How much should I charge the family for Christmas Nannying?

[Objection]

Hi all,

I work for a family most weekends (G2.5, B3.5, B10) in London - my pay is £9.17 nph inc night hours plus £20 per weekend for the additional travel costs (they recently moved so it cost more for me to get to them).

I usually work 7-7 sat & sun so this is £240 for the weekend plus any babysitting.

However, the family have asked me to go to America with them for Christmas and New Year. I'm likely to be flown out to them on the 23rd Dec and fly back with them on the 5th Jan.

It's likely to be every day for the 2 week period but I can't think what would be a fair charge.

I'd be taking an additional 3 days holiday from my day job to go and obviously be working the whole holiday period.

What would be a fair charge do you think? Double time for the "special" days...?

Please help

Do you want to go? If you really wanted to go I feel you could come up with a figure yourself, so asking on here is either for reassurance that your proposed figure is right (but you have not told us the figure) or you don't really want to go.

What would you have normally done over xmas?

I would like to go actually, think it would be an adventure I'm not too bothered about Christmas, just dinner with my family and then relaxing with the OH.

I thought double time for Xmas eve, xmas, boxing day and New years day and then normal for the rest seemed fair... but tbh I have no idea!

Would I charge them for the travel time too? (at least 12-14 hours)

All time away from your home I feel is chargeable but probably not by the hour. You need to come up with a figure that all involved could agree to. Maybe say an extra £50 per day? Then usual hourly rate for childcare provided.
Make sure you agree what happens on the flight, who is sitting with the children, are you working on the flight?

Consider about getting into the US. What visa will you need, can you get that in time. Will you be pretending that you are visiting friends, or will you say you are working? Will that make a difference to what visa is needed?

Have you travelled to the US before? If they are an american family they will not go through customs the same way as you, it may take you longer to get through. Been a long time since I went to the US so can't remember all the details but I do recall that my boss (american) did not go through the same customs as me, same on the return to the UK, she had to go through a different route, where as having a british passport I was able to go through quickly.

Work out in advance a schedule for when you are on and off duty, so you all know what the working hours are. In reality those may vary but you can then adjust the schedule as you go along to accommodate changes.

Check what is and is not included, such as meals, trips out. Will you be treating some of it as being a holiday, will you get time on your own?

I went was offered a temp job along the same lines time wise last year (through an agency) and the pay on offer was £1000 a week. It was in Europe with strangers so very different in that way but I would think it wouldn't be too far off the mark for what you will be doing. Call an agency and see what they say, would get you a fair idea.

I don't think you can reasonably charge double Christmas Eve - it's a standard work day in the UK.

As this is a second job whatever you get is going to be taxed at BR, which is something to consider quite carefully.

Before you agree you need to know whether it's 12 hour days or 24 hour cover, regardless whether you're actually in charge all that time I suspect they may want the availability. If they do I'd work off £200/24 with double for 3 of those days. That's roughly £3.5k as a ballpark figure?

How does that sound to you? Fair? Not enough? Would you do it for less? How much less would make it worth your while still? Work from there!

Ask more than u want so there is room 4 them 2 negotiate down.
If they don't negotiate down, more money 4 u!
They want u so u r in a v strong negotiating position.

I think you need to work out what would it be normally ie based on your standard hourly rate and then add to cover bank holidays (ie not Xmas eve). Take that figure and slightly round up to a lump sum. They have probably worked this one out themselves so that figure wouldn't be a surprise.

But you need to be clear on what your hours are - ie every evening or just the day. What about Christmas day - are you a 'guest' or on duty? Flight back are you expected to sit in cattle with the kids while they are in business - or are you all together? Do you get any time off - and if so are you somewhere you can do something ie central New York versus rural Montana! The more seemingly negative things - ie working every evening, full responsibility on flight, staying back end of beyond with no time off.... then the more significant the rounding up would be!

have they asked.you to come.up with a figure?

Do they want you on duty every day? Id flat rate £150 per day you are needed and £50 for every day not needed (because you cant just go home).

Everything will be paid for, meals etc.

I normally have to come up with a figure for them, I just send them how much I'm owed at the end of a weekend and they sort it.
I get paid a "net" rate anyway, through Nannytax so tax isn't an issue.

I'll have to chat with them more I think. I tend to do 7-7 and then an hourly rate for time beyond that when we're in the UK.

Don't forget to do your ESTA before you go if travelling as a tourist. And if travelling on a working visa, make sure they are pat

...paying for that.

Hi, can I ask if you have been to America before? As I find that my jet lag is quite bad when I go to the states you might need to go a day earlier than they need you to get over the worst of the jet lag, talk to them about it.

Unfortunately I'm limited to when I can go because I work Mon-Fri in an office and have limited holiday to take.

Mum is American but Dad is British so I'm not sure about the implications of that. They'll sort out all the legal/visa type stuff.

Lala - ive been to America twice. Can't remember suffering from Jet Lag particularly. I'm tired all of the time anyway so I imagine it won't make much difference!

It'll make a difference to them what they pay you, I mean, and what they can budget for/afford. So if you really want to go you need to balance that in when quoting your rate.

So you work Monday-Friday in an office then every Sat & Sun as a nanny, no wonder you are tired all the time.

I think you really need to consider the toll that this will take on your health. If you fly out the day after you finish work will you then be expected to work 7-7 everyday until you fly back then go back to your other job the next day?

Feetup - yes, pretty much - the jobs run back to back. The only concern I have is that I have a large essay due (I'm doing a degree with the OU) the day after we fly back but I guess I could get a lot of that done on the flights and in the evenings.

How can you work all day and study at night?

Can you get an extension on your essay, or do it before you go?

Katie - I dont really have a social life can you tell?

doctrine - could get an extension but im going to try to get it in on time as best i can; ive just moved house, twice, and am currently living out of my car (classy!) so ive had to get an extension this week - i dont want to take the mick!

OP, you are doing an awful lot. Take care of yourself too.