Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nanny and maternity leave

63 replies

JellyBears · 31/05/2018 21:26

AIBU - Nanny has been in my family’s employment for two years. One boy aged 2. New baby on ththe way. We don’t feel we can justify paying our nanny for the year I plan to go on mat leave and I have family who can help out for free.

AIBU to ask Nanny to work one day a week as a retainer until the year is up? Obviously she would be free to find work in this time.

OP posts:
NorthernLurker · 31/05/2018 21:27

Is this a joke?

NataliaOsipova · 31/05/2018 21:30

Yes, YABU! Either she has her job, or you need to make her redundant and allow her to look for another position.

AlexanderHamilton · 31/05/2018 21:30

YABU You need to make her redundant.

Merryoldgoat · 31/05/2018 21:31

Of course YABU.

If you have no need of her then make her redundant and you can see if she’s free when you need her again.

KindergartenKop · 31/05/2018 21:31

Yabu, she'll probably want to get a full time job for someone else.

User467 · 31/05/2018 21:32

Are your work just paying you one day a week? YABU

NorthernLurker · 31/05/2018 21:32

I've seen some lousy efforts at trying to avoid paying redundancy in my time on here but this is really pushing it!

Shoutylady · 31/05/2018 21:32

You want her to find work for roughly 9 months with absolutely no financial incentive or guarantee that she’ll get proper work with you again..? No. One day a week isn’t a retainer!

Original poster
JellyBears · 31/05/2018 21:32

But surely she can find a job for a year or something while I don’t need her?

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 31/05/2018 21:33

No, you need to make her redundant.

overnightangel · 31/05/2018 21:33

“But surely she can find a job for a year or something while I don’t need her?”

😂😂😂😂😂

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/05/2018 21:34

But surely she can find a job for a year or something while I don’t need her?

She might well be able to but that’s not your choice!

NorthernLurker · 31/05/2018 21:34

Just to check op, you employ her yes? You haven't actually bought her as your slave have you?

Original poster
JellyBears · 31/05/2018 21:34

But she’s not redundant, we absolutely want her to help raise our second child as well as our first. She will definitely have a job at the end of it..

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 31/05/2018 21:35

Yabu massively

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 31/05/2018 21:35

YANBU to ask but don’t expect her to say yes and don’t be annoyed if she leaves.

I’m a nanny and when my current boss went on maternity leave she asked me the same from 4 days down to 1 for 11m. I was all set to say no and move to a different job when a friend of a friend needed someone to cover 3 days a week for exactly the same amount of time. It was a strange turn of events and worked perfectly and I went back to my job and I’m still there 2y later.

I’m not saying it’ll work but it is ok to ask as long as you have no expectations.

LML83 · 31/05/2018 21:35

You can ask, but it will limit her choices if she is tied to you one day a week. Also what if you reduce hours or don't go back after the yr or family help out more?

She will most likely have to look for something else. End on good terms and she might come back after a yr if she is available or doesn't like new job as much.

KindergartenKop · 31/05/2018 21:35

Maybe she'll want to return after a year. Or she might become a racing driver. It's up to her really isn't it? You might not even want to return to work or prefer a nursery after dc2. Don't over plan.

MiggeldyHiggins · 31/05/2018 21:36

But surely she can find a job for a year or something while I don’t need her? and what about the other family losing their nanny after a year because you want her back?

SewButtons · 31/05/2018 21:38

Offer it but be prepared to offer her redundancy if she doesn’t want to accept.
I am a nanny in a similar situation and my boss made me redundant when she was on Mat leave for her second child, I would definitely have been happier to stay on one day a week as that would have maintained my rights to redundancy pay etc and I ended up working only 4days a week while she was on mat leave anyway at the new job I found.

oblada · 31/05/2018 21:39

Just give her the option: either staying one day a week with you or being made redundant. Simples! It's not like redundancy pay is expensive anyway.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 31/05/2018 21:40

But she’s not redundant, we absolutely want her to help raise our second child as well as our first. She will definitely have a job at the end of it.

Then you pay her for it. She has bills to pay, what if she can’t/doesn’t want to find another job? She’s not your property.

KindergartenKop · 31/05/2018 21:40

Also OP, are you having a wobble about your kids? Having dc2 can change everything and that's scary. You obviously trust your nanny and perhaps you're worried about how you and dc1 will manage without her? It'll be ok, don't panic.

AlexanderHamilton · 31/05/2018 21:40

by all means tell her that due to your maternity leave you can only offer 1 day a week. She may accept & find something else for the other days. But you can’t make it conditional on her returning full time after a year. And if she says no (very likely) you have to make her redundant.

Original poster
JellyBears · 31/05/2018 21:41

Thanks for the frank replies. I have to confess I’m the Nanny not the mum. I was pretty shocked tbh as I was lead to believe I would be kept on if any baby appeared. I’m pretty gutted as I really feel Their being incredibly cheeky and selfish. I have no idea what to do as they are actually a really lovely family despite this.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread