Paying Nannies whilst sick

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

Yes, I've found many similar Estonian sites.

I don't have a problem with "Vodka Socks" - I doubt the amount (if any) of alcohol absorbed would be minimal, and have used this method (but with cold water instead of alcohol) to get a child's temperature down. But I spent a long time in Eastern Europe and a lot of things I did with my DDs there would probably sound barking to you. I put bicarb in my daughter's bath to help her eczema. And an egg white. Also rubbed egg white on the eczema. Both on the advice of a doctor. Went to the "Honey Pharmacist" to get special honey for various ailments. Gave DDs delicious gripe water full of alcohol (worked much better than alcohol free - how much alcohol are they getting in a teaspoon, anyway?). I also drink hot Tsuica with black pepper when I've got a cold (but wouldn't inflict that on small children).

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

But don't lots of employers, even small businesses, pay sick pay for 1 month/3 months on full pay, then a similar time on half pay before they pay nothing?

Whatever the position wrt to holiday, sick and maternity pay, it should be set out from the beginning so both parties know where they stand. If a nanny or any employee knows that they won't be paid for sick time, then they can make provision from their own salary (and may demand a higher one because of that, like a freelancer owuld) or the employer can make provision by putting aside a little extra so that full pay will be paid for up to month on sick and perhaps suggesting that because of this the salary offered is slightly lower than others may offer locally.

Sorry crap and way too long sentence but I hope you get the gist.

Why are working parents being grouped with profitable businesses?

BTW, I think Lisalisa was unfairly accused of several nasty behaviours which simply aren't true. Some of you should own up to your false accusations and apologise.

Lisa, as you are surely aware, £350 per week is certainly a healthy salary for a nanny.

Nobody said Lisalisa sacked a sick nanny - the point was taken up when ChicPea said she had.

And the comparison is between good employers and others.

Message withdrawn

anyone who actually sacks or contemplates sacking someone who is ill in hospital, suffering, loses a stone in weight and is clearly a health risk to children ( would you want her around your kids with such a nasty bug?) really is the pits as far as I am concerned. I have read this thread and become angrier and angrier at the selfish , callous mean mindedness of some of the posters here. Scrabbling to find someone who charges less than the minimum wage, moaning because you are expected to give sick pay, complaining because other people actually have the audacity to fall ill or get offered other jobs....how sickening.Let's hope your own kids don't end up working for someone like you cos let's face it you'd be well f**d off then I expect. I would never dream of treating people with such contempt and nastiness.

and yes, I do have a childminder to whom I pay, quite happily, sick pay and holiday pay. I receive these rights - why shouldn't she ? or is looking after my own kids suddenly a contemptuous role which attracts workers deserving only contempt?

Message withdrawn

I'm following this thread with interest.

I've been a nanny and now I work as a p/t childminder. I can see it must be difficult to pay another nanny when yours is sick. From my niave point of view, I'd have thought the government would step in to help, after all they are always encouraging mothers to go out to work........ I always worked for "well off" parents and I was never sick, but I can understand how it must be hard to cover the costs of childcare twice if you've only really budgeted for once.......I know the sensible thing would be to put money aside, but who really does this? As a childminder I don't charge for holidays/ sick pay/ B.H.'s and I know it's not always in my best interests to do this. I know I should put money aside to cover myself, but I never do. We are just extra skint that month!!

BTW, Chickpea, are you a real employer?? I don't believe anyone would be this nasty in RL, and I've heard a few horror stories!!

LisaLisa, read your responses with interest and can only reply you asked the question. If you don't like the answers then perhaps you shouldn't ask the question! Lisa Lisa I only responded to the impressions you gave and you are free to correct me where I have gone wrong. However I stand by the fact that as nannies we are not employed by companies and therefore often don't get the same rights as other types of employees. Further we often get discriminated against because of our sex and profession. An example of this is nannies (who are 99.9% women) often find themselves unemployable at certain ages or are let go when they are pregnant for other reasons that were not there when they were not pregnant. I do not see how you can justify at this stage not paying your Nanny sick pay when you have had ample opportunity to discuss her terms and conditions with her and that you have paid sick pay in the past. This is an issue you have commented on the issue in the past and therefore have had the opportunity to get this issue agreed before 9th March when it became a finanical headache for you.

Yes, I do understand that the financial pressure on a family is great when we have young children (believe I know and have been there) however there are other options to nannies if you cannot afford one that are equally as flexible and if you nanny is sick or unable to care for YOUR children. I think somewhere along the line a Mners mentions buildling it into your costing, a very good idea I think.

Marypop1, sorry to all to diversify, but you mentioned on another thread that you work in childcare but only part time. As I'm interested in diversifying (I like that word !!) from childminding, can you tell me what you do?

yes lisalisa I take your point that you are not a source of endless money, but that can never be an excuse for not accepting your responsiblities and shouldering your moral as well as legal duty to be a decent employer who does not exploit your workers. As far as I am comcerned anyone not prepared to accept these duties has no business employing anybody at all.

ps marypop1 - interesting point about the gender discrimination faced by nannies, also ironic that all the posters on this thread are also women! draw your own conclusions......

I think this debate (as is often the case on this site) can be reduced to what the employee deserves to receive vs what the employer can aford to offer. The more that employers are required to pay, the fewer there will be who can employ them. So, it ends is improved benefits for some and no employment at all for others.

I think the trick is to strike a balance before the contract is signed. This is in fact what Lisalisa is trying to do. She posed her question to other nanny employers trying to find out what is fair/required by law. Then, she of course has to balance it with what she can actually pay.

And I do think there were more outside points about what is/isn't fair that were diresced at Lisalisa... but they are in fact points which don't apply to her.

The fact remains that employers (parents) are not required by kaw to provide more than SSP. If an employer can provide more and wants to, then by all means that can be done. And, if a nanny doesn't want to work for someone who isn't offering sick pay, then she doesn't have to accept the position.

As for firing someone BECAUSE they are sick. That is not only wrong, but illegal. No one is suggesting it should be otherwise (except maybe Chicpea who I doubt will be back on this thread any time soon).

my 2c on this...

simply nonsensical to compare those who employ a nanny to large corporations with deep pockets. to those who say, well you're an employer these are your responsibilities, in fact many small companies (a much fairer comparison imho) do struggle to provide more than the statutory minimum requirement for sick pay, maternity pay etc.

as others have said - best to make it all clear up front.

glad we have gone for a nursery this is a minefield!

ssd my DH is a freelancer and we do our best to ensure that we have enough money put aside to last 6 months, preferably 12, in case he is out of work for lack of demand or sickness. This isn't easy and over the last few years our reserves have been drawn on severely as the market for his particular talent has not been so good. It's very tempting to blow it all every month but some provision has to be made for the bad times. In our case it usually only covers the essentials such as mortgage, insurances, ccl tax, etc in that time and anything I earn (not very much at all!) covers other day-to-day living. We hope....

I agree Uwila it is about what you can afford to pay v what is right which Lisa Lisa did raise. All through this thread I have only tried to put the point of view of a person who works in childcare would be. I am very sorry if Lisa Lisa feels I have been personally attacking her I have only put the childcare workers point of view. I agree, Uwila, points have been directed at Lisa Lisa which were more general in the debate about paying nannies while sick. I hope that where applicable I have not done this but I do feel that since the issue is raised for debate that threads do tend to have a life of their own. Also, since this is such a long thread comments sometimes get confused and attributed to the wrong author.

SSD, since you asked, I have worked in offices for a long time and when I had my first worked full time and used a childminder. Very hard work and missed my daughter hugely. When she was about a year old registered as childminder and had a successful childminding business. We moved a few years later and while waiting to register I worked as a nanny and had a second child. Decided at that stage I would prefer to work in a nursery while qualifying and am now currently working in a lovely nursery which fits in with my daughters school hours and my son comes to work with me in another room. All the jobs I have done have suited me and my family while I did them and then another stage of life developed and I moved on. None were better that the last. The next stage will start in 1 month when we move to Italy where I hope to continue working with under 8's (my preferred age group).

agree wholeheartedly with bossykate, i chose a nursery too.