To ask for a retainer?

[T2517]

I’m a nanny. I’ve been working for a family full time (10 hours a day) for nearly two years. The little girl (youngest child) is due to start nursery soon and will get the full 30 hours. The family want to keep me on, but due to pick up times etc I won’t be able to take on other work during the school day. We haven’t discussed details yet as there are still a few months to go.

Is it usual/unreasonable to ask for a retainer during this time? I can’t afford to drop down to so little hours, it would cut my hours in more than half. I would be happy to do housework etc but this isn’t needed. I currently earn around £1500 a month but would be ok dropping to £1000 but nothing lower really. Is that totally insane for a nanny? I’ve tried looking on the nanny boards but haven’t found anything helpful.

So, rather than keep you on, they want to pay you for the hours spent looking after the child, but not for the nursery hours? Will you be going home during the hours 'not worked', or would you be at their house?

Yes you need a significantly higher hourly rate or a retainer. Or you make it clear that you aren't available during those hours eg if child sick and you look for another job.

I’d probably go home as there wouldn’t be any need for me to be at theirs, but always around in case of emergencies. (I live near the school)

We haven’t discussed exactly what the payment would be for during the day - I have mentioned I would need something, but I just really would like opinions from other people to make sure this is reasonable

You're selling yourself utterly short. If you were there for emergencies (presumably sickness) is thy because they wouldn't be? So you'd still be on duty and having to step in if the child got sent home from nursery? If the child couldn't go in because of sickness?

Either way, what your employer is trying to do is change your job to childminder, not nanny.

I would be looking for another job tbh. If they want their child to go to nursery, they need to sort out pick up, drop off and illness. You’re either a nanny or you’re not.

I paid my childminder exactly the same when mine started half days at nursery school. They were in, 9 to 12. There’s no way she could get a job that would cover that time, so rather than lose her, I paid her the same.

Yes you should ask for a retainer or get another job.

I'm in the same situation but from the employer's side.
I'd never expect my nanny to drop the amount of hours per week my DC is in nursery and still be able to work for us.
We pay her full time and "bank" the nursery hours to be used during school holidays, if the DC is ill or for babysitting.

Don't go to them with a suggestion of cutying wages or hours. If the want you on call, for sickness, for holidays then you should Stay at your current hours and pay.

Absolutely don't cut your hours! If they still want you there then they must pay you; or you get another job.

Thanks everyone, I’ve not been in this situation before and I think I do have a habit of underselling myself/trying to please everyone. I had a quick discussion the other day with the Mum and she mentioned either raising my hourly rate or doing a retainer but I got the impression this was for less hours. I really wanted to have some knowledge of what other people have done with their nannies, thanks so much for replies it’s really helpful. It’s hard because you get so attached to families but maybe it is time to think about moving on if I don’t get what’s right for me

All the childminders i know wanted the full day rate to do wrap round care for nursery. Even for a full time place. 9-3.15.

If they still want a nanny its going to cost the same. Look into getting another job to strengthen your negotiating position.

If its school nursery there is still a lot of holiday so namny still needed for young dc. She cant go to clubs etc until she is reception age.

That’s really good to know, thank you. Finding it quite hard to find out what other nannies do. I struggle because I’m really great at the practical side of childcare (tooting my own horn) but absolutely useless at the business/negotiating side.

Well done for noticing that you are selling yourself short here, and get it sorted out quickly.

Ask to speak to them, explain that you need to know what they are offering, to give you time to arrange an entirely new job instead if their offer doesn't suit you. Don't just leave it so you are bounced into accepting whatever their offer. Are you really prepared to hang around, unpaid, incase there is some emergency and you are required? Would you expect someone you employed, to do that?

It's lovely that you are attached to the children, not quite so lovely that the parents are not being clear that you should not be out of pocket with this change. Floating the question of a retainer might have been gauging your response. Its absolutely up to you to get the offer clear so you can decide what to do, please dont just accept lower wages, its just giving your employer your money. Why would you do that? They should be ensuring you want to stay with their children.

I'd just tell them straight that you need to work full time so either they offer you a full time (living wage) or you agree that starting nursery will end your contract with them. See what they come up with but be prepared to look for another job.

Come September, I am going to find myself in the same position as your employer as both my children will be at school.

We hope our nanny will want to stay on and will pay her during term time for the hours in the middle of the day that the children are at school. As you say, it is not really feasible for her to take on other work and it also means we have cover if one of the DC are sick. It also means we don't have to worry about holiday clubs etc in holidays when her days will definitely be more full on.

So I am horrified to read your post that you are willing to take a 1/3 pay cut! If they can't treat you decently I would find a new family.

I've been in the same position twice. Once they kept me on full time which meant a lot of sitting around not able to do anything as I was too far away to go home between school runs. The other I did wrap around and used the nursery hours to offset full time in the holidays and got paid extra for emergency cover. My salary was pro rated through the year so that I was paid the same each month.

They could look for a nanny share for you, part time baby perhaps? Also remember they will still need lots of holiday cover!