Nanny holidays

[Sakura]

Looking for advice ... we have the usual deal with our nanny that she chooses two weeks and we choose two weeks, but somehow she ends up with 6-8 weeks!

We have children, so unsurprisingly we take a couple of weeks in the summer and a week or so at Christmas. We may then take another two or three weeks during the year. Our nanny seems to wait until we have booked our holidays until she decides on hers, so if we?ve booked three or four weeks off during the year she?ll choose an additional two so that she ends up with six weeks - or even more. Over Christmas she suggested that even though she?d booked a two week holiday, she thought that as we would be ?off anyway? she could choose a further couple of weeks (which would have taken her leave to 8 weeks in ten months).

I don?t want to be ?that employer? but I do feel slightly taken advantage of. Do other people put in requirements that they need a lot of notice for nanny holiday dates (I?ve currently asked for four weeks? notice) and do you require the holidays to be in one week blocks? Or am I just being a bit unreasonable and I should suck it up?

[Jetajade]

Nannies are entitled to 5.6 weeks of holiday, which can include the bank holidays.

If your contract states you can each choose two weeks then she is completely entitled to choose to take those two weeks when she wants, so long as she gives the required notice.

You wrote in your post that you are choosing 3-4 weeks of holiday per year. Which seems like it?s you going over your contracted holiday allowance? In which case, your nanny shouldn?t be expected to then give up her holiday choice because you have taken more imo.

When you say she chose more over Christmas, do you mean she chose to take more than the two weeks she had previously chosen? Or did she go away while you were also away? I would say, if she is choosing more than two weeks then perhaps you should remind her that contractually she can choose two weeks. If she is going away while you are going away then I?m not sure I see the problem?

[LuciaK]

I completely agree with the response above although 2 weeks each doesn?t equal 5.6 weeks. I guess if your nanny is allowed to choose 2 weeks paid holiday each year then you are still the one who is choosing 3.6 weeks on her behalf which is more than half. And if you as a family decide to take more than half of your agreed holiday allowance (more than 3.6 weeks p/a) then yes, the nanny should be paid as per usual since it?s your choice to go away and it?s not her fault that you are not around for her to work. It wouldn?t be fair on her otherwise. The only thing I would clarify with the nanny is that she can?t carry over her holiday entitlement to the next tax year and 1 month notice either side is usually standard unless otherwise specified in the contract or if there is an emergency. I don?t see that your nanny is trying to take advantage of the situation by waiting for you to book your holidays first as she might not be fussed about when she takes hers. Plus it?s her right to decide when and how she takes her 2 weeks, it could be a few days here or a week there or 2 weeks at a time as long as she gives you 1 month notice. If you feel you are paying out a lot more holidays than you should be perhaps the solution to this problem would be for you to wait until your nanny gives you a month notice for her holidays and then you can book yours at the same time to avoid having to pay her for extra time off. I think so far you have been a very fair employer which is how nannies expect and should be treated! Lots of families do things this way and they don?t mind doing so because they value their nanny and her commitment plus all the hard work she puts into your children but if you feel it?s not affordable for you anymore then try to schedule your holidays at the same time or go on holiday a bit less and stick with the 5.6 or so weeks. Good luck!

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[maniana]

When we had a nanny we used to plan together / in advance, as husband and I get 5 weeks' holiday off each year so when she was off we would need to take our holiday then (whether or not we went away), otherwise we wouldn't have enough leave to cover childcare. That was understood by all parties so even though her contract said a month's notice, we'd all plan together throughout the year so that when she was off (totally her choice when) we would book time off and possibly book a holiday ourselves. We'd also let her know when we were planning to be away the same so she could book a trip if she wanted. This way everything was mutual and we were all equally invested in planning.

It sounds like your interaction with your nanny is lacking in some goodwill on her behalf. No one wants to be 'that employer' but at the same time, if someone is being unreasonable in their dealings with you, I think it's OK to call that out.

I'm not sure how you can force the issue other than saying, that's how you want to manage things moving forwards so you can plan your year, your childcare and how much annual leave you have accordingly. Of course the challenge is that if you want to go away in school holidays and she doesn't then she can still force the issue by choosing holidays in term time, and that can't be solved for.

I don't think you are being unreasonable in wanting to jointly plan better, and no, it's not reasonable for her to book two weeks and then want an extra two on top, that's not fair.

[maniana]

@Luciak, most families do 2 weeks (10 days) the nanny chooses, 2 weeks (10 days) the family chooses, one week (5 days) by joint consensus (usually christmas). The other 0.6 weeks is bank holidays and those are when they fall.

[motorbird83]

Our nanny had the equivalent of 4 weeks holiday in her contract of which she could choose two weeks meaning the other two weeks had to overlap with our holiday plans. We planned together and made sure our holidays fell within the two weeks she selected so that we didn't need to hire emergency cover. Any other holiday we took on top of the 4 weeks (we get 5 weeks off from our own jobs) she was paid for even she didn't have to look after our daughter. She didn't work any bank holidays.

I think that's pretty standard and also fair. Your nanny shouldn't be taking her holiday so it intentionally doesn't overlap with when you are off. However, you should be explicit and proactive about this. Ask when she wants to take her two weeks so you can overlap before booking all of your own annual leave allowance.