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Spotlight on Holidays

As employees nannies are entitled to paid holiday and the amount is specified in the contract. It can be expressed as weeks, days or hours depending on the nanny’s employment pattern – see here for more.

Previously the norm was to give 4 weeks plus Bank Holidays, but recently the trend has been to state 5.6 weeks (28 days) including Bank Holidays, which usually works out to the same amount but fairer to part-time workers who may not be actively working on Bank Holidays but are still entitled to the same proportion of holiday as full-time employees. Holiday in a nanny share can be complicated to arrange but it’s important that the nanny gets their full holiday entitlement so both families must communicate clearly.

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Breastfeeding and childcare

That breastfeeding is the optimal start for children is unquestioned, but there is little support for mothers who want to continue breastfeeding and put their babies in childcare. The default assumption is that mothers will have introduced a bottle, and often formula, in preparation for their return to work. In reality, there are many things that childcarers can do to facilitate the breastfeeding relationship.

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Spotlight on probationary periods

Most contracts have a probationary period, a time with a reduced notice period that allows both parties to decide whether the arrangement works for them. The length can be anywhere from 1 to 6 months, and the notice due on either side is usually just a week.

Think carefully about how long the probationary period needs to be. A probationary period that is too short doesn’t allow a thorough evaluation of how things are going, and if there are still bumps after a month (which is fairly normal) the pressure to make a decision may mean cutting short a relationship that could have worked well, and recruiting a new nanny. On the flip side a long probationary period can be unattractive although it gives more flexibility to let a nanny go if things aren’t working out. In general, though, it’s better to have a shorter probationary period that can be extended following a performance review. A nanny can also ask for the probationary period to be extended, although this is very rare.

While it’s always important for nannies and employers to communicate with each other, the probationary period is a time for regular, fairly structured feedback, and most nannies expect to told how things are going so they can adjust if needed in the early days. Positive feedback is just as important as constructive criticism, but issues which aren’t dealt with at the beginning can turn out to be deal-breakers further down the line.

If at the end of the probationary period nanny or family decide it’s not working out that isn’t necessarily a negative reflection on either side. It just means that in this case it wasn’t a good fit for reasons that weren’t clear at interview. Unless notice was given for disciplinary reasons it’s best to agree a reference and move on.

Spotlight on References

Taking up references on a nanny is a vital part of the recruitment process. Parents should always telephone the contacts provided themselves, rather than relying on a third party to do it for them, especially after the tragedy that led to a lawsuit being filed against an American website supposedly offering a reference checking service. References allow previous employers to share their experience of employing a particular nanny and can help you discover both their strengths and the potential pitfalls.

Try to find a time when and the person you are talking to will be free from interruptions. Prepare your questions in advance and pay attention to both what they say and their tone of voice. If you sense that they are hesitating or might be hiding something that could be a bad sign. Keep your questions open ended and allow the other person space to reply in their own time.

Remember to ask questions that are specific to your situation. If you need a nanny to do overnight care then ask whether this what part of their previous job and how they coped. Written references will seldom give you all the details that you need, another reason why a personal conversation with ex-employers is so important.
At the end of your nanny’s time with you don’t forget to write them a reference of your own!

Please note that we at Nannyjob.co.uk do not at any point check the identity or references of jobseekers and advise you to double check references which have been taken up by a nanny agency on your behalf.

Spotlight on Christmas – gift or bonus?

Most people like to give their nanny a token of appreciation over the festive season. This can range from a bottle of wine or basket of toiletries to a week’s wage as a bonus. When deciding what to give your nanny there are two important things to consider –the budget for this gift and future gifts, and tax.

Any kind of cash bonus is taxable. It needs to be declared to HMRC and appear on the payslip, along with the tax and NI deductions. This is worth bearing in mind if the intention is to give a nanny an amount other than their weekly wage, as adding £100 will not translate to giving them an extra £100 spending money. Even if the bonus is in the form of cash or a cheque inside their Christmas card tax and NI still need to be paid on the value of it. Vouchers are also treated as cash.

Some employers find cash impersonal, although it is a safe option, and prefer to give a gift. Some gifts are taxable, particularly if they can be resold, but others are exempt as they are considered a trivial benefit. Seek advice from a payroll agency or by calling the HMRC employer helpline, then request confirmation in writing from your local employment office.

Above all remember that gift-giving should be a pleasure, not a chore (remember this when buying for Aunt Mabel too), and it is far worse to not give anything than get it wrong, particularly if you keep the receipt!

Spotlight on NWOCs (nannies with own children)

Gone are the days when nannies stayed with families until they were old and grey, forfeiting families of their own, and for many families gone are the days when they could comfortably afford to have a stay at home parent. Nannies are understandably reluctant to pay someone else to do what they are qualified to do, so look for nanny jobs where families are happy for them to bring their own child along.

There are many advantages to this kind of arrangement for employers. A nanny who can bring their own child may be happy to accept odd hours such as before and after school and full time in the holidays, enabling them to balance time along with their child and earning a wage. A nanny whose child is the same age as her charges provides a playmate, which can be particularly valuable for only children and appreciated by parents who would like their child to be around other children but for whatever reason don’t want out of home care. Finally nannies who are allowed to bring their own child are often doubly motivated to provide stimulating activities and promote good social skills, as it benefits their child too. If you get the logistics right it can be a very stable arrangement, which reduces the time you spend worrying about childcare.

There are downsides: you may need extra equipment such as a double buggy or extra high chair, it’s an extra cost to feed another child, if nanny’s child is younger you may need to keep baby-proofing for longer and there’s added potential for bugs and breakages. Your children also won’t be the full focus of your nanny, even if she puts her own child second most of the time. To compensate for this many nannies who want to bring their on children are happy to accept a reduced rate of pay, meaning you can have an experienced nanny for less.

Having a nanny bring their own child can be a really positive and beneficial arrangement all round. The important thing is to make sure that everyone is a good fit – parenting styles and boundaries need to be aligned from the get go – but a good match can last for years.

Spotlight on Compassionate Leave

Recently we have received a couple of questions on our Facebook page from nannies who have sadly been bereaved and wanted to know what their rights were and what was normal for employers to offer.

As employees nannies are entitled to time off for dependants, which is unpaid, and exists to enable them to deal with emergencies such as arranging or going to funerals. Any member of their immediate family or someone living in their household is a dependant, but this can also extend to anyone who relies on your nanny for help in emergencies.

It is rare for nanny contracts to have a section which deals specifically with compassionate leave, although employment experts say that mentioning bereavement leave specifically in contracts has a positive impact on employer-employee relationships. In the absence of contractual arrangements paid time off is at the employer’s discretion, and you are expected to be reasonable and consistent in your handling of bereavement. Although paid time off will be appreciated as it removes concerns over finances from the equation it is more important to be sensitive and understanding to your nanny’s needs.

Time off around the death is of course only one aspect of bereavement. Grief can have a profound impact and significantly affect a nanny’s ability to do their job. A nanny who is suffering from grief may visit their GP and be signed off work. This is treated as normal sick leave and not compassionate leave. ACAS produce a comprehensive guide for employers on dealing with bereavement at work if you require further guidance.

Story competition: Larry’s Beak

Story Illustration Competition!

Calling all nannies and their charges…

In order to promote literacy and story time, Smart Nanny Solutions is running a competition for nannies and their charges to take part in over the Easter holidays.

Agency owner, ex-nanny and mum of two, Louise Burgess has written a children’s story (picture book style, aimed at children aged 3 years and over). She is posting her story here for nannies to print off and read with their charges over the Easter holidays and would love some feedback from the children and the nannies about what they think of the story – good or bad!

The story doesn’t have any illustrations, so as an extra bit of fun, your charges can draw a picture/illustration of their favourite part of the story and email it to louise@smartnannysolutions.com

The winner will receive a £10 Waterstones book voucher and will have their picture published on the Smart Nanny Solutions website, Facebook and Twitter page. They will also receive a Smart Nanny Solutions mug for their nanny!

So..

Print off the story ‘Larry’s Beak’ (below)
Read it with your charges
Nannies and/or children: what did you think of the story?
Children: Illustrate your favourite part of the story
Nannies: Take a picture of the child’s drawing and email it to louise@smartnannysolutions.com along with any feedback about the story.

Deadline: April 20th 2015

Entry is FREE.

LARRY’S BEAK

By Louise Burgess

Poor Larry the seagull, he’d had a bad week.

It all began on Monday when he couldn’t find his beak.

‘Ark!’ shouted Larry through the hole in his face,

his lovely, pointy, yellow bill was gone without a trace.

‘My looks!’ he cried ‘My handsome grin! this is really rotten,

without a beak my face looks like a little puckered bottom!

‘What will people think?’ He thought. ‘What will the neighbours say?

They’ll point and laugh and call me names’ He dribbled in dismay.

‘I can’t and won’t be seen like this!’ Larry wiped his eyes,

‘No fear, i’ll head down to the pier in search for a disguise’

So Larry sailed on the breeze to the pier, for his first stop

was ‘Mr Snoop’s Emporium’ (A novelty joke shop).

Now Mr Snoop’s was perfect if you liked to play a trick,

there was everything from plastic poo to puddles of fake sick!

Mr Snoop took one look and produced, in a flash

a pair of thick rimmed glasses with a nose and moustache

Larry was ecstatic ‘This look is quite becoming,

I’ll strut my stuff along the pier and folk will see I’m stunning!’

Alas, the specs kept slipping down with every step he took,

they ended up around his neck (not the coolest look).

‘Oh bother!’ bellowed Larry then he threw them off the pier,

he sulked beneath the moonlight and shed a single tear.

On Tuesday Larry flew about unsure where to go

but as he settled on a bench a kind voice said; ‘Hello’.

The nice old lady’s name was Pearl and to Larry’s great relief,

she took pity on his problem and gave him her false teeth.

‘You can borrow them today’ she said ‘I’ll get along just fine –

I don’t need my gnashers to lick a 99!’.

With that she plunged them in his face – which took him by surprise!

(They felt a little slimy and rather big in size).

‘Shank shu’ He said politely, spluttering a bit.

He didn’t like to tell her that they didn’t really fit.

Off went Larry on his way with a wild toothy grin.

Then, when Pearl was out of sight, he popped them in the bin.

Larry was disheartened. He wandered all night long.

Instead of flying home to roost, he paced along the prom.

On Wednesday Larry tried again, To the pier he promptly flew

and at the stall for face paints, slyly jumped the queue.

Now ‘Snazzy Jazz’ was clever, she was talented and arty

but her repertoire was suited to a children’s birthday party.

Larry wasn’t interested in hearts upon his cheek,

a wicked witch or tiger face, he just wanted a beak!

Larry almost wept with joy, he had a beak once more,

and for a while he was happy- until the rain began to pour.

Huddled in a shelter Larry caught his own reflection,

the smudge of yellow down his front was less than beak perfection.

The sun came up on Thursday and Larry hadn’t slept.

He missed his beak so very much he’d sat all night and wept.

He had become so desperate, shape and size no longer mattered.

He marched straight in to ‘Chippy’s’ shouting ‘Sausage! Jumbo! Battered!’.

Now Larry wasn’t famous for his wild fashion sense

but a sausage for a beak? this look was quite intense.

It worked for a while and no one seemed surprised

when a sausage eating seagull flew before their eyes.

Alas, there lay the problem, for he tried with all his might,

yet when Larry felt quite peckish he just had to take a bite.

So the sausage did shrink as the day grew long.

It made a tasty snack but as a beak it was wrong.

Poor Larry spent another night below the pier just bobbing,

in the shadows on the waves. His eyes grew sore from sobbing

Red eyes and missing beak Larry was a mess.

It was early Friday morning and he didn’t look his best.

Larry waddled aimlessly, he felt at such a loss

until he saw the neon sign for ‘Big Jim’s Candy floss’.

‘Aha!’ Cried Larry loudly. ‘Things are better than I feared.

If I can’t have a beak then I’ll have a candy beard!’

Big Jim was quite the stylist. His candy floss quite stiff.

Soon Larry had a goatee beard with sideburns and a quiff!

Larry perched upon the pier all puffed with pride and glee,

the wind blew through his candy hair as he gazed out to sea.

He headed for the bandstand and rocked and rolled all night

but he didn’t look so fetching in the early morning light.

“Matted feathers, sticky head, What’s become of me?

I’ve hardly slept a wink all week Or been home for tea.’

‘I’ve had enough, my beak is gone, I’ll just have to face it.

I’ve tried so many different things but nothing can replace it.’

His search had been a failure and he was unimpressed.

Larry sulked on Saturday now feeling quite depressed.

By Sunday he had given up so flew back home to rest

AND THERE IT WAS, HIS SHINY BEAK GLISTENING IN HIS NEST!

Meet the agency: Smart Nanny Solutions

This month meet Louise, founder and owner of Smart Nanny Solutions

How long has your agency been established?

The agency is brand new! I launched on January 2nd 2015 and I have been pleasantly surprised (and a little overwhelmed) by how busy I have been in the first month. It’s been a really positive start.

Continue reading “Meet the agency: Smart Nanny Solutions”

Common nanny pay issues

When parents employ a nanny it’s often the first time they have need to administer a payroll and pay regularly for services. In all the confusion it can be easy to let some things slip through the cracks, like transferring the money on the right date…

Problem #1 My boss never pays me on time

This is more common than you’d think. Many nannies report late payments from their employers, or having to leave messages to make sure they’re paid on time. It has a knock on effect on nanny’s bank balance and they may incur charges if their direct debits go out without sufficient funds. Solution? Set up a standing order when the job starts.

Problem #2 The amount in my account and on my payslip don’t match up

First you need to make sure you’re looking at your payslip correctly. The figure that should be in your account is in the bottom right, not the top right. The top right is the gross figure that you should have agreed at interview and written in your contract. The bottom figure is the net amount, which is what ends up in your account. If that net amount on your payslip doesn’t match what’s in your account then your boss has either over or under paid you, and you need to find out why. Sometimes this is because overtime has been added to your pay but not processed through payroll, or because you’ve had time off sick but it’s not been processed through payroll. Sometimes it’s because you agreed a net wage which is very difficult to match up on a payroll run each month even if your boss has paid what you agreed. Solution? Check your payslip, your contract and your working hours. There will be a discrepancy in the figures somewhere and when you find out what it is you can sort it.

Problem #3 My overtime hasn’t been counted

If you do overtime late in the month it can be tough for employers to get that information to the nanny payroll company on time, or they may have forgotten to add it to the payslip. The other, more alarming, situation is where your overtime appears on your payslip but not in your account. This probably means your employers have a standing order, notified the payroll company and forgot to manually transfer you the overtime payment. Solution? Gently remind them to declare your overtime and/or pay you.

Problem#4 My boss is making extra deductions

The standard deductions that should be made from your pay are tax and employee national insurance contributions. You may also have deductions for your pension and student loan repayments. Your contract may specific additional situations where your employer can take money out of your pay, for example if you are responsible for damaging their car they may deduct the insurance excess directly from your pay. If you see extra deductions, or you think other things have been deducted from your pay check your contract to see whether it’s allowed. Solution? Call the payroll company to check what’s being taken off and talk to your boss.

Problem #5 My boss never reimburses my expenses

Many nanny employers provide a kitty which means their nanny doesn’t have to pay for activities and so on out of their own pocket, but some prefer to reimburse expenses. Mileage is an expense which is commonly reimbursed, rather than taken out of the kitty. Paying up front can leave you short of cash at the end of the month, and if your boss doesn’t pay you back you’re effectively subsidising your charges. Solution? Stop paying out. Insist on having a kitty or only do free activities within walking distance.