Would anybody want this job...

[florenceuk]

And how much should I offer?

At the moment have an afterschool nanny who does 3-7pm and full days in holidays (four days a week). I pay her £60 per half day (gross). However increasingly I find I need cover for the morning (if I have an early meeting). But nanny would charge me £120 a day.

So was wondering - if I asked for somebody to do half hr in morning and 3-7pm in week, four days a week, plus four full days holidays - but offered to pay them something less than a four day salary every week - say three full days for the school run and four days in the holiday or 3.5 days every week regardless - would this be attractive?

Sounds very attractive!

I think going with a pro-rata wage is better than paying more in the holidays and less in term time, personally - and your nanny has a cheek to ask for that amount for half an hour's extra work, unless it means she's on call all day.

It irrationally bugs me that you end up paying more to childminders in holidays - I don't at all begrudge paying it, I'd just prefer to pay the same year round as it makes it easier for me to budget as I'm no good at it.

I am a nanny and like to be paid hourly rate so that I know where I stand - no feeling hard done by on either side. I would prefer this even though some weeks/months might earn less than others.

Maybe see what your nanny says, I guess it partly depends if you would expect her to be able to cover if children were off sick at all? If yes, I would be expecting hourly rate for all hours I was 'on call' but maybe I would be being unreasonable! (would obviously be fine doing housekeeping type work whilst kids at school if being paid for full day).

Jiggerypoppery - you don't "end up" paying more to childminders in the holidays, you do whatever the two of you negotiate and agree and put in your contracts! My parents (and many others) pay their childminders the same each week or month as it suits both sides better to even out the cashflow. It bugs me (irrationally perhaps) when grown adults complain about agreements freely entered into - especially when they only complain to third parties instead of speaking to the person who could do something about it. But then we do like to have something to moan about, don't we?

Totally agree with last post! I would LOVE my schoolie mindees to pay me the same each month. Would mean we all know what we're getting plus they don't get a huge bill in the summer hols for example. But mine want to pay for hours that month so that's fine too. If parents don't want the shock of larger fees in hols, they could always put a set amount to one side each month which then gets used when needed. A bit like I have to with the ones who don't want to pay a set monthly fee.

thanks - I guess I was wondering if a nanny would find this set up attractive or prefer a "real" three or four day week job.

I did a post like this before and did kind of end up wishing that I had a condensed week i.e. three or four days a week all year rather than evenings term time and long days during holidays.

However, this set up may be very attractive to certain groups. i.e. students. Can the children be dropped off early enough that the prospective nanny could also get to college?

Issue might still arise re being on call, this would need to be clear from beginning, i.e. who is responsible should one of your lo's become sick during the day.

florenceuk I think it sounds like an attractive job - the nanny would have lots of free time in the day (study? second job?) plus an extra day a week for study/third job etc.

minderjinx - sorry if my post wasn't clear, I think I missed out a 'seem to'. I don't begrudge paying for hours worked but it's easier for me to budget if I'm paying the same out each month - I do this with household bills, insurance etc. I just find it easier to budget that way. But my childminder prefers to be paid for hours worked (like ojmummy.) Also, in all honesty, it's something I find a minor irritation, in an otherwise great set up. I figure it's her business, so it's her call. If I had a nanny, she'd be an employee, so it would be my call.

In other words, florence, if it's easier for you to budget etc paying a flat rate, do that, it's your prerogative as an employer. I think it would be a good financial package for a nanny.