Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Babysitter notice

56 replies

Fressia123 · 02/01/2021 15:55

I've used a babysitter regularly for the past few months to help me looking after my 14mo while WFH. She hasn't been great and at times she's been more of a hassle (she'll let the baby play next to me while I'm trying to work). She didn't have set hours and would move them around at both mine and her convenience. Obviously lo contract. My DP and one friend think no notice isn't great but still within reason as there's no contract and she's a babysitter. Other friends are telling me I have to pay her at least two weeks.

OP posts:

nannynick · 02/01/2021 17:03

@Fressia123

She was something in between. She wouldn't change his nappy. She wouldn't fix him his food. Sometimes she's give him a bath. But she was on her phone 80% of the time.

She wouldn't change his nappy! I recall changing nappies before I was even a teenager... must have been 11 or 12 when I would 'supervise' a neighbours children occasionally whilst a parent was at home.

If you are in the UK and this was an ad-hoc arrangement where they approached you offering a service, rather than you offering a job, then no notice is needed. If you offered them a job, then Statutory Notice is 1 week if they have worked for 1 month or more - see: archive.acas.org.uk/noticeperiod
You have offered 2 weeks pay in lieu of notice, I think, so that is fine.

For future, have written agreements even with very temporary service providers or employees. When I do ad-hoc care I have a cancellation clause for if a parent was to cancel at very short notice (so cancelling with less than say 24 hours notice there is the minimum 3 hour fee). Whereas when working as a nanny under a contract of employment, the parents would provide a contract which had a notice period during probation and then a longer notice period following probation.

nannynick · 02/01/2021 17:06

10 hours per week could be a nanny... I have a nanny job which is 11 hours per week and another one which is 10 hours per month. So it depends on the agreement... if it was 2 hours per day, 5 days per week, then that sounds like a job to me. If it was a case of making a booking each time you wanted them, then that is more the person providing a service.

2bazookas · 02/01/2021 17:08

"just a babysitter"????? and a useless one at that. Cheap, then?

So you don't rate your baby very highly either, shame.

You owe her more respect and that means giving her notice or payment in lieu.

LaceyBetty · 02/01/2021 17:17

I get that childcare is very undervalued, but I've seen some ruthless comments on this site where we are talking about any other job. People 5 minutes late because of train delays should be sacked, work time is not time for socialising, computers shouldn't be used for personal use ever etc. Why is it always different when it comes to childcare? This person sounded crap at her already limited duties and doesn't deserve so much respect. (Assuming what the OP has said is true).

Original poster

Fressia123 · 02/01/2021 17:41

Yes, I've always said she would have been sacked a long time ago in any other job.

OP posts:

Nanny2many · 02/01/2021 17:49

@Fressia123

Yes, I've always said she would have been sacked a long time ago in any other job.

hmm and in and other job she would have contract and payslips

MadameButterface · 02/01/2021 17:58

You can’t retrospectively decide to give her zero notice because you’ve decided she didn’t do her job adequately op. If you thought this all along but never discussed it with her and continued to book her, that’s on you and has no bearing on the legal or moral question of if she should be given proper notice or not. As far as she was concerned, your ongoing arrangement suggested you were satisfied with everything. If being on her phone and not feeding or changing your baby makes her a crap babysitter, then what does it say about your parenting that you continued with this arrangement?

SomethingsGottaChange · 02/01/2021 18:04

You allowed this to happen!

She didnt change his nappy or make food for him?

A mothers help is when mum is mostly around to ‘pitch in’

She mugged you off, you let her

You say she had qualifications, you obvs didnt check them, did you check references? Police check? Insurance documents?
I presume not

You were lucky OP

SomethingsGottaChange · 02/01/2021 18:04

Lucky that she actually wasnt a weirdo!

QualityRoads · 02/01/2021 18:19

If she was on her phone 80% of the time and the baby was awake, then she was unsatisfactory whatever her job title was. You could give her a small payment in lieu of notice, but I wouldn't trust her with my child again.

Original poster

Fressia123 · 02/01/2021 18:24

As I was here most (and all the time the first couple of months) I didn't mind it too much.

OP posts:

MadameButterface · 02/01/2021 18:27

So you weren’t fussed at the time but now you’ve lined other provision up you want to use it to justify sacking her with no notice?

Diverseduvet · 02/01/2021 18:32

All sounds a bit odd that you would tolerate someone you employed not changing nappies, on the phone alot etc. Theres certain basic standards that should be met, despite the low wage.

Worriedandabitscared · 02/01/2021 18:34

Honestly no contract, no payslips then you don't need to legally give her notice - it's really up to you what you do.

dudsville · 02/01/2021 18:38

It sounds like an informal arrangement. I had a window cleaner who I'd used for years but when I wanted to stop using him I just let him know I wouldn't be booking again. Sounds like you can do the same.

dudsville · 02/01/2021 18:40

And it doesn't have to be a big deal, can even be a text "thanks for your help during this time. I wanted to let you know we won't need this service further, I hope 2021 treats you well" or some such.

Original poster

Fressia123 · 02/01/2021 18:43

Well that's what I thought but she replied with a "this is very short notice, I didn't have enough time to look for other clients/hours". So I offered the 15 hours as I tried to be a decent human being.

OP posts:

MadameButterface · 02/01/2021 19:27

Well, it is pretty short notice if she was expecting to start back after the Christmas break! You said she did about ten hours a week, so 15 hours is a week and a half’s money, it’s better than nothing but it’s not hugely generous.

Oh well, lesson learnt, next time make sure everyone is clear in advance about notice, expectations etc on both sides in future childcare provision. I use a proper registered childminder so all this is in the contract we both signed. I gave her a term’s notice back in September because youngest is 11 and his dad wfh full time now so he just goes there after school. I still paid all last term even though ds hasn’t been because that’s what our contract says, and life is hard for the self employed at the best of times, never mind now.

MarthasGinYard · 02/01/2021 20:29

I thought you said in another thread you have a nanny?

Is this the same 'nanny'?

BumbleBeegu · 02/01/2021 20:43

You haven't been really honest about this have you?

A 'baby sitter' is someone who you pay to come and look after your kids for a few hours on a Saturday evening, whilst you go out with your husband (or friends) for dinner, or to the theatre or whatever. The 'baby sitter' would, if you were lucky, and your kids were old enough, make popcorn with them, watch a Disney movie and put them to bed! They'd spend the rest of the evening on Netflix or FaceTime. If your kids were really young, they'd be in bed already when the baby sitter arrived, and they'd spend the entire evening on Netflix and FaceTime 😂

What you've got is cheap labour because you're not willing to pay for professional daycare whilst you go to work...which is quite frankly disgusting! You got what you paid for! Sort childcare out! Not a bloody 'baby sitter' ffs!!

DianaT1969 · 02/01/2021 20:47

The OP did what she could in a pandemic - a practical solution of mother's help. £9 is above minimum wage.
OP - if you ever employ anyone again, make your expectations clear from the beginning - no use of personal phone during work hours is an easy one.

Sauvignonblanket · 02/01/2021 21:18

If you know when the arrangement needs to end it would be kind (even if not essential) to give her a heads up so she can plan ahead financially.

Original poster

Fressia123 · 02/01/2021 21:22

Yea she's that "nanny". And I looked for a mother's help and she said she was happy and qualified. She's happy with the 15 hrs payment though.

OP posts:

AIMD · 02/01/2021 21:28

@MadameButterface

So you weren’t fussed at the time but now you’ve lined other provision up you want to use it to justify sacking her with no notice?

It does feel a bit like this.

I’d give her at least some notice as she was obviously adequate for you to keep using her while you needed her.

BrightonForWine · 02/01/2021 22:08

So she was crap, you compromised with 15 hours, she was happy with that and your child now has alternative childcare?

I dont understand why you posted?

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread