Advice needed on holidays please

[Twingirlsrock]

I have just had twins and after looking into the costs and advantages of different child care options, have decided a nanny will be the most cost effective and best option for us.

Found a really nice (I really hope) nanny and have agreed pay and hours- we just need to agree holidays.

Can anyone help me on how it works? Is 4 weeks holiday paid about right? But how does it work in terms of my holidays (I get 4 weeks).... I'm assuming she doesn't have to take her holidays when I do.... Or does she???? If she doesn't then it's really 8 weeks isn't it?????

How on earth does it work?!

Thanks do much

Minimum holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks. This can include Bank/Public holidays.

You can dictate that your employee takes holiday at the same time as you take holiday from your job. However that is probably not a good way to keep a nanny long term... your nanny may not be very happy at getting no choice at all about when they can take time off.

So a compromise is often along the lines of 2 weeks choice for each side, plus all bank/public holidays.

Is the nanny working Monday-Friday?

Are you a single parent? You make no mention about having a partner, or father of your twins. Presuming that you do have a DP/DH and that they are in employment (rather than being self employed) they would get holiday entitlement from their job.

So it could work like this:

Nanny takes a week off... your DP/DH takes that week off work.

Your and DP/DH decide to go away for a week... your nanny takes the week off.

Nanny takes a few days off... you take those days off.

Between you all you arrange that there is at least one adult with the twins.

Keep a track of holiday requests and the resulting action - deny the request or approve the request. Holiday year starts from your nannies start date, unless you say otherwise in the contract.

More about Holiday Entitlement at BusinessLink.gov.uk

Holiday entitlement is a minimum of 5.6 weeks a year. 4 weeks + bank holidays. It is usually sorted out that the nanny would have 2 weeks holiday of her choice and the employer would have 2 weeks to choose.

I agree all holiday dates before he/she starts and put them into the 12 month contract. If they stay next year we do the same at contract renewal. I actually have an au pair and not a nanny now but the same practice applies.

The one thing I really can't accommodate is sat minute requests to run off for a week. But, of course, sometimes things are not forseeable. And when that happens DH and I just cope between us.