Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell my nanny she can't take days of for her wedding.

1002 replies

Foreverondiet · 25/01/2011 20:18

Have had same nanny for several years and each year she does some sort of retreat thing in June, 2 weeks. She is allowed 2 weeks holiday when she chooses and the rest when we choose (usually another 4 weeks worth).

Anyway she tells me she is getting married.... I think nothing of it until cleaner says did you know it was in September this year. I ask the nanny and she said, yes she was thinking she's take some unpaid leave. Try to push how much she needs, she wants another couple of weeks. I suggested maybe she wouldn't do the retreat this year but she was almost in tears and said she couldn't believe I wouldn't give her time of for getting married (she's going back home to eastern Europe to get married).

I asked her why she thought it would be ok, as I don't have enough holiday to cover it because we have already committed to go away with DH's parents. And yes I can take unpaid parental leave but this would be very expensive, and leave my boss being a bit annoyed with me.

The reason we have a nanny is that I have 3 DC, aged 4,7 and 9 months and its the only way I can work (full day nursery/childminder for baby plus after school would cost almost the same and this way she looks after older DC if they are ill or during school holidays).

Her wedding is on a Saturday and she works for me Mon/Tues and Thurs so its not as if she HAS to take time off, and if it really was that important to her why does she not cancel the retreat?

OP posts:
gorionine · 26/01/2011 20:14

"FWIW I was in my last job for a total of 6 months when I asked for 2 days off unpaid (with about a weeks notice) to visit my friend abroad whose baby was poorly. There was no question - and I got it paid."

Again it is different, you cannot plan when a loved one will be poorly but you definitely do plan your own wedding generally!

MyBrilliantCareer · 26/01/2011 20:16

Yes but this is 9 months in advance.

midnightexpress · 26/01/2011 20:20

CamreronCook: 'If both are equally important then she should have negotiated this sooner'. Blimey CC, how much notice does the poor woman need to give? 9 months seems like quite a long time to me.

OP I do think YAB rather U. It's a once in a lifetime (hopefully) day for her, and presumably she hasn't asked for too much before, or I'm sure you'd have mentioned it upthread? She's not on a whopping salary I don't suppose, and doesn't get a huge amount of holiday.

Do you realise how awful this comment in your OP sounds? 'Her wedding is on a Saturday and she works for me Mon/Tues and Thurs so its not as if she HAS to take time off'.

MilkNoSugarPlease · 26/01/2011 20:20

"I will go out of my way to give her a week off, but if she tries to push it to 2 weeks will probably look for someone els"

Wow, how fucking lovely are you!

"I can't do a nannyshare as most other nannies already have 2 kids to look after and a nanny can't look after 5,"

Er, I do!

gizzy1973 · 26/01/2011 20:26

too long to read all the replies but just get a temp nanny in for 2 weeks - you have plenty of time to find one

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 26/01/2011 20:27

Let's hope the nanny never gets hit by a bus, or catches flu!

trixymalixy · 26/01/2011 20:30

Surely the OP can't just look for someone else? Asking for time off is hardly a sackable offence and as the nanny has worked for her for 6 years she would be entitled to redundancy pay.

Portofino · 26/01/2011 20:30

I hope everyone will go ask their boss tomorrow for 2 weeks unpaid leave in September on top of their contracted (4-6 weeks) paid holiday. I would like to see a pie chart based on their responses.

midnightexpress · 26/01/2011 20:34

Well, I think most of us, if we have bosses and DC, are entitled to a certain amount of parental leave, are we not Portofino? So in theory, most of us could do that, yes. And the OP's nanny doesn't get 6 weeks holiday (plus bank holidays) as many people do. And she's only allowed to choose the time for 2 weeks of her leave, so in this, exceptional case, I think it's a bit different.

ItsGraceAgain · 26/01/2011 20:36

Oh, for pete's sake Portofino, it's her wedding. Not some random extra holiday.

Mind you, I'd quite like to see everyone go & ask their boss for time off in September to get married!

popelle · 26/01/2011 20:38

I'd consider getting rid of her OP, when was she going to ask you for this leave that you're not obliged to give her. To have heard this through the cleaner is a shocking level of unproffessionalism from the nanny.

Chatelaine · 26/01/2011 20:39

Portofino: pie charts, nanny, anal, you?

Portofino · 26/01/2011 20:39

Yes - but those are the terms and conditions of her employment - which she agreed to. No-one is MAKING her be there. Presumably if she has been there 6 years she is very happy with the job, and the family.

When I got married, I took annual leave. As has every person I ever met. There is NOT a rule that says you get 2 weeks off to get married - not even under EU employment law.

Portofino · 26/01/2011 20:40

Chatelaine - it wasn't ME that did a pie chart Wink

midnightexpress · 26/01/2011 20:41

Fine, but you probably had more than 2 weeks to choose from?

redrollers · 26/01/2011 20:41

yabu
and I can't believe anyone else thinks otherwise

now can we move on, this thread is slowing down my pc?
Grin

ItsGraceAgain · 26/01/2011 20:42

I should imagine she's somewhat less happy with her job now. Luckily for her, there's always a shortage of good, loyal nannies.

Portofino · 26/01/2011 20:45

But I thought it was established on Page 1 that the 50/50 arrangement was standard practice for nannies. Along with the premise that many ask for all leave to be taken in school holidays.

midnightexpress · 26/01/2011 20:47

I'm sure it was, but this is an exceptional situation isn't it? Her wedding. Y'know, biggest day of her life so far, exchange of solemn vows, yadda yadda. Have a little heart, why don't you? Sheesh.

Portofino · 26/01/2011 20:50

So HER wedding is somehow more special than everyone's else's wedding? She's marrying the wrong bloke. I know for sure of ONE bride who has got the whole country shut down for HER big day. Grin

Chatelaine · 26/01/2011 20:51

It is my sincere belief that there are subtle differences in the interpretation of employment law when it comes to having such an itimate relationship between nanny and family. Tread carefully. I fully acknowledge that there is exploitation from both sides.

trixymalixy · 26/01/2011 20:52

I would say it's a shockingly level of sneakiness from the cleaner that the OP heard it from her first rather than the nanny.

LittleMissHissyFit · 26/01/2011 20:52

The dear nanny takes 2 weeks of her own choosing to attend this buddist retreat/whatever, and the other holiday is chosen by OP, and has been in the diary for over a year.

Why could the nanny not use THAT holiday period for her wedding, when she knows she would not be needed anyway?

I think the nanny ought to have asked for the time off as a common courtesy from her employer, then she could have negotiated.

Presenting anyone with a fait acomplis is always going to rankle.

wukter · 26/01/2011 20:54

I TOLD my boss last year that I was taking September off to get married. I had 2 weeks annual leave to take, and 2 I wanted unpaid. He is an arrogant prick, and I am 'irreplaceable' at work. (Hmm to all those who think they actually are irreplacable). He paid me 1 extra week and also gave a present. Because - presumably - he knows I'm not a robot, and it's actually not a big deal in the scheme of things. In return I am very flexible and willing to go the extra mile. Just the kind of attitude I couldn't do without in a childminder, coincidentally.

I'm not a nanny, or a teacher btw.

Greenkit · 26/01/2011 20:55

Are you sure you allow her out of the basement long enough to work let alone have a holiday.

God imagine wanting time off to get married how very dare she.....

The fact you may have to spend a bit of extra time with you darling kids must smart a bit...

What a bitch

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is not accepting new messages.
Swipe left for the next trending thread