What to pay nanny returning to post with new baby

[thehiddenpaw]

My nanny has worked for us for 2 years. I have 3 children. I chose a nanny option as at the time, I wanted sole care for my youngest (now 2). Post maternity leave my nanny wants to return with six ish month old baby. When she was pregnant, we discussed this. I came around to the idea post discussion of issues such as who minds sick kids, de babyfying our house, a pay cut etc.
She is now wanting to discuss return to work. I am not sure how it works if her pay cut (effectively her payment of a nanny share) leaves her below minimum wage. I have already suggested that she looks at taking all smp as I think she will not take home much more pay to mind my 3 children.
I am just unsure of my legal position if I pay her less - should we draw up a contract that is different to show her contributon to costs so I am not paying less than legal wage?

You can't pay her less than minimum wage! This isn't a nanny share.

Typically nannies bringing their own child are paid 20-25% less than the going rate.

Assuming you def want her back with baby - and want to reduce her salary accordingly - Whatever she earns now take off 10/20% and offer wage

If she declines you can offer job back without her baby

If she declines you look for a new nanny

You do need to add an amendment to the contract as it is a major change. You both need to agree to the new terms. If at a later date there is a disagreement you want to be able to see what was agreed.

When I returned to work with my baby, I didn't take a pay cut as such - we just agreed that there would be no pay rise that year. I don't bring my ds all the time as husband works shifts so I'd say it's 50%.

its not a nanny share- if you nanny shared you would be splitting with another paying family, wholly she would have a wage above minimum wage,

As others have said, you can cut by 20-20%. what is she on now?

I'd say reduce her pay by 20% max. I think this is fair. Any more isn't reasonable in my opinion. Are you suggesting you reduce her pay by 50%?? This is not reasonable. Many good nannies don't have their pay reduced at all when they return with a baby.

It is not a nanny share - not by a long shot. There are many many differences between a nanny share and a nanny bringing her child to work.

As others have said - a maximum of 20% reduction in pay. Though, if it were me I wouldn't reduce it at all.

I really don't see why she should be paid any less. She's still looking after all three of your children. Her workload hasn't decreased.
Am I missing something?

YD, of course she should be paid less. She is bringing her own child. Not only will her employer not have exclusive use of the nannny her children will also have a new child onto the mix that will need constant care.

If you have 3 children, i would say a 25% paycut is fair given one quarter of the children are her own. She can decide if to return on that basis, arrange her own childcare and stay on the same salary or not return at all.

a nwoc wont be giving 100% attention to her 3 charges anymore, she wont be paying childcare and no other job would allow a mum to take their child to work

this is why a paycut is normally given

yes a few nannies still earn the same, but it is rare - as i said 10/12% is a fair drop- so if on say £12gross, then would go to maybe £10 gross

you need to discuss this with your nanny, im assuming she releises she will take a pay cut, and if she doesnt want to, then refer back to my original reply :)

legally you must offer her old job back as it was, ie nanny to 3 children - but you dont have to allow her to bring her baby if you dont want to

if you dont want her to bring her child thats up to you, and she will prob leave and try and find a job where she can take with her (for less money again lol)

she wont be paying childcare

this statement really annoys me.

Why is it any of your business that she isn't paying childcare? You can't factor that into her pay? So should all parents lucky enough to have free childcare provided by grandparents for ex, take a cut upon return to work?

my ds comes to work with me. Its a perk but comes with its own issues.

free childcare via gp's/friends etc obv mean the nanny doesnt take her own child to work therefore wont need to take a pay cut as nothing has changed in her job and all her attention will still be on her charges

yes taking your own child to work as a nanny is a perk - no other profession is it possible :)

i really dont get why some nwoc get so annoyed/feel they shouldnt have a a pay cut

i earn a very good salary, but im childless, if i was ever lucky enough to become a mum and very unlikely to ever happen at the moment tbh but if i did then i would obviously and happily take a 10/20% paycut if allowed to take my own child

I think its fair to have a 10-20% paycut, as I said before (and my current salary reflects this in comparison to previous, pre dc positions.)

and I am pretty chuffed that I am in a sector where bringing dc can be an option too.

But I just find the statement ' and they're not paying for childcare' a bit I've heard it lots and just feel like sometimes it's said in a bit of a way that implies that the playing field should be evened because one person is lucky enough to not pay fees and another does, therefore should be paid less. Yes its reasonable to pay less because they bring a child- but not on the basis that they don't pay childcare fees? am I making any sense?

My sister had full time free childcare from 8 months until dc was school age.. I'm sure her employers didn't consider it when agreeing a wage?!

Very interesting. Thanks for clarifications. It actually is not full time care of 3 children as 2 go to school the main purpose for employment was for the youngest. There are all sorts for us to consider and we are both happy with an agreed pay cut. I live in an area with a fairly low wage as there is not much work. My view was a pay cut was fair as I chose to get a nanny for sole care of my little one(the others at school) and she will no longer have this. My children are very happy with the alternative arrangements for the maternity cover and either way My family will be happy with the solution

What happens if either of your other children are off school sick.

Then paws nanny will look after them just as any nanny looks after ill children

Seems Paw that you have thought it all through and that both you and nanny happy :)

Blondes did you read the bit about not paying minimum wage!

But I suppose OP if you are not paying her tax and national insurance no one will know.

I did read the bit about below min wage

All I can say is if the nanny has agreed to a wage that less then £6gross and she is happy with it then more fool her

Op how much excalty will you be paying your nanny gross?

And if under £6gross you will need to up it a few pence to make it legal

It's not more fool the nanny, it's more fool them employer for agreeing to that situation. It's illegal! And not paying tax and NI will land the OP into a whole heap more trouble, assuming its been paid up to now so nanny can actually get SMP. The taxmen aren't that stupid....

Of course nannies should be prepared to take pay cuts when they bring their own child. For an excellent nanny and as an incentive to return it might be worth freezing pay but it's not the same service at all. Not 50% less as the employer still calls the shots but it's not dedicated care any more.

its the op/employer who is deciding the gross hourly wage, not the nanny, in op's defence she did say she wasnt sure of her legal position in her first post

we have now told her she must pay at least nmw gross so think £6.31 gross ph- if both decide to offer/accept less then that then nothing we can do lol

taking your own child as a nanny isnt a nanny share so 50% drop in salary isnt right, more 10/20% less

op what do you pay your nanny now? what do you intend to pay her?

Thanks again. To clarify. I agreed a 25%pay cut. This would take it below min wage which having read the views on legality, I would not carry through as I have no intention of doing anything illegal. I respect my nanny and her rights. I will probably propose a pay freeze for one year instead. As for sick kids. She works 2 days a week so if I had a sick kid,it would depend whether it was a day she works. It also depends on the illness. Now she has a baby, it would not be fair for me to expect her to mind my sick child depending on what the illness is. So I might still have to come home anyway. We have discussed this and agreed a set of boundaries. There were lots to consider, not just pay. Like stair gates I want to take down but can't. The need for baby paraphanalia and storage. We went through a list when she was pregnant and sorted a position out. My children will love to have her back. I did lots of thinking. And came to the view we would love to have he baby as part of her family

As long as you up her gross pay to nmw then all will be fine

SOunds like you have both thought things through

Reg sick children - that's the one real advantage of having a nanny over cm/nursery - that they will look after ill children - and I think that's something nwoc have to realise that yes your child may give their child something - but works both ways - their child may be ill as well and would you want them in with sick child?

Hope all works out :)

You are looking at the gross rate per hour aren't you? Not just the cash you actually pay her. That would be less than I was paying a live out nanny in Yorkshire over 10 years ago.

Bachsingmum, don't worry. I reiterate I do not do illegal stuff and respect my employees legal rights