With holidays soon to be allowed and the summer, not far behind, many nannies might be preparing for a trip with their nanny family.
Whilst a sunny break away from everyday life might sound like a fantastic escape, it’s important to remember that you’ll still be working and that your job might become a bit more difficult when faced with new challenges and unfamiliar surroundings.
We’ve put together our top tips to help you make a success of any trip with your nanny family:
British summertime is often unpredictable when it comes to the weather. It’s not unheard of to experience rain, sun, wind and even snow all in the same day. That’s why we’ve put together our top summer holiday activities for kids that you can do, no matter the weather.
British summertime is often unpredictable when it comes to the weather. It’s not unheard of to experience rain, sun, wind and even snow all in the same day. That’s why we’ve put together our top summer holiday activities for kids that you can do, no matter the weather.
Continue reading “Perfect Summer Holiday Activities for Children”
Holidays can be a sticky topic for nannies and employers to discuss. Every employee has the right to take 5.6 weeks (28 days full time, pro rata for part time positions) holiday per year. This breaks down to 8 Bank holidays and 4 weeks of other holiday, which is how it’s been expressed for many years in nanny contracts, although with an increase in part-time positions this is no longer a good idea.
Holidays can be a sticky topic for nannies and employers to discuss. Every employee has the right to take 5.6 weeks (28 days full time, pro rata for part time positions) holiday per year. This breaks down to 8 Bank holidays and 4 weeks of other holiday, which is how it’s been expressed for many years in nanny contracts, although with an increase in part-time positions this is no longer a good idea.
Many people plan to take their most substantial holiday between June and September to benefit from the summer weather or because they are restricted by school holidays. It’s important to agree ahead of time when holidays will be so both parties have a chance to make plans, particularly as prices during school holidays can be very high. It’s not unheard of among nannies for employers to only inform their nanny of holiday plans at the very last minute, leaving the nanny with 2 weeks holiday that they’ve made no plans for.
For nannies it’s never a good idea to book a holiday without clearing it first with your employers. Employers can refuse holiday requests, although they do have to enable you to take your holiday at some point during the year. Most contracts say the holiday is 50% the employer’s choice and 50% the nanny’s but this is a custom rather than a legal right. It may be very inconvenient for you employer to find cover for you that week so communicate your plans well in advance and try to offer a couple of different dates. Your employers should appreciate the flexibility. The best case scenario is to sit down at the beginning of the school or calendar year and work out when holidays are likely. Then as plans firm up you can confirm or change holiday plans.
A common stumbling block is when employers take more holiday that they have given their nanny in the contract. There is no legal right to have more holiday than the 5.6 weeks every employee is entitled to, however it is a customary perk (and excellent compensation for working long hours) to give a nanny additional paid time off when their employer is away. If your contract explicitly states that there is more holiday then this is a contractual right. A nanny might be asked to do some jobs around the home while their charges are away, such as sorting through toys or clothes, batch cooking for the freezer, buying and naming new school uniform or spring cleaning children’s rooms. If you do request this additional work from your nanny then leave them the autonomy to decide when it’s done. They may choose to ‘work from home’ buying and naming school uniform, or spend an evening sorting clothes or cooking instead of arriving at 8am.
Finding cover for a nanny can be a problem; If it’s impossible to take time off working and you have no family support then investigate activity camps for older children, or ask your nanny if any of their friends would be interested in a week or two of extra work. Alternatively a temporary nanny will provide the same level of cover you are used to – particularly important if you need to travel for work or work long hours. You can either use an agency or search our database to find a temporary nanny.
As always, communicating with each other about your plans is vital! If you do this then there’s no reason holidays should cause any hassle!
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The kids are away so nanny will play?
It’s not unusual for nanny employers to have more holiday than the minimum entitlement, and parents may choose to go away during school holiday time or if the family is co parenting , which may leave the nanny without any charges to look after.
An empty house can also be a good opportunity to ask your nanny to undertake tasks that are easier without distraction and get ahead, for example by getting everything ready for a new school year. These tasks can also be completed flexibly, allowing your nanny to schedule routine appointments without eating into her holiday or impacting on you. Here are some things you could ask your nanny to do:
– batch cooking meals for the freezer
– sorting through clothes which have been outgrown and putting them away
– making a list of new clothing purchases
– buying, washing and naming school unifrom
– buying school supplies
– washing and repairing toys, and putting away anything which is no longer appropriate
– washing and sterilising bath toys
– sorting and restocking the arts and crafts box
– making a list of suggested toys, ideal for Christmas and birthday ideas
– ensuring there are enough children’s toiletries and first aid supplies, and restocking as necessary
REMEMBER – it’s a great perk to give a nanny extra paid time off, and it stores up flexibility for those days when you’re a little late home from the office although few nannies will agree to a formal carrying over of hours. It’s unfair to expect this time off to be unpaid; after all your nanny is available to work and may not be able to find a replacement source of income and this will only breed resentment further down the line, agreeing to some flexibility on both sides ensures a happy household.
A full time nanny is entitled to 28 days holiday (5.6 weeks) which includes bank holidays. Employers are entitled to choose all the dates of holiday nanny should take, but in practice nanny normally chooses 2 weeks while the employer chooses the other 2 weeks.
In your contract with nanny, make sure you ask for notice for nanny’s proposed holiday this will allow you to find alternative childcare. Some employers ask for at least 4 weeks notice.
We would recommend you keep note of holiday taken paid or unpaid, just in case nanny leaves part way through the year and has over taken on holiday. This way any unpaid or over paid holiday can be paid/deducted in her final payslip.
If nanny works more than 5 days a week, their holiday entitlement is capped at 28 days. It is not a problem if you agree more day’s holiday with nanny – this could be a condition of her working for over a stated amount of time.
If nanny is part time, she is entitled to annual leave (28 days including bank holidays), but pro-rated. So if nanny works 2 days a week, her holiday allowance is calculated:
2 days a week x 5.6 annual holiday allowance = 11.20 days holiday.
You must not round the holiday allowance down to 11, but can round it up to 11.5 days.
If nanny works different hours each week, you calculate her holiday pay by averaging her last 12 weeks worked hours then multiply it by 5.6, this then gives you her holiday entitlement in hours for the year and when she has a day’s holiday or was due to work on a public holiday, whatever hours she was scheduled to work that day are then deducted from her overall annual entitlement.
For more advice and support on this or any other payroll related matter please contact our recommended partners Payroll for Nannies https://www.payrollfornannies.co.uk/
With the school summer holidays almost upon us, it’s the time of year where most children are desperate to play outside in the sun. It’s also the time of year where parents and nannies need to pay extra care and attention in order to prevent things like:
To help put your mind at ease and to give your children a fun and safe summer, we’ve put together this guide to help you keep your kids safe in the sun.
Do you give your nanny a Christmas bonus?
A Christmas bonus is a great way to show your nanny how grateful you are for all that they’ve done over the past year.
Your nanny takes a lot off your plate by helping with homework, nap times, meal times, school runs and so much more. So, how do you show your appreciation?
Many families aren’t clear on why Christmas bonuses are important, or how to go about giving one. That’s why we’ve put together answers to the most common questions about giving a Christmas bonus.
Continue reading “Should you pay your nanny a Christmas bonus?”
Part time working has been on the rise in all industries but nannies are being hit by a triplewhammy of parents choosing to work part-time, using free help part of the week to reduce childcare costs and taking advantage of Government funding. This means more and more nannies are coming to interview with another job already, which can seem an administrative nightmare. Chin up though, as it’s not that scary!
