Nannies and breaks

[Badabingy]

I am about to employ a nanny for my children. The youngest will be at pre-school for 3 hours a day. Is it the done thing to build in a 45 minute unpaid break into the day? The rest of the time she will be preparing meals etc. Obviously during the holidays I appreciate that she is unlikely to be able to take a break and I will pay for the full day.

No. Usually you pay for the whole day, and just allow for the fact some days she will get no break away from children and will have lunch etc with them, another day she might get 2 hrs free

Same as Art. I try to make sure my nanny has a break every day as it's a long day (10 hours), but it's paid. My DD is only 2 and still has naps, so at the moment that's an opportunity for a break: as she gets older she will have pre-school some days or can have a little bit of screen-time or quiet-time so that my nanny still gets a bit of a break.

My nanny at the moment I pay for the whole day and she'll take her breaks as and when, but this nanny will have 3 hours a day where she doesn't have children to look after. So I'm just wondering whether I can build in an unpaid break or whether that would be unreasonable.

If she can't go home, then you have to pay her. Better to give her small jobs to do around the house though discuss this with her first.

You can't seriously be wanting to save 45 minutes of pay?

Start nit picking like that and eventually the many will get fed up and will only do literally what he contract says. There will be no staying later or coming in early because you've got a work thing. No picking up your dry cleaning because you forgot on Saturday and need it by Thursday etc etc.

No I think it's unreasonable to book in an unpaid break. Yes she might not have child 3 hrs but I'm assuming she has to take and collect her from nursery (30 mins each way to allow for getting there, and getting ready to leave), so leaves 2 hrs she can use for prepping lunch/ dinner/ sorting c Hilda laundry etc. Plus if child is sick and she needs to collect then if she's booked 'lunch 11-12 unpaid she shouldn't really be free then either to work. And what about if child is off sick?

And if your daughter was suddenly I'll during those scheduled unpaid breaks would you be happy for her to be left for 45 minutes before your nanny responds?

I am a full time nanny and work 12 hour days care if for 2 under 2.5 I use their nap time for a quick break but am usually busy batch cooking/ironing etc. I also make use of playdates for a quick cup of tea and a chill while they're playing with friends, or grab a coffee while in town and the kids are occupied at the cafe with toys HOWEVER in all instances I'm not really having a break I'm ready to deal with anything/everything.

I would be reluctant to take a job where I was unpaid for 40 minutes during my working day. I would wonder where else my bosses wanted to cut corners etc.

I think you are being incredibly tight, to even consider this. My guess is that employee relations are not your strong point, sorry.

Good Lord, you're in for a rough time ahead if you're thinking about cost cutting like this already!

You pay your nanny as she's on call during those 3 hours, she'll be washing kid's clothes and other nursery duties anyway I would've thought.

As above nannies usually and should be paid when children are at nursery for a few hours a day. Assuming it's your choice to have a nanny for a full day then yes of course you have to pay. Unfortunately it's one of those things that parents have to suck up if they want to keep a nanny happy/plus have cover for sick days nursery closures emergencies etc

I guess you might find somebody who was e.g. studying or writing, who might be attracted by a job with a couple of solid (unpaid) hours in the middle of the day when they could get on with that: but it sounds like you don't think she'd have that long, and in any case you'd be looking at a very small pool of people who might be interested I would have thought?

I know there are plenty of jobs where a lunch break is unpaid, but nannying doesn't seem to be one of them (probably because, as others say, you are always "on call" especially if the kids are in the house but even if they are out of it and something happens).

Could you come home and pick up your child of they were ill during this unpaid break?

As long as you'd be happy for her to leave your DD in nursery while ill/gas leak/insert other reason DD needs to come home for an hour or so... Sure. Unpaid breaks work better when there's more than one staff member,
For example in a professional kitchen, where staff cover each other in case an emergency happens. If you want that option of having
Someone around for emergencies hiring a second nanny would work... And be twice the price....

Thank you for those who have given constructive advice - it was simply seeking opinions as to what's normal/ accepted in this scenario.

And what is your consensus? If you can do drop off to nursery then you could always say she works 10-6 effectively having her break first thing but otherwise it doesn't really work if you want her on call at the same time.

No, it is not the done thing.

Yes, it would be unreasonable.

It's concerning that you even need to seek opinions about this tbh.

If I got wind that parents were even considering this I would be off before the job started. It's a big red flag.

Not it is not normal to give a nanny an unpaid hour during the day esp if you are at work and child at nursery. If they are ill or fall over then who would get her

Nannies do not get a lunch hour but if lucky then can sit down and have a cuppa /lunch with the children or while they nap have a break or when at nursery after they have done their nursery duties