Advice please on holiday/bank holiday pay for part-time nanny/mothers help

[PigeonPair]

Would love to hear your views/experience on this please.

I have just employed someone to work for me on a part-time basis (two and a half days a week). I have offered the following holiday terms:-

She gets three weeks paid holiday (her choice of when to go away) and I also pay her if we are away. When this happens, I ask her to come in and do a few "child-related" bits and pieces in the house (sorting toys/clothes etc.), although I very much doubt this would keep her going for all the hours she would normally be doing if we were at home. I think this is quite generous for a part-time employee but am I being fair ?? She has not said anything but I have been talking to a few friends and am wondering if I have got the right balance (they think it is too much)!

Also, do I pay her for bank holidays if they fall on her working days - even if I need her and she wants to take the day off?

Thanks in advance!!

Sorry what do your friends think 'it is too much' ?

Well ,

• Bank holidays. Yes should be paid

• 3 weeks paid holidays. I think should be more. But you can choose half of them yourself.

• When you go away. Thats not your nanny's fault. If you go away, you go away. You still have to pay

I like it when posters say 'i think i am quite generous'. Sorry but this is not generous. Its just...normal. Part of beeing employer

They think it should be four weeks paid holiday - I choose two weeks, she chooses two weeks. Of course, she should not miss out just because I decide to go away - that is not in question. I am wondering as it is a part-time post (two and a half days a week).

PT makes no odds really, she should get the equivalent of FT prorated which would be 24* 0.5 so 12 days based on statutory minimum of 4.8 weeks

Legal minimum is 5.6 weeks which can include bank holidays.

Working a 2½ day week means she would be entitled to 14 days paid holiday.

You can read all about it here

I should probabably clarify - people I have spoken to think that three weeks paid holiday(completely separate from paying her when we we go away) whenever she wants is good for a part-time position. I have read on some websites that four weeks paid holiday is the norm for a full-time post.

Thanks nbee84 - will check it out as don't want to be unfair - just a bit new to all this.

Legally you can dictate when she takes her holidays - in practice most nanny/mothers help employers would say - you choose half the days and we choose the other half.

Some teacher employers would say that the employee can choose their holidays but that they must be in the school holidays.

ah sorry , it has just gone up again as per the link.

i guess 3 weeks paid her choice is fair - as long as you alos go away one week so it makes it 4weeks paid

i work part time and get bank hols off paid

I expected the chances of us and her needing/wanting to take the same holiday time were pretty slim which is why I didn't stipulate this at the beginning.

All in all, we will probably be away for at least three weeks over the year (at different times to her choice three weeks).
As I think (?) I said earlier in the post, I would obviously pay her while we were away but would probably ask her to come in on one of her days to do a few bits and pieces but the rest of the time would be her own. This is why I was thinking it was reasonable......

my family go away a lot and I never go in and do bits - i often go away as well - if they want to go on holiday then the time is mine to do what i like and i get paid

she has to have 5.6 weeks paid off per year, which can include bank hols...

if she gets to choose 3 weeks then you must choose for her 2.6 weeks where she does NOT have to come in and work at all and is just off; paid.

like any other employee in other work place would be. after all you are her employer

Once she's had her 5.6 weeks it is quite within reason for you to ask her to come in to work while you are away to do some child related jobs, ie, cleaning childrens bedrooms, sorting out toys, sorting out old clothes, cleaning playroom etc.

As you've said, they won't take her whole time, so she should be quite pleased to then get the rest of the day/week off (paid) once she's done her jobs.

5.6 weeks sounds an awful lot of holiday for a part-time position!!.....

but remember it is 5.6 weeks worth of 2.5 days

5.6 weeks is 28 days for a 5 day a week position and 14 for a 2½ day a week position.

PigeonPair, alas if you are in the UK then the legislationn is quite clear - it effects all employees regardless of if they are part-time or full-time.
Please take a look at the BusinessLink.gov.uk Holiday Guide and use the Holiday Entitlement Calculator to obtain the minimum number of days (or hours) your employee gets off work.

Welcome to being an employer

Thanks Nbee84 and LIZS! That sounds more like it and I have just been on your website link Nbee84 and see that 5.6 weeks is for a full-time, 5-days a week position. Am feeling very . Got my babyhead on and was always hopeless at maths anyway!

It's very interesting to hear what everyone says/does on this though, particularly on the coming in when family are away. Thanks for all responses.