Paying nanny a retainer while the children are at school

[Socksandslippers]

I've been working for a family for many years. The children are now all at school. The family have been paying usual salary as need cover if the children are off school. During school hours I have been doing odd jobs around the house, cooking etc. Now the family have decided they want to cut my salary and pay a retainer for school hours and I stop doing jobs around the house but be available if the children are off school. I'm not exactly happy about this and don't want to take too much of a pay cut. I spoke to my local agency who think the family should still pay me full pay, they said if I do take a pay cut the family should pay me 60% of my hourly rate. What do you think is fair?

Thanks for your advice. Can mn now delete

It would seem unfair but if it suits you to do this then take the pay cut if you don't want another job anyway. How would they feel if you took on a nanny share and looked after another child for some of the time?

You can ask MN, but it's really not the done thing. However, given your quite identifying details, they probably will do it for you, if you promise not to make a habit of it.

I'd be more willing to take a pay cut if the specific days were regular, so that it left me 2 days to do other jobs. But this utterly obliterates you having any other employment opportunities (or a life for that matter). Highly unfair to you.

That isn't really how it is meant to be. They may delete if you think you have outed yourself but you should not rely on it or do it frequently.

They want to pay less because the old arrangement no longer suits them. For this reason yes it's "fair" to suggest pay cut, but if you don't want to agree to it, then don't feel pressured.

If I were you I would have an honest chat with them, explain that whilst you can see their needs have changed, yours haven't. If there isn't a middle ground you can both settle on, I.e they pay you for three days, and you don't work other two, nor committ to being available, and you find another position for those two days (easier said than done) or they pay you for whatever days they will need you, I.e 5 full days all year round.

I would suggest they need to find a cm, and you move on.

Hang on, MN have now deleted things you posted after you decided you had over shared . Am I the only one who thinks people are starting to take the mick over this "we don't normally delete but..." policy?

A cm doesn't work the hours the family needs. They do understand I need to earn x amount and we are trying to work something out that will please everyone.

Either they pay if they want you to be on call in case or they make you redundant and assume will get a big pay out if been there a long time

They have offered shorter hours and you can't accept as won't be able to pay bills

Leaving a family isn't nice but happens eventually to us all

And yes mn will delete posts if too much info is given out which is better then the whole thread going

Blondes - I agree. I meant that the OP said she'd said too much, reported to MN. Then continued to post too much personal detail, which was also deleted. I am sorry, but if you want to claim you have accidentally overshared, you really should stop doing so after you twig and report yourself. Things you continue to post after realising and reporting really shouldn't be removed for you.

I had actually asked for all the thread to be removed!!! Thank you to the people who have given helpful advice

I'm also sure my boss would like to know what the going rate is for paying a retainer which is what I asked in my original post. I wanted advice on this, not to be told to leave my job

penguins the first time I saw this thread was when I posted so don't know what op said but agree don't say something revealing ask for delete then reveal more

Mn rarely delete whole threads so op post prob won't go

And in your orginal post you said that you weren't happy with what your bosses want to do hence why I said leave. They will offer new hours. You will refuse and they make your redundant

Your OP didn't actually ask about fair rate. You said:

" I spoke to my local agency who think the family should still pay me full pay, they said if I do take a pay cut the family should pay me 60% of my hourly rate. What do you think is fair?"

So the implication is that you wanted to know what we thought about both: the proposal and the rate. I answered in good faith, and I'm sorry if that wasn't what you thought you were asking. I was trying to be helpful.

I think the reason you haven't had responses on a 'going rate' for this type of set up is that there isn't one, as most people would find the premise unreasonable and wouldn't agree. I don't think you can bench mark your circumstances in that way I'm afraid.

MNHQ don't routinely delete whole threads, especially if you have continued to post on them after you have realised that there is an issue I would imagine. They might if you beg

Ah, fair enough Blondes. Wasn't sure if you were answering me.

OP - there's not a going rate, this isn't a normal thing for a boss to ask.

There's your answer, you are actually in a strong position. They want the flexibility of a nanny, they want someone who'll come into their home, work longer hours than a childminder, offer the dedicated care of a nanny, they want someone who'll cover holidays and sick days, like a nanny. They just don't want to pay for it. If you say no, you expect to be paid for 3 full days even if the youngest is at school.

They are unlikely to make you redundant without checking they can replace you with someone who will do the hours they want, with the flexibility they want.

Just say no, point out this is not a normal arrangement and they are unlikely to get a nanny who'll agree to it. there's a good chance nothing will come of it.

That said, you do need to think about your own career, while a nanny is the best for them now, once the youngest is at junior school, an au pair might be cheaper and more suitable for them. Over the next year or so, speak to the agencies and ask ot be considered for any other roles that come up that suit you.

A nanny doesn't stay with the same employer for 20 years, it's always a limited job.

Agree - start to look for something else - they're soon not going to need a nanny at all & aren't going to want to pay for one. There are other nice families/kids out there.

Agree , most nanny jobs come to a natural end when kids are at full time school.

I personally prefer to be with the under fives - get bored when kids are at school all day and end up running around doing errands for the family as they are paying so you feel obliged etc..

It depends how much they ask you to work. If they pay a retainer, but only ask you to come once a month, you are basically paid to do nothing ;) .

You can always find a mother help kind of job, warning them that you might have to cancel at short notice if your ather employers call you