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Original poster

Nanny travel expenses

100 replies

intheshedyes · 01/02/2021 23:16

Hello all,

We hired a new part time nanny and as two of my children need a train to get to school. I pay my nanny travel costs from going to take them to school in the morning and then when she is bringing them back home.

In the mornings, my nanny rides her bike and parks her bike near our closest station. She asked me that once she drops the children to school, can she use the top up travel card, to come back to the staton and pick up her bike to drive home.

AIBU to say no. I don't want to pay too much travel as it is!

OP posts:
Lalliella · 02/02/2021 09:10

@intheshedyes

Slave owners?

Wow. Quite a racist thing to say. You could have used another analogy but instead used "slave owners". Why?

Not racist at all. Haven’t you heard of modern day slavery? Many employers have a policy on it. On not doing it obviously.
Original poster
intheshedyes · 02/02/2021 09:22

Not racist at all. Haven’t you heard of modern day slavery? Many employers have a policy on it. On not doing it obviously

Next time use the term 'modern day slavery'. The term "slave owners" is very offensive and stupid at its best. I hope you don't say this to people in real life!

OP posts:
saraclara · 02/02/2021 09:23

You've totally misunderstood the other many employers. They were almost certainly saying that they don't pay the cost of their nannies getting to and from work.
Which is normal in any job.

The travel you were expecting not to pay is carried out DURING her working hours and as part of the carrying out of her job. Completely different.

Or of interest, are you paying her for the time it takes for her to get back from the school? I do hope so.

So in brief your thinking should be "would she reasonably have spent x money if not looking after my children?"
Yes, and also would she have been spending this time, if not having had to carry out the task she was given?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Childcare & nursery Families
MaggieFS · 02/02/2021 09:31

I'm starting to wonder the same too.

  • are you paying her the time it takes to get back to your home station?
  • are you paying her tax and NI contributions?
Original poster
intheshedyes · 02/02/2021 09:42
  • are you paying her the time it takes to get back to your home station?
  • are you paying her tax and NI contributions?

Yes.

OP posts:
Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 09:43

£140 a week for wrap around care is very little for pay especially when it requires using trains and you want her to pay the money back out of her own money. I think you're taking the piss. I wouldn't do a job that was so restricted for such little pay.

Original poster
intheshedyes · 02/02/2021 09:49

@Teardrop2021

£140 a week for wrap around care is very little for pay especially when it requires using trains and you want her to pay the money back out of her own money. I think you're taking the piss. I wouldn't do a job that was so restricted for such little pay.
I pay her way more than this. But don't want to discuss about this further as this will out me.
OP posts:
SmidgenofaPigeon · 02/02/2021 09:50

Absolutely it’s a low rate for wraparound as it really limits what you can do with the rest of your day. I used to be paid a retainer for the time I wasn’t actually with the kids for wraparound care, because I would be called upon if one one of them had to stay home sick, or needed to be picked up early for an appointment etc. OP insists it’s an ‘afternoon position really except she does mornings too’ though so 🤷🏻‍♀️

MaggieFS · 02/02/2021 09:51

@intheshedyes

- are you paying her the time it takes to get back to your home station?
  • are you paying her tax and NI contributions?

Yes.

Thank you for answering, that's good news.
Loushome · 02/02/2021 09:57

OP, there’s a specific Nannies section on MN over in the childcare forum for your future reference.

Any expenses specifically incurred by the nanny linked to childcare at your request need to be paid for by you eg their schooling, activities, playdates.
Usually travel to and from the nanny’s workplace is not paid for.

Original poster
intheshedyes · 02/02/2021 10:00

@Loushome

OP, there’s a specific Nannies section on MN over in the childcare forum for your future reference.

Any expenses specifically incurred by the nanny linked to childcare at your request need to be paid for by you eg their schooling, activities, playdates.
Usually travel to and from the nanny’s workplace is not paid for.

Thank you. There's so many topics on Mumsnet. It's like a Maze. I would definitely ask any future nanny queries on there.
OP posts:
SmidgenofaPigeon · 02/02/2021 10:03

Be prepared to get some pretty honest responses from nannies then.

Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 10:20

intheshedyes

We pay her 10 hours a week at £14.00 he gross. It's more of an after school nanny role except she does morning drop offs.

You said you pay her more than £140 a week, but the above contradicts what you just said. You want cheap labour basically disgraceful that you expected her to cover the return journey out of her own expense.

Original poster
intheshedyes · 02/02/2021 10:29

@Teardrop2021

intheshedyes

We pay her 10 hours a week at £14.00 he gross. It's more of an after school nanny role except she does morning drop offs.

You said you pay her more than £140 a week, but the above contradicts what you just said. You want cheap labour basically disgraceful that you expected her to cover the return journey out of her own expense.

That's on the contract. But we pay her more due to various of reasons and lockdown restrictions. We would like her to work for more hours but she has other work commitments and lockdown does not help. So we agreed to this set up for now.
OP posts:
Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 10:35

What utter nonsense. You wouldn't have said what you paid her if you were paying more. The fact you expected to pay the return journey from the school says it all.

Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 10:47

She takes on other work CeeCee. We are not her only employer. We wanted her for more hours but had to negotiate due to other work commitment she has and she was worried about paying too much tax. Therefore we agreed on our current set up for now and things may change once Lockdown restriction eases

Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 10:50

intheshedyes

It's not a lot. I agree. Even though we pay her more than this. But we had to compromise as she has other work commitments. 10 hours anyway is the best for now. I would ideally like her to work more hours. But I was flexible given the lockdown restrictions

Teardrop2021 · 02/02/2021 10:51

We pay her 10 hours a week at £14.00 he gross.

Yep. That what we pay her for. But we actually pay her way more than this due to various of things which I wish not to state as its outing.

You're replies from the other thread. Both telling you how unreasonable you are.

PrincessOfAllOurTarts · 02/02/2021 11:01

You have a business meeting in New York. Your employer covers the flight there AND back.
This is an excellent explanation.

Lostinwinter · 02/02/2021 11:06

Are there two threads about this started at the same time with different usernames? The other is in AIBU?

Skyla2005 · 02/02/2021 11:55

@Crimblecrumble1990

I think you are confusing what travel expenses are.
  • her coming to you to start her work day on her bike (or car etc) is a travel expense that you do not pay.
  • her taking your children anywhere (there and back) is not a 'travel expense' and you would pay for.
But she needs to get back to where she started so she should be paid for that journey. She's dropped the kids off at school and she need to get back to her original destination that should be included otherwise it's costing her money to take the kids to school and back
SaltyTootsieToes · 02/02/2021 12:13

OP, as this is your first nanny, I would suggest you get some guidance from nanny agency so that you’re not inadvertently being a CF with your nanny. It helps the children if the people Taking care of children stay for a good lung while rather than chop and change, so I’m sure you’d prefer to have your nanny longer term.

All her travel for your children should be covered by you. That is return journey

Please adhere to her working schedule as agreed. If agreed in advance to alter the hours, ie extra hours, you need to pay for those extra hours. However, docking isn’t if you send her home a bit early is not on

Providing food for nanny while she’s making meals or feeding your children should also be something you do.

Asking nannies to do things that are not in their fibres that can also be dicey. They’re there for the kids and may be housekeeping / chores in relation to the kids only. No one else.

Best of luck with your nanny abd I hope it all works out.

thelittlestrhino · 02/02/2021 12:40

@Lostinwinter

Two threads, same username!

StepOutOfLine · 02/02/2021 13:21

[quote thelittlestrhino]@Lostinwinter

Two threads, same username![/quote]
And the OP is confusing the details on both tbh.

Lostinwinter · 02/02/2021 13:59

@thelittlestrhino@StepOutOfLine you are both right. I only looked quickly. Just why?

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