Nanny starting late, leaving early

[Whatnameisgood]

Family A and Family B have a nanny as a 3 day a week nanny share. Nanny wants to arrive 5 minutes late (9.05) and leave 5 minutes early (6.55) every day as it fits with her trains. Otherwise she’d be waiting 20 minutes at the beginning and end of the day for her trains (if she arrived on time and left on time). Family A doesn’t mind, but Family B thinks if you start at 9.05 you finish at 7.05 (meaning a 20 minute wait for the next train). Who is right?

@RubyViolet

Family A, happy Nanny. Family B , resentful Nanny.

No one is right or wrong, but unless you have a good reason, then see above.

It would depend on whether the nanny was a good nanny and a valued employee, or a bit shit. I can't see how it adversely affects them. Family b need to wake up because behaving like this will ensure their nannies are never top notch.

And those are LONG hours. Is that even legal?

Could there be a compromise if Family B are really so rigid? If her earlier train gets her in at 8.40, can she start 10 minutes earlier rather than lose the time at the end? It will mean that she's unlikely to be flexible with staying late though as her day would be even longer.

Family A are right in my opinion.

In a nanny job a while ago, they used to let me leave 10 mins early in the winter to catch the earlier bus. It was horrible waiting in the cold and dark.
In the summer I used to stay til the end and I would walk to a further bus stop as I enjoyed the walk and it meant not as much waiting around.

Does It make a Difference? Does she do less in the day?
I personally would say I could be flexible if everything is done and perhaps sometimes she be ale to do a favour like a babysitting session from time to time - I wouldn't bother me as long as it was 5 mins and didn't drift

That's an hour she's not working, per month. I'm sorry but waiting 20 minutes is not long at all. Family b are correct. Unless you adjust her wages, so deduct 1 hour per month from her salary.

And those are LONG hours. Is that even legal?
Long hours? That's a late start for a nanny - I'm doing 7.30-6 at the moment, have had jobs that are 7.30-7.30 in the past.

Sorry, that actually amounts to 2 hours per month!!!

Family B sound like penny pinching pedants and will be lucky to retain a half decent Nanny with that attitude.

If the nanny is waiting 20 minutes for a bus and leaving at 7 then she's not getting home till 8-8.40 pm. And she starts at 9 am. If I was that nanny I would be leaving at 6 pm 6.30 MAX.

@AbbeyBelfast

What a stupid question.

Who would have another human being stood alone in a train station for 20 minutes for the sake of letting them off with 10 mins???

Are people actually that tight and anal they would do this? Honestly, people do nothing but disappoint me.

Absolutely this.

Well it depends on if the families need her there at a certain time. So if I was heading to work and HAD to leave early in the morning and couldn't wait 5 mins then I'd expect them to be there on time, same applies at the end of the day. If not then the 5 mins wouldn't worry me

I work (ed) in an office, if I’d left 5mins early every day I could catch the slightly earlier train and had no wait- but I wouldn’t get away with that as I was contracted until 5pm. Someone’s travel is of no concern to an employer.
Equally she could propose starting 20mins earlier or staying 20mins later.

@Myshinynewname2021

It would depend on whether the nanny was a good nanny and a valued employee, or a bit shit. I can't see how it adversely affects them. Family b need to wake up because behaving like this will ensure their nannies are never top notch.

And those are LONG hours. Is that even legal?

Not unusual for nannies to do 7-7. I've done it. And you don't get specific breaks, but squeeze it in where you can when the child naps/has some screen time/plays with friends. In my last 7-7 job, the child would watch Peppa Pig after an activity. I'd clear up the activity, make a cup of tea and sit and watch it with her. It's not a complete break, but it is downtime. I would have lunch with her, and then a cup of tea and read my book for a bit whilst she napped before doing things like sorting the children's laundry. Toddler groups were heaven as there was a group of us and it was a morning where there was less pressure. (Parents all perfectly happy with this by the way, I was very good at my job).

And if it's a job with a small baby, they sleep a lot. So plenty of quiet time (but a bit boring after a while, give me a 2 year old any day).

Who would have another human being stood alone in a train station for 20 minutes for the sake of letting them off with 10 mins?? Are people actually that tight and anal they would do this?

I agree with this.

Some people have no idea how to keep a good employee happy. 10 minutes a day, that's 2 hours per month ffs!

I’m a manager and I have a golden rule. Staff will enjoy working for you, work harder and stay in your employ longer if you show some caring and make their life easier.

Is it really that much of a problem? If it is, then I get it - ie of family b will be late to work as a consequence. But not for the sake of being pedantic. Be nice to her, reduce her “commute” by 40 minutes and she’ll enjoy working for you and stay longer.

Good staff are hard to find.

Family A will have a happier nanny that feels valued. Family B better hope they're never even a minute late getting home.

If it was my nanny I would say that’s absolutely fine, but on occasion I may be little late finishing work and on those days I’d expect you to stay a bit late to cover and get the later train

Sounds fair to me. Give a little but ask for a bit of flexibility in return. But don't take advantage. Being late once a month - fine. Being late twice a week, very much not.

Assuming that neither family A or family B actually need her to be there until 7 on the dot - that neither of them has a commute that gets them there at 6.59pm (clearly the morning is fine because B have said it would be ok if she then worked later) I really can't imagine caring or see why you would.

@GlowingOrb

Family A is treating the nanny with respect. The kind of respect that earns flexibility and loyalty in return. Unless those minutes make a real difference to the families receiving care, they should just accept they are not part of the day.

I totally agree with you here. A little give and take on both sides makes for a far better relationship.

Does family B need the 5 minutes? If they themselves need to take an earlier train as they otherwise can't be home by 6.55 then they have a point. If it's just the principle then no.

I can’t imagine in any other job trying to renegotiate your hours based on public transport. As a teacher in London I often waited for trains. Family A are being kind but I don’t think Family B are wrong.

Could she stay an extra 20 mins one day a week and get the later train that day?

@Itsnotlikethiswithotherpeople

I can’t imagine in any other job trying to renegotiate your hours based on public transport. As a teacher in London I often waited for trains. Family A are being kind but I don’t think Family B are wrong.

It seems a bit weird to me that the nanny is suggesting this - I have never known anyone try to renegotiate their working hours on the basis of public transport. Everyone I know takes public transport to work, some waiting around is just normal.

I also would assume that the employers asked for these hours to suit their commuting arrangements so it might well just shift the problem onto them which might explain family B's reaction.

I also would have expected the nanny to want some contingency time, realistically with train delays this is necessary and most people do this.

Family A is treating the nanny with respect. Remember you are paying this person to take care of your children and threat them with the love and care you would expect, so therefore it is important to treat your many with similar respect.

Family B are being petty and will end up with a resentful nanny - I couldn’t leave my children with someone who resented me.

Family A need to seriously consider whether to continue to share with B, as they have fundamentally different attitudes on how to treat a nanny.

Note the only exception I think would be if family B actually needed the extra time in the evening - so if they had to run home from a train etc.