Here's what is expected:
The standard is that nannies get paid for 52 weeks a year (2 weeks paid vacation). This is what they are expecting to be paid for whether you take off 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 5 UNLESS you discussed this before hiring your nanny.
If you worked something else out (an extra weekend or some date nights to swap for more than 2 weeks, great) or told them that they would only be paid for 50 weeks (or X weeks), you have set the expectation and all is well. However, if you’re now hitting that “cha-ching” time, realizing you’ll be gone more than 2 weeks you’re a bit over a barrel for the extra money.
Some nannies are more open to negotiation after the fact (again, a few extra date nights or a weekend swap, but probably not full hours), so if you feel you have open lines of communication it’s worth a try. Some nannies may want to say “no” though but fear for their jobs if they don’t say “yes.” (Oh—and if you do negotiate extra time remember that by law you need to pay overtime for any hours over 40 in a week).
What about finding another family that might need them? Well, we’ve heard numerous nannies tell us that they really despise being “pimped out” (their term) to other families for those extra weeks and being paid by someone else. Having to learn another families’ routine for just a short period of time seems unfair to them—and not what they signed up for. (Note: if they get other gigs on their own you also shouldn’t assume you don’t have to pay).
If you’re looking to hire someone down the line, please keep this in mind—a little pre-planning can go a long way toward smooth relationships!
The above is based on 12 years of questions on the PSP Advice list, 4 PSP Nanny Pay Surveys and lots of conversations with nannies in my courtyard.
Susan Fox
Park Slope Parents
Related Reading on PSP:
What to pay your Nanny or Babysitter overnight
Disclaimer: This post has been written for educational purposes only by Park Slope Parents and is not meant to be legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice or be relied upon. The post may contain errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions. We recommend checking with a professional for specific advice.
