Nanny contract negotiations

[Cipressi14]

Hi guys,

I'm about to start a new nanny job and I'm waiting for the final contract to be sent through to me from my new employer..
We've been emailing back and forth about it for a while now, and she's mentioned there's a possibility I may need to work the occasional weekend and she's said that I will have a day off the week after because I worked the Saturday- would you agree with this, or do you think weekends should be paid at an overtime rate?

Thanks in advance for advice! X

It's up to you really how much you value your weekends and how much you like having a day off in the week (and how much you want this job!). Weekend would usually be paid at a higher rate so I wouldn't accept just a day in lieu unless the weekend days are significantly shorter hours.

You could ask for 1.5 days off in lieu for each weekend day worked, or extra pay, or some combination of time in lieu and extra pay.

Also - how much notice are you going to get? how often will this happen? can you refuse if you've got plans?

I would insist that the occasional weekend be agreed well in advance and acceptable to both parties (meaning that she can't expect you to cancel a previous engagement on a weekend just because the contract states "occasional weekend")also that occasional weekend work cannot be carried forward if you haven't done one in a while. I personally would ask for a day extra holiday instead of a day the following week off.

She gets her rota 6 weeks in advance, so therefore, I'll have mine 6 weeks in advance.. However if I've prearranged something months in advance, she can't expect me to change that.... I will have to broach that with her.
As far as I know, she says this will be very occasional, just if she and her husband both end up on call over the same weekend.
I was thinking a higher rate of pay, time & a half. But the combination of a day off and extra pay is a good idea!

Hopefully no surprises once I get the contract through!!

X