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Original poster

Nanny & lockdown - can she still come

64 replies

HelpIHaveNothingToWear · 23/03/2020 22:52

We (two working parents) have a nanny who comes to our house 3 days a week to look after our 3 children.

We have been staying at home and so has she except work (all being sensible, following guidelines etc).

Can she continue to come to our home? I find the guidelines SO unclear. It says people who cannot work from home can still go to work.

I’m worried for her more than us if she can’t come anymore as she is self employed.

Is anyone in the same boat and if so what are you doing?

OP posts:
Stuckforthefourthtime · 23/03/2020 23:19

Because they'd rather put their employee in danger than look after their own kids?

Because the employee relief at this point appears not to cover nannies, because it appears likely that this will last a lot longer than three weeks, and because even without being a key worker, not every job can be done flexibly from home, so people will need to quit jobs to care for their children?
Yes I think that nannies should be asked to stay home and yes they should be paid (I've done both of these things with ours), but also think that it's just not always as simple as the zealots on this topic imply. This lockdown is important to slow the virus but it will not stop it, this is a marathon not a sprint - and how do people think we'll ever have an economic recovery and pay for the 80% furlough cover if some businesses don't make it through this?

diamond400 · 23/03/2020 23:19

@PegasusReturns

I’d say the guidelines make it perfectly clear that leaving the house should be for essential work. A nanny isn’t essential work. People might die because this nanny travels to work.

DrinkSangriaInThePark · 23/03/2020 23:22

Would you want your have nanny travelling to and from your house every day and bringing the risk of virus to your family?

Original poster
HelpIHaveNothingToWear · 23/03/2020 23:22

How might people die though? She is isolating. We are isolating. She steps outside of her house, gets in her car, drives to us, stays inside and drives back.

That’s all.

OP posts:
Stuckforthefourthtime · 23/03/2020 23:23

The full guidance actually says work that can't be done from home, then in the speech and shortened version it turned to 'essential work' which is more confusing.

But also just saw that the the OP was worried about her income.as the nanny is self employed and lost a lot of sympathy - (a) you don't need to be 'worried', you need to pay her per contract and (b) legally.a nanny who comes to you regularly 3 times a week at a time to suit you is actually an employee so she should have proper protection and a pension, and (a) should not be optional...

amandalives · 23/03/2020 23:24

What I took from the message is that people who have to travel for work can (if WFH not an option) but due to everything shutting down this would naturally leave the majority of people traveling for work as keyworks. Aside from this, and shopping for essentials, we should only have contact with members of the household. If you are a key worker I think you can get away with her traveling to you and carrying out normal childcare role. If possible I'd look to move her in with you.

Fieldofgreycorn · 23/03/2020 23:24

If your work is essential and you need to leave the house to do it you take your children to the nearest hub. As this has been provided for you your nanny is not essential.

If you’re working from home then although it’s difficult, nanny is still not essential.

I think we have to apply common sense though eg if you’re part of the Coronavirus response/ co ordination and you have to concentrate all day without interruption then you may still need the hubs or a nanny.... depends which option less likely to use public transport or involves the least contact with other people.

Tinderingalong · 23/03/2020 23:24

Ask her to move in with you?! That’s the funniest thing I’ve read all day, thanks 😂

SnowyTeatime · 23/03/2020 23:26

This isn’t my OP, but how can people say that the nanny should stay home and receive full pay? It costs me £45k per year to employ her. That’s from my net (post tax) income. From next week, I can’t faff about “working from home” and trying to care for 2 toddlers. If I take unpaid leave to be a temporary SAHM, where’s the income to pay the nanny coming from?

amandalives · 23/03/2020 23:26

@Tinderingalong I'm glad I gave you a laugh. I take it live in nanny's aren't common where you are.

LottieBees19 · 23/03/2020 23:29

Unless you and your husband are both key workers your nanny would not be classed as essential travel.

LottieBees19 · 23/03/2020 23:30

Snowy teatime you claim.80 percent back from HMRC

Original poster
HelpIHaveNothingToWear · 23/03/2020 23:30

Yes @SnowyTeatime this is what I’m thinking.

Without the nanny I have to take unpaid leave. Therefore, I might have to let the nanny go (she chooses to be self employed, wed have to pay her another month). Not great for either of us😬😬😬

OP posts:
Tinderingalong · 23/03/2020 23:30

Well they’re not live in nanny’s if you’re having to ask them to live in are they?

How many families would be able to afford the extra pay this would require? (An extra 128 hours on average by the way)

While we’re at it should the food retailers request their staff camp overnight in stores?!

How ridiculous!

onlinelinda · 23/03/2020 23:31

Actually I started off thinking OP was ridiculous but she's right-guidance is unclear. Yet again.

AnnieAnt · 23/03/2020 23:31

I've told our nanny not to come - to me it was quite clear that hers is not essential work as neither DH nor I are key workers. She hasn't been to us since last weds - in the meantime, DH has used the tube once, the children were at school until Fri and I've had to go food shopping - plenty of opportunities for something to have come into the house with us even though we are all currently well.

We are paying her, though - I hope we will be able to get some relief as employers - even though I'm self employed and unlikely to be able to work from Easter based on today's experience of homeschooling. We have applied for a mortgage holiday just in case - don't want to lose her and don't want her to worry.

And OP, I also question how your nanny is self-employed.

Original poster
HelpIHaveNothingToWear · 23/03/2020 23:32

@LottieBees19 nowhere does it say that you have to be a keyworker. Only that her job cannot be done from her home.

I also don’t get the 80% back because she is self employed

OP posts:
SnowyTeatime · 23/03/2020 23:34

You know live in nannies earn considerably less than live out? So if our nanny moves in, I’d be paying her the same salary as now and she would work the same hours as now. We would pay for her food and she’d hang out in the house during her “time off”. Own bedroom/living room/bathroom, it isn’t a hardship. I should say that she lives alone currently, doesn’t have a boyfriend and her parents are self-isolating, so in our case, it isn’t a ludicrous request

Original poster
HelpIHaveNothingToWear · 23/03/2020 23:35

Thanks @onlinelinda all we want to do is follow the rules but they are not at all clear.

“Travelling to and from work, but only where this work absolutely cannot be done from home”.

Nothing about keyworkers there. Just that you cannot work from home.

To all of you judging me, do you still go to the shops? Then you likely come into contact with more germs (and spread them!!!!!) than me. I don’t need to shops and my nanny and I are confined to our own houses.

OP posts:
PegasusReturns · 23/03/2020 23:44

But @diamond400 again the directive did not refer to “essential work” it referred to travel for work that could not be carried out at home.

Cornishclio · 23/03/2020 23:45

If you are not a key worker you should not be going to work. All nonessential services should be closed and people either work from home or don't go to work. If you are working and your nanny is coming into your house you are increasing the risks of spreading the virus to your nanny and children. She should be isolating in her own home and you should be doing the same.

amandalives · 23/03/2020 23:46

@Tinderlingalong I don't even know where to start with replying to your comments. I merely suggested a plan that a friend put in place last week in anticipation of a lockdown.

Mulhollandmagoo · 23/03/2020 23:50

The advice is unclear, but you're fully able to exercise common sense on this issue, surely?

If you don't need your nanny, because you're currently not working due to covid-19 (I fall into this category, my work isn't essential, so my business is closed and I am currently recieving 80% of my salary to stay at home) then she doesn't come to work for the foreseeable so she won't be in your home

If both you and your husband are key workers and are required to attend work then you will need a nanny, but she should temporarily move into you home to prevent the spread of the virus.

PosyRosie · 23/03/2020 23:57

I have a similar dilemma. DH and I are both key workers and cannot work from home. My MIL in her early sixties has been looking after our 3 kids so we didn’t have to send them to school. She lives a 5 minute walk away. Seems like under the guidance she should no longer come, but then I have to put them in school to mix with even more households. So stuck on what to do!

PegasusReturns · 24/03/2020 00:01

Actually I’ve just checked the government website and the language is much clearer than in his speech.

It says:
“ ...people will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes....

Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home”

Nothing about work being necessary so on the basis of this it’s perfectly fine for your nanny to come to your house.