Percentage retainer for part time nanny?

[shaftoe]

I am agreeing terms with a new part time nanny to look after our 3 school age children (after school and in the holidays). She has asked whether we would pay her a percentage retainer (i.e. some percentage of hourly rate) for those hours when she won't be working for us but might need to be available (e.g. if one of the children is ill during the school week). Does anyone have experience of how this would actually work? What percentage would be typical and would I offset the retainer paid against any hours actually worked? All thoughts most welcome.

She is (probably) having a laugh.

I am sure what you are trying to put in place is just some extra flexibility such that if a child were ill you felt perfectly able to give her a ring and ask her if she were able to come in and help for extra money as required (and she on her side is perfectly able to say 'no, I am busy' without getting an ear bashing from you). Or is it more than that?

If you are saying that you NEED her to be flexible, and this is to such an extent that you would be unwilling for her to (for example) go and find herself another job to fill in the spare hours she doesn't work for you) then you will need to pay her something. On that basis I would suggest that you pay her her normal hourly wage for X number of hours each month that aren't timetabled, and that you use up these hours as and when you want. If you don't use them you lose them.

If the latter situation does NOT apply, simply say that you are perfectly happy for her to find alternative work during her free hours and that because of this a retainer isn't apopropriate. Bear in mind though that someone asking for this upfront is likely to think 'sod you' if you say no, and then may out of spite simply refuse to help the first couple of times you ask her for additional help, then she will come back to you again to ask for a retainer. Then you will be in a 'who blinks first' situation.

Unless you have specifically said you need her to potentially be available and you are telling her you will not accept her if she finds other work, then she is being bloody cheeky to ask fo this and I personally would run a mile from such a nanny.

Agree with Squiffy. Another thing I would consider is that if she wants to take on another job that also wants her to work in the school hols, then I would be happy to consider that we shared (i.e. she looks after both families) during the hols. So that gives her some good options for a second job.

The only thing I would probably stipulate is that if my kids should sick (i.e. cold, chicken pox, etc.) I would expect her to still look after them and she would need to clear that with the other family. In return, of course, other family could have the same expectation if their kids were ill.

A retainer is something a childminder charges for saving a space you are not using. It is not something to reserve ad hoc hours.

If you require her to be available and she guarantees to be so then you pay her, because she's working for you. Typically in those situations I get paid my full hourly rate.

If it's more of a fluid arrangement and you may, possibly, at some point, ask her to care for sick child/cover an inset day/whatever and she's within her rights to refuse the extra hours you don't need to pay her.

I don't think she's being that cheeky to be honest - if she considers that being available for you is preventing her from finding alternative work then she may need to be sure it's worth her while. But I wouldn't call it a retainer.

But, if the employer is going to pay her, then surely it is fair for her to always work those hours as well, even if it means cooking, tidying, shopping, etc.

I think Squiffy's idea of an extra x number of hours per month is a good one.

I'm on the fence with this one. Agree with AN if it's the full rate being paid but I'd prob not except work where i was being paid less to do domestic stuff.

Do you, or do you not need your part-time nanny to be available during school hours, during school term time?
If you can cover children's illness, school inset days and other ad-hoc school closures, then I can not see any reason why your nanny should get any retainer payment.

i did a similar job

the percentgae retainer i got was 100%

if you want someone to be avaliable at any time then you need to pay them for the whole time IMO

either that or just dont expect her to be avaliable for any extra hours, though you may be lucky and she may be able to fit you in if it suits her

And likewise, if you expect o be paid 100% then you should be prepared to work 100%.

I pay our nanny full time for this (have 2 school aged children).

Just couldn't find anyone else who would do it under a retainer or those part time hours plus holidays and tbh, we need her for inset days and sick days etc. etc.

I was prepared to work 100% but boss didnt have anything to do so all the time was my own with my bosses blessing

(although once a week id nip in while they were at school and change the beds etc)

Thanks for all your input - not that straightforward, it it? To be honest, I don't think she's trying it on, but has said that some other part time nannies she knows have such an arrangement (I've asked her to find out a bit more about their terms, if they're happy to share info). I like the idea of "use them or lose them" hours - it'd probably cost me what a percentage "retainer" would but is maybe a more equitable/less contentious way of thinking about it. Obviously I need to talk to her about it again to try to balance my desire for flexibility with her desire for fair & predictable income. Thanks again all.

But with use them or lose them hours would you be expecting her to work at any given time you needed her, therefore she's effectively making herself available full time for you anyway?