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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Coronavirus- can nanny still work?

390 replies

ChloeR81 · 18/03/2020 17:43

Hi, hope I’m not duplicating a thread but I couldn’t find one.

I have a lovely nanny who comes 2 days a week. Where do we stand regarding isolation etc? Can she refuse to come to work when we’re all well? At what point would she be able to not come to work, e.g. what level of official lockdown etc.

Want to be totally fair to her and follow the rules, but equally if I don’t have childcare I can’t work and earn money to pay her. Thanks, it’s so difficult to navigate

OP posts:
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15
Mildred01 · 31/03/2020 21:08

I read it as you can continue to work if you keep 2m distance? I don’t see how this is possible when looking after children and being in another household. I also still don’t feel comfortable when combing two households together when I live with a vulnerable person and need to take a bis and tube to work.

Mildred01 · 31/03/2020 21:09

Bus and tube*

FreeButtonBee · 31/03/2020 21:13

Phew! My nanny has some health issues and we have let her go home to her parents so are managing with some family help. It will be a relief for her as she is feeling guilty (stupid but she is a kind soul)

topsyandtipsy · 31/03/2020 21:37

What Pidgythe2nd says ! It's 2m where possible in the guidance. Whether your Nanny can or can't come in is a very personal decision between you and her (or him), depending on a whole host of factors, ie whether they live with others, have to travel, work with others etc. This includes where you sit on the line of we should minimise all contact with we should keep the economy moving etc (not judging either).

helpingmyself · 31/03/2020 21:52

I'm so confused.. does this apply to nannies in Scotland to ? My boss wants me back In they are not key workers and I feel so anxious about going back I have elderly parents I am helping & a single parent.. don't know what to do for best tbh

sociallydistained · 01/04/2020 00:00

I work for two families. One are keyworkers the other, one parent is keyworker one is not. The second family want me in and won't listen to my concerns about mixing households. I am now mixing mine with potentially two families. I don't stand anywhere legally on this but I really don't want to go in. I am so anxious!

Hugglespuffed · 01/04/2020 08:24

I believe the message is quite clear, stay at home, don't mix households and save lives. The sooner we all do this, the sooner our lives can all get back to normal.
I think there are exceptions to the rule. For example (but not limited to) if a nanny lives alone and is either walking or driving straight to work and home then that may be ok. But no, if you work for more than one family then I think that goes against everything that they are warning against.
I understand that times are tough for parents, but having a nanny doesn't make it an exception, 1000s of parents are now having to manage having their kids at home and working.
There are always going to be people bending the rules and who believe the rules don't apply to them and this is exactly why, in my opinion, the restrictions/ lockdown don't work as well here.
I don't think a nanny should be disciplined for worrying and taking this virus seriously. Because it is serious. If it wasnt serious then schools would still be open, restaurants would be, I'd be able to see my mum, but it is not possible because this is serious.
Now that it is confirmed that employers can claim back 80%, I think it would be the kind thing to do that and if employers truly can't then lay the options out of working or giving the nanny notice.

sociallydistained · 01/04/2020 09:13

I agree hugglespuffed, I'm past caring about disciplinary action. Their children are all older too so it's even less "necessary". Just a shame my employers have to agree to put me on furlough when they clearly want to do anything but.

Reddottys12 · 01/04/2020 12:45

Just out of interest, how many employers on this thread use a nanny agency?

Alwaysinahurrynow · 01/04/2020 20:47

I’ve been following with interest, but our employment lawyer confirmed to us that unless there is a genuine redundancy situation as in we no longer have need of a nanny , we cannot claim for furlough. However if there was a genuine redundancy situation, then we might be able to. Obviously it depends on individual circumstance.

JustOneSquareofDarkChocolate · 01/04/2020 20:58

I am a lawyer (as are no doubt are many others on this thread). I would give more weight to what an MP has gone on record confirming, re nannies being eligible for furlough, than a prediction of another lawyer when the full guidance will not be published by HMRC until the end of April.

Bringonspring · 01/04/2020 22:28

Though I see how a lawyer would give always a piece of advice from a technical interpretation. The idea of furlough is to stop you making your staff redundant because you cant afford them. With nannying it’s not necessarily the case they can’t be afforded etc

If your employer cannot cover staff costs due to COVID-19, they may be able to access support to continue paying part of your wage, to avoid redundancies.

If your employer intends to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, they will discuss with you becoming classified as a furloughed worker. This would mean that you are kept on your employer’s payroll, rather than being laid off.

Sunny25 · 01/04/2020 22:47

Advice from a doctor on good morning Britain about nannies!

cloudchaos · 01/04/2020 23:06

Can we see this in writing published somewhere? I'd be nervous making the decision to furlough based on hearsay.

Alwaysinahurrynow · 01/04/2020 23:13

Just to clarify we weren’t told that nanny employers wouldn’t be eligible for the furlough scheme, it’s just individual employer circumstances have to meet the criteria to qualify for any repayment otherwise they would be ineligible.

Jadefeather7 · 02/04/2020 17:01

If your nanny was continuing to work but has to self isolate due to sickness in her family do you put her on statutory pay?

Bringonspring · 02/04/2020 18:53

I would put my nanny on full pay sick leave but others will contractually just have statutory sick pay in their contract

Hugglespuffed · 02/04/2020 19:27

Hi @Jadefeather7 in my contacts it says SSP but my employers have said I'll be paid in full no matter what throughout all of this unless their own jobs get affected.

MolyHolyGuacamole · 02/04/2020 21:21

More confirmation from HRMC on Twitter

Coronavirus- can nanny still work?
Coronavirus- can nanny still work?
cloudchaos · 02/04/2020 21:38

That's really helpful @MolyHolyGuacamole Thanks for posting that!

mum3g5b · 03/04/2020 13:59

Watch Michael Gove at 6:34 "..work of the kind you have mentioned which involves intimate contact in someones home, that's inappropriate."

It may be in relation to construction in your home, but is applicable to domestic staff as well.
JustOneSquareofDarkChocolate · 03/04/2020 16:05

@MolyHolyGuacamole that's brilliant thanks. As HMRC will be key in running the scheme that's the best kind of confirmation we can hope for at the moment. I will print out!

Bringonspring · 03/04/2020 16:20

Ultimately if you don’t want to work you have the optionality to not work

Childcarehelp · 04/04/2020 20:59

Nannies specifically mentioned by HMRC on their main Covid-19 Job Retention Scheme webpage: www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

Coronavirus- can nanny still work?
MolyHolyGuacamole · 04/04/2020 22:15

@Childcarehelp finally!