Coronavirus- can nanny still work?

[ChloeR81]

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

@Kittensupmycurtains please stop spouting such utter, emotive, rubbish.
Stick to the facts rather than questioning other’s motives. This thread was set up by genuinely concerned employers. The insinuation that anyone not immediately requesting their nanny remains at home, on full pay is unreasonable/a terrible employer is downright wrong.

Home work is allowed and as @eurochick rightly stated, the point of the reduced mixing/movement is NOT to stop the spread completely, it’s to reduce it somewhat so the NHS can cope.
It’s totally ridiculous to compare frontline NHS staff to a nanny entering a single household, where I might add, everyone is well and has been self isolating.

@Reddottys12 totally agree.
@Stuckforthefourthtime , yes, sadly it really isn’t as simple as some like to make out.

@BumbleNova if by difficult decision you mean you'll have to give her her notice, do you think you will be able to find another nanny while this is still going on? Obviously this 'lockdown' is only for 3 weeks but at the end of it we could be facing even stricter measures

Molly but that includes older people, if you look at the under 40s even in Italy it is below 0.4%. But that rate only includes people who are hospitalise, if you include those at home the rate is below 0.1%

Not a reason not to work if you don’t have u deleting health conditions.

I just got this from nanny tax

I want to Furlough my nanny, what do I need to do?
It is important to highlight that HMRC have not confirmed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is available to employers of nannies (Domestic Employers).

We can still proceed on your behalf without the confirmed details from HMRC, however would ask that prior to us doing so you agree to the following and reply with your consent:
Download our Furlough Worker Agreement here, complete sections in yellow and send to your employee to agree to. We do not need to see the signed agreement this is for you and your nanny.

Email [email protected] detailing your payroll number and confirm you agree to the following:
You have the agreement of your employee to make them a furloughed worker
Whilst the details of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are being finalised and published by HMRC you agree to absorb all wage costs
You are aware that if you, or your employee does not meet the criteria when published by HMRC, and are therefore not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (reimbursement of 80% of their wages up to £2,500 per month), you will be liable for all wages paid
You can confirm that due to COVID-19 you are choosing this option to avoid redundancy
Whilst your employee is furloughed, you are aware that they remain employed by you
You agree that your employee cannot work whilst they are furloughed
As soon as we receive your consent, we will make the adjustments to your April payroll. We are unable to make any amendments to March payroll as information for March has now been submitted to HMRC.

Fingers crossed they get clarification soon, it seems a pretty straight forward question to me

@MolyHolyGuacamole if I am not getting paid and we don't qualify for the furlough, what other choice do I have?

We will be in financial difficulties ourselves. Obviously I really don't want to do that. But equally, if it's permitted under the rules and she is refusing, it's unfair to keep paying her to do absolutely nothing when I am not able to do that?

A mortgage holiday won't make much difference. Our nanny costs are significantly more than our mortgage.

There are no easy solutions here.

Patchworkpatty I completely agree with you and that’s how I feel, mine and my families health shouldn’t be compromised but I also understand what eurochick is saying- that is my situation that they need their nanny to do their job effectively except I am the help. I see everybody’s opinions and have decided it’s basically down to personal relationships and thoughts with each employer and their nanny. I will have to be honest and voice my concerns and if we disagree I hope it will be amicable.

I have just this on Facebook 😬

They say a lot more than just that though. The advise it to discuss your working environment with your employer, don’t just stop going to work and discuss furlough if you don’t want to work (although they admit that it’s not clear whether nannies will qualify for furlough yet). We already know all of this.

@Hugglespuffed I’ve seen this quote too from their fb page, but it contradicts the gov. Website which says ‘where possible’ in regards to the 2m.

Please remember that this is from an association FOR nannies, so not entirely unbiased.
I’ve found not everything they include on their page to be entirely correct I’m afraid.

As the guidance still stands, a nanny can still legally work. Unless further clarification comes around this, or HMRC confirm nannies can be furloughed, we’ve agreed we’ll pay for April, but will then have to review the situation depending on whether I am being paid.
We love our nanny, but can’t afford to continue paying her if we can’t claim it back and I am not earning myself.

Nannies have been added to the government advice! Hallelujah.

www.gov.uk/guidance/ofsted-coronavirus-covid-19-rolling-update

Great news, Thanks the link, it takes you back to the below guidance so confirms that it is still fine for nannies to continue to work as they can’t work from home. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing

Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)

Ah. I disagree. While it does say to go to work if you can't work from home. It also says to stay 2 metres away from others at all times. So unless nannies are working for much older and can keep the 2 metre distance then I don't think they should be working.

This is how other nannies have interpreted it anyway.

That advice from the govt seems to suggest nannies should keep working unless they need to self-isolate.

That amendment is so rubbish. It doesn’t actually clarify much at all.

Yes, I read it as nannies can still work. No where does it state they cannot!
It would be explicit if they were not allowed too.
So, they can work unless they have symptoms or someone in the household has symptoms.
As I’ve said before, the 2m is only ‘where possible’.

In other news, it has been confirmed today that nannies are eligible for furlough!

Great news

Where does it say that please?

Association of nanny agencies

I saw it on Facebook groups. But here is a reliable source. Let me know if you have trouble accessing :)

www.way2paye.co.uk/1/1585682520/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_update_31_03_2020.html

Oh sorry I hadn't seen your screenshot originally @Reddottys12

Brilliant news!!

That’s really good to see, what a relief!