year, which for a 5 day week is 28 days.

Your nanny will have worked 7 weeks at the end of her notice period, so she is entitled to

28/52x7= 3.75 days leave.

greybird · 14/12/2009 09:34

You need to work out how much paid leave she has accumulated whilst working for you for 3 weeks - if she is entitled to say 25 days in 52 weeks, then she is entitled to 3/52x25= 1.4 days for 3 weeks, and that's all the holiday you need to pay (unless of course there is specific mention of Xmas holiday pay in her contract). What's the notice period?

FabIsGettingReadyForChristmas · 14/12/2009 09:33

What is in your contract?

I wouldn't expect pay (former nanny) if I quit within the first month. My contracts were 1 weeks notice within the first month and 3 months notice after that.

My advice would be to let her go earlier, she can consider that her pay. Get a temp in, paid for with the ex nanny's pay, and get a cast iron contract for this happening in the future.

TBH I would have her gone now if she finds me kids too stressful. In her head she has already gone so not sure how committed she will be to look after them from now on.

ssd · 14/12/2009 09:30

if you were the nanny, what would you think is reasonable?

I'd ask her if you aren't sure, I would say don't pay, to me she shouldn't expect it