My job is making me utterly depressed

[PinkandGreenOwl]

I took on a nanny position a few ago with a local family. My original contract and condions were good but over the past few years everything was chipped away. It was a slow. I didn't see it at first. They tapped on extras here and there and it was thing where condions were away and extra hours often unpaid were tapped on.

Looking at my contract was drawn up years ago, I didn't see it at the time but it was written by a psychopath.

I would receive a set wage for approx hours a week but I will be required to work some evenings and weekends and overnights. Some weeks I will work less. The two will cancel each other out.

So I am getting a set wage every week whether I work 30 to 40 hours or more.

The issue is I never really did work less than 30 hours but there has been plenty of weeks where I worked 50 + hours. None of it really balanced out.

The issue isn't the pay as such. There too much hours expected of me. I went into work last Sunday, stayed the night and it was 10 O clock on Monday night by the time I finished. The days that followed were more balanced about 8 to 9 hours Tues to Friday. Still Monday was long and hard. The mother was trying to get me to again on Saturday but I had to oum foot down and tell her no.

I am just after getting this week's schedule by text and once more it's social activities here and there outside of their work. So dinner, concert, and wedding.

It's me picking up in their home when they don't want to parent.

I don't have the stamina to work like this anymore. To go into work and not know whether I will be working 8 or more and more. To go into work and hardly see an end to a work week. It's wrong.

The mother was trying to book me for next weekend and I definitely declined her request. Just for her to send me a message with a reminder to say that I am working on Saturday.

They usually do top up my weekly wage with a 50 for a weekend overnight.
The low wage isn't an issue as such. It's the hours and the days.

It's dinners, golf, gigs, and other social activities every single week.

I have my cv done up. Please advise me. I need to give them a notice but I don't know what to tell them in my notice.
I fee like they will sulk and mother boss will definitely do her menopausal temper tantrums in her kitchen for sure.

My job is making me so depressed. Because it's not a job anymore. Not when they think they own me. I'm so sick of it.

You need to quit. Like right now. Give the shortest notice you can.

Usually I'd recommand finding a new job first but it sounds like your mental health is at stake. In fact, if you can afford it I'd recommand taking a month holiday before looking for a new job.

Honestly if I were you I would quit with immediate effect. Are you paid in arrears?

You cannot keep allowing them to control and abuse you.

To be honest I'd consider reporting them to at least a modern slavery charity so they are on the radar. Get help from citizens advice. Keep all your messages and emails detailing the hours as there could be a legal case here.

Get out and fast. I'm sure you'd find a nanny job easily though I would be nervous about a reference. Never sign a contract like that again! Ask for your exact role to be explicit. Normally a nanny only does jobs relating to the children not the whole households laundry

They need at least two nannies to cover everything they want covering. They're trying to be tight and only pay for one.

Agree with everyone else, you're an employee, not a slave.

Wow yes it sounds pretty bad. You have been bullied and treated like a slave. You will feel depressed and stuck - that's understandable. Your boss is an arsehole. I hope you can find the courage to stand up to her walk away. You need time then to recover from this awful experience at work.