To dump nanny by text

[Newmum0322]

Seems harsh but let me explain. She started with us 2 weeks ago on a fixed term contract for a few months. she brings her own daughter with her which I was fine with, didn’t see any problems. My DD is 9 months, her DD is 6 months so their needs are fairly similar in terms of eating/napping/playing.

The problem is she can’t seem to take any initiative, when she feeds DD she needs me to make it up, she then proceeds to feed her own DD so I’m left feeding whilst I should be working. DD cries frequently through the day, when she wakes up early from her nap the nanny rarely gets her back down because she seeing to her own child. I never see her holding, cuddling or focusing on DD in any meaningful way.

We’re not happy with her and so we are letting her go. We have to give her notice which I’m happy to do, but don’t want to wait until her next working day, as that will prolong the length of notice. We have alternative childcare lined up.

So… AIBU to text her letting her know we know longer need her, bearing in mind length of service (she’s effectively worked only a handful of days) and the fact I’d like her gone sooner rather than later?

@Razu45 it’s a legal stance

it clearly says on tax website that nannies can’t be self employed if they work set days and hours

this is employment

famillies don’t went to employ a nanny as means they have to pay a pension now but also the employers ni

sadly nannies esp those who are mums accept the work as some find it hard to find a job taking their own child

It’s a tax dodge. It means the parents get out of paying employers NI, pension contributions, sick pay etc. There is legislation against it, but given how widespread it is in many industries, it seem HMRC haven’t got to nannies yet.

they won’t work set hours because in all liklihood very occasionally - one of the parents will collect. They probably agree on a week by week basis. Plus if one child is off sick, the nanny may be called upon to do extra hours .

If the nanny is only doing pick up. The contributions will be utterly negligible

HMRC look at many factors when assessing employment, three big ones are do you work solely for one employee, can you dictate your own hours, and can you send someone else to fulfil your duties in your place. Nannies do not meet any of those.

If they are only doing school pick, then….

they could be doing ad hoc childcare ie babysitting or looking after other parents pre schoolers during the day.

Plus during holidays will not doubt do other care for other families

You obv haven’t employed a a nanny

they have set hours and days in most jobs

whether 2/3/4/5 days and all day like 8/7 or before and after school 7/9 3/7 but it is set days and hours

if the family is happy for the nanny to say. No I’m not working today or I’m sending x to do my job or I’m taking next week off find your own cover thats on a self employment basis

Why do you think the nanny would like to do extra hours if the child is off sick? She could catch the whatever bug the child has and be sick herself and of course she would not get paid sick leave as self employed.

Yes agreed

pp was saying the nannies she sees that only do a school pick up

chances are… they do work for other families outside the tiny window of school pick up that the pp sees!

I don’t know any nannies that only do school pick up. Childminders yes, and are self employed as they have lots of children they are looking after.

Do you have a self employed nanny by any chance?

I don’t have a nanny, no.

but my response was specifically to a PP who said she didn’t know know nannies at her school managed to be self employed when they only did school pick ups

hence my response

but you are talking about…. Nannies. Bona fide nannies that do more than school pick ups and should indeed be employed!

Yes so she would be employed 3/7 with that family

and maybe se in ad hoc roles or possible employee by 2/3 families for other days /times

Maybe or maybe not!