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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pay babysitter half her hourly rate for 2.5 hours she would have free in the day?

17 replies

whoneedssleepanyway · 04/07/2013 10:25

I need my babysitter to look after my DCs for 2 days in the summer holidays, they are booked in for a summer dance camp from 10-12:30 on both days.

I would need her from 8 until 6. Do I need to pay her, the full hourly rate from 10 until 12:30 given she wouldn't have my DCs or it is two chunks of the day (8 till 10 and then 12:30 till 6), or could I say I would pay half her hourly rate for the 2.5 hours she doesn't have the DC?

I will pay her the full rate if that is what would normally happen in these circs but wanted to check what was the norm before offering her full pay for 10 hours.

Thanks

OP posts:
TanglednotTamed · 04/07/2013 10:26

Don't know - but with my nanny, I pay her the same amount, but ask her to do some extra chores if children all out/asleep for a significant amount of time. Just some ironing, or similar.

badfaketan · 04/07/2013 10:28

If she is in your house and available to you all day,you need to pay her the hourly rate all day.Or at least,I would.

Can you get her to do something else whilst the children aren't there like laundry or shopping?

Original poster
whoneedssleepanyway · 04/07/2013 10:34

Thanks. She is actually my next door neighbours daughter, so basically after she has dropped them at 10 would be able to go home until 12:15 when she would have to go back and pick them up, so she could have 2 hours at home.

I guess what it means though is that she can't make arrangements do something herself...maybe I could ask her and say if I pay her for those hours would she mind doing something else for me or if she would prefer to have 2 hours to herself at home then I wouldn't pay her/ pay her half her rate....

OP posts:
MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 04/07/2013 10:34

Well I know that with childminders you'd be expected to pay the full amount because even if they didn't have the children, they'd still be responsible for them - the emergency contact for that time, so I guess it would be the same in this case. Plus, it's not as if they can do anything in that time to bump up their pay or really do anything substantial during that time, and it's your choice to send them to the camp.

meddie · 04/07/2013 10:35

If she babysits then she has effectively committed for the whole day. Its not like she can do much in those 2.5 hours. Or go out and earn her hourly rate for thos hours.

If one of your children tripped at dance camp and injured themselves and had to leave, would you expect her to be available for that situation?

If you feel like you have to get your moneys worth, could you not ask her to get some shopping etc

yegodsandlittlefishes · 04/07/2013 10:37

Talk to her! Grin

I would offer her half pay for the 2 hours, she just has to make sure the DCs are booked in on time and picked up on time and she is free to do what she likes...But if your house is near enough, and you have something else she could do which you could trust her with, you could offer her full pay for the 2 hours to go back to your place for an hour and a half/hour's work (ironing or cleaning kitchen & sorting laundry, or cooking and labelling up some freezer meals, ingredients supplied). say what you would want done for the extra hour's pay and let her decide if she would like to do it, it's nice to be treated like that, in my experience. :)

Ragwort · 04/07/2013 10:40

Why not ask her directly?

You could say something like you are happy to pay the full rate for the extra time but in that case could she do some ironing/cleaning/whatever or compromise with half rate for the two hours on the understanding that she is 'on call' if she has to pick up the children?

It really depends how flexible she is, is she doing the job as a 'favour' to you, how well you get on, its not worth falling out over a couple of hours pay. Alternatively you could agree a 'day rate' which accepts the fact that she has a couple of hours free in the morning.

Ragwort · 04/07/2013 10:41

yegod - ha ha, we must be thinking the same !!

IfIonlyhadsomesleep · 04/07/2013 10:45

Would you be expecting her to be on call to pick up and look after the children if they are ill? I think you should pay her the full amount if so, but ask her to do laundry, meal prep or tidying related to the children during those hours. Or else, give her the option of earning her full rate. If she would prefer to do her own thing but have you pay a retainer to be on call, then I think half is fair.
There's a danger that if you only offer her half for those hours, she'll decide that it would be better to get a different job elsewhere. A child minder would expect full.

IfIonlyhadsomesleep · 04/07/2013 10:46

Just read your second post, op! That sounds very fair.

xylem8 · 04/07/2013 11:30

Ok Is she truly off duty for example would you expect her to go an collect your child from camp if for example she twisted her ankle and couldn't continue? would you expect her to take along an item your child had forgotten? do they do a little show at the end for parents to watch- it would be nice for themto have someone there, if so?
Also you say the camp is 2.5 hours so you need to pay her for travel time to and from.
I think I would pay full rate for 1.5 hours and call the other hour a lunch break.

yegodsandlittlefishes · 04/07/2013 11:51

Ragwort Oh dear, I fear for your sanity (as I do my own!) Grin

We seem to have x-posted with the OP's second post as well.

All the best with it, OP, hope your DCs enjoy their dance camp!

Original poster
whoneedssleepanyway · 04/07/2013 14:58

Thanks everyone. I spoke to her and said would it be ok if I did full rate for 8 hours and half rate for 2 hours so she could go home and I rounded it up to the nearest £10 so she got and extra £2.50. I said if the DCs needed picking up early or anything obviously I would pay her up to full rate. She was totally fine with it and said it worked well as she could use the 2 hours to study.

Thanks yegod.

OP posts:
IfIonlyhadsomesleep · 04/07/2013 17:03

That sounds like a good, fair solution all round.

yegodsandlittlefishes · 04/07/2013 20:40

You're welcome whoneeds. Glad you got it sorted out happily.

aldiwhore · 04/07/2013 20:42

Good resolution.

MrsLouisTheroux · 04/07/2013 21:28

Hmm, how much have you saved yourself OP ?

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