Nanny possibly looking for a new job

[snoopyandwoodstock]

Following on from the nanny who is worried about her bosses looking for a new nanny:

A friend has had our nanny's CV sent to her by an agency. Nanny has mentioned nothing to us about looking for a new job, when last asked (a couple of months ago) said she was very happy with the job and we tell her regularly that we are very happy with her. She may just be testing the market, I know she has a few friends who are struggling to find nanny work. It is definitely our nanny. I know she is well within her rights to look around but can't help being concerned.

Do I say anything? What do I say? Nanny employers if you have had this situation how did you bring it up with your nanny?

Ouch.

Does she work part time for you - maybe she's looking for other part time work?

Hmmm, I think I would be frank with her and ask her. I would not be able to stand the suspense!

Are you sure that the nanny didnt sign up to the agency a while ago and they have just sent out her cv along with others who may be looking for work aswell or previously may have. But yes it doesn't look to good on the nannys part.

Get friend to phone agency and ask if nanny is available for full time work now. The answer should make the situation clearer.

All the agencies I am with, call me with job description and ask if I am interested before sending out my C.V. Unfortunately you are probably right and she is looking for a new position.

Most nannies I know start looking before handing in our notice. Most nannies I know do give as much notice as possible to the family. The last two jobs that I left, I gave 3 months notice. None of my employers were quite so generous when they decided to let me go!

I would starting looking to replace her or talk to her. Good luck.

Just ask her outright. No good will come from wondering and worrying.

A lot of agencies are very poorly run so it wouldn't surprise me if they've sent it out without asking her.

Does she work for you full time?

Some agencies - one in particular to me - sends out my cv before I've said yes to the job - makes things difficult when another agency has told you first about it

So maybe she is testing the water and agency sent cv

She prob is looking as assume she has been with you for a while if you asked a few months ago if all is ok - as in agencies don't generally send a cv of a girl not looking - but they do send my cv to jobs I am
Not interested in iyswim

Maybe get that family to say to agency can they meet a see what happens

Thanks all. Still haven't worked out how to bring it up. She does 4 days a week for us (38hrs) paid at top hourly rate for our area. Deliberately paid at top rate as we knew we had relatively fewer hours than some nanny positions. While I don't think she would find an employer in this area happy to pay the full whack for a 50hr week, if she upped to 50hrs at a bit less on a hourly rate she would still make considerably more than we can give her, even if we give her a 5% payrise which is realistically more than we can really afford.

I can't believe I am even going to ask the next bit but here goes (it goes against my sense of ethics).

We employed her in August 2012 (ie after employment laws changed in April 2012). I think that means that, as long as we do not dismiss her on discriminatory grounds, we can terminate her employment (with notice period) at any point before the two years are up (as long as notice period does not cross two year mark). So my understanding is that if she is looking for a new job, we could start the hunt for a new nanny and dismiss current nanny if we find one. Am I right? (I really don't want to do this because morally it feels wrong but I think it is legal.)

I need to talk to her really don't I?

I'm not sure of the legalities, but you are correct that morally it fucking stinks.

Yes, you do need to talk to her.