This is unfair?

[Missrabbithasfainted]

NC as outing if parent is on here

but I’m a nanny and the arrangement has always been that I am fairly flexible on when I work. It’s not really expected I work in the holidays so I do have to plan for this however I sometimes will receive hours one week and not the next during the holidays.

It was planned this week I was to look after 2 children for most of this week including Thursday for the entire day at my usual rate which would’ve been £100 for the day.

Told this morning I’m no longer needed Thursday.
AIBU to think that even though I’m flexible, this isn’t fair? My hours aren’t contracted but I had planned for that money to live off and now I am not receiving it and it’s a sizeable chunk of money with 48 hours notice I won’t be getting it.

It isn't fair. But if there's nothing in your contract that says your employer can't do this, then I don't think there's anything you can do.

I realise your hours aren't contracted, but you still need set terms and conditions, and I think you need to have an agreement that if you are booked to work for a whole day, and they cancel with only a couple of days' notice, then your employer still has to pay you. You need to set clear, signed terms and conditions with your employer even if you're on a zero hours contract.

It isn’t fair. Do you have a good enough relationship with your employers that you could just talk to them and say you need more notice of cancellation?

If you're dependant on the money during the holidays, why do you work ad-hoc during the holidays instead of getting a second job e.g. in retail that will flex around your term time nannying commitments? You're letting yourself be at the beck and call of your family and they're not being considerate of you, they're just going with what they want, which is fair enough from their point of view, but if you need the money you need to get a proper job over the holidays and not run around doing little bits when people feel like giving them to you.

It depends on the agreement. If this is the agreement you made this could be done, then it’s totally fair. If it’s not then it’s not

if you wish a cancellation policy then you need to put one in.

Well I save up throughout the year to cover the holidays. Finding work is difficult enough without taking a job for just 4 weeks. It’s also my holidays as I’m working term time and half terms and don’t get to take holidays whenever I want?

What does it say in your contract about hours and availability, breaks and paid holidays? Or if you don't have a written contract there are certain terms that are implied or you have entitlement to due to legal rights.

Have a look at:

https://www.gov.uk/au-pairs-employment-law

Are you being taken advantage of, is this flexibility all one way, do the family you work for make a habit of cancelling at short notice? Do you receive other employment rights, eg paid at least NMW for the hours you work, statutory annual leave requirements, pension contributions?

Could you take a day's holiday on Thursday, so at least you'll still get paid?

If you're a nanny and it's the school holidays, it should be quite easy to get work looking after children. The trouble would be finding people who need your services when you're actually available, especially if the main family you work for don't give you a lot of notice when they need you to work for them.

I'd ask them to look at your terms and conditions of employment with them.

But also you should sign up with a nanny agency so can get short term gigs for days to earn extra cash when you need it.

My suggestion would be that they plan your shifts 2 weeks in advance and need to give a weeks notice of cancellation.

It's not "fair" but sadly being self employed can be risky.

The OP isn't self employed. Nannies are almost never self employed.

And if she was, she'd be able to bill them for Thursday, because they've cancelled without giving her sufficient notice.

Have you tried the Sitters agency? I'm pretty certain they have holiday work on there. That might put a rocket up your employer's bum if she realises she can't mess you about like that.

To be fair, I haven’t actually said that I need additional work.

Its more about the fact that I expected £100 to be coming my way and then it isn’t with only 2 days notice. I’m not stuck without it, but in the process of moving house and had to planned to purchase a piece of furniture with it. Which will now have to be pushed back to another time.

Just speak to your employer.
Say “I had been planning on income from working that day and now it’s too short notice to get anything else. Can we agree on a minimum amount of notice for cancelling without pay from now on? A week seems reasonable to me. Thank you”.