The nanny fell down her stairs

The nanny's BF called this morning and said she had fallen down the stairs as she was leaving to work. He told my DH that he was going to take her to the ER. So I called and left a message after I got out of work and she just called back and said she was ok but just really sore and wanted to take the week off. Luckily DH had already taken the week off but the girls and the house won't be taken care of as well without the nanny. Like today, the girls were never changed out of their pajamas and because the laundry wasn't done, they had no clean pajamas to be changed in to. Ugh, I am so glad she didn't get more seriously hurt. My DH thinks she's lying because we were going to have her work part time this week and he thinks she might be working some place else to make more money?!!? Do you really think someone would make up such a terrible story?

 

QUOTE(Buttercup1 @ Nov 24 2008, 09:36 PM) [snapback]1085506[/snapback]
The nanny's BF called this morning and said she had fallen down the stairs as she was leaving to work. He told my DH that he was going to take her to the ER. So I called and left a message after I got out of work and she just called back and said she was ok but just really sore and wanted to take the week off. Luckily DH had already taken the week off but the girls and the house won't be taken care of as well without the nanny. Like today, the girls were never changed out of their pajamas and because the laundry wasn't done, they had no clean pajamas to be changed in to. Ugh, I am so glad she didn't get more seriously hurt. My DH thinks she's lying because we were going to have her work part time this week and he thinks she might be working some place else to make more money?!!? Do you really think someone would make up such a terrible story?

:hug:

THAT sucks... but in reply to what DH thinks... it would be a lot of work for her to just get work for one week, and the exact week that you have her part time... and if he miss trusts her that much... maybe you both need to look into that... or is he projecting what he has seen other people do? i would have to know your nanny better, i guess... so i should hush up ardon:

Sorry about the situation... that would REALLY suck!

 

QUOTE(e mauro @ Nov 24 2008, 10:06 PM) [snapback]1085541[/snapback]
:hug:

THAT sucks... but in reply to what DH thinks... it would be a lot of work for her to just get work for one week, and the exact week that you have her part time... and if he miss trusts her that much... maybe you both need to look into that... or is he projecting what he has seen other people do? i would have to know your nanny better, i guess... so i should hush up ardon:

Sorry about the situation... that would REALLY suck!


I think he's just upset that he now has to take complete responsibility for the girls during his vacation.

 

QUOTE(Buttercup1 @ Nov 25 2008, 08:39 AM) [snapback]1085876[/snapback]
I think he's just upset that he now has to take complete responsibility for the girls during his vacation.

YEAH, i would be pissed to, poor guy (and you... nothing funner then coming home from work to a house used and abused). Maybe she will feel better soon and come in at the end of the week? That just sucks… mine is going out of the country for 5 weeks… it is almost ruining my Holiday outlook (though I am trying hard to not let it) :hug:

PS i know i'm not suppose to be in this forum, i just felt your pain

 

I don't know about the lying nanny thing. We have had two nanny's since the babys were born - the first one was AMAZING with the kids, but I did not believe a word that came out of her mouth! It is very possible!

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Nov 25 2008, 02:06 PM) [snapback]1085914[/snapback]
I don't know about the lying nanny thing. We have had two nanny's since the babys were born - the first one was AMAZING with the kids, but I did not believe a word that came out of her mouth! It is very possible!


i can believe that she got hurt, but equally believe that she got another holiday job for the week. also it's a bit weird that he called, unless she really got hurt, i'd expect her to call. sorry for your hubby- mine would be totally pissed if that happened, even though it's hopefully just a mild accident and nothing more.

 

These are the times when having a nanny really stinks. If she calls out or gets hurt, it is your responsibility to find coverage. At a daycare, there are multiple people to cover these situations and they handle all of that.

Our nanny broke her leg last winter and was out for almost 3 months! It was really hard. We could not put them in a daycare for that short of a time period, we don't have family in the area to help out, and neither me nor my DH have that much vacation time from our jobs! But, we got through it...we found a temporary nanny through a friend and took the kids to her house for those three months. I was so scared our nanny would not come back at all and would find a better offer or something. Then, our temporary nanny had to take a job and we were going to be stuck again!! Luckily, our nanny recruited her sister and her daughter to help her out - we didn't pay any extra - she just really wanted to keep her job and help us find a solution. So our nanny and our nanny's relatives watched our kids until she was back on both her legs! It required a lot of flexibility on our part, but we got through it and learned that our nanny was really committed to her job.

We had a bad experience with our first nanny which somewhat soured us from believing our current nanny all the time. We still have our days when she calls in sick when we think..."really?" But, then again, how many times have I called out sick to my work without really being sick and just needed a "mental health" day. I think it just feels like more of an imposition because it effects us so directly.

But, I would not trade the one-on-two interaction my kids get in their own home everyday!

I feel for you, but know that it will be okay!! If you have any questions about what's going on - just ask her. That's the best policy, in my opinion.

Jessica

 

I have no idea if she fell down the stairs or not... (in my gut, I'd vote no) BUT...

I'm sorry, I think she should have gotten her normal pay.

How much notice did you give her before you cut her hours in half? What is she supposed to do this week with half hours, and so close to Christmas (and bills to pay)? If she did lie she doesn't want to lose her job with you, but I bet she can't afford it. (What would you do if someone cut your hours in half for a week during the holidays?) I'd cut her some slack. She seems to want to stay with your family otherwise she would have said something more direct...

Perhaps you should consider working through an agency. You would pay more, but you could cut hours with no issue.

JMO

 

yeah, i did want to add that even when we didn't need full time care we always paid for the whole week, unless specified when we hired our nanny. b/c it's not fair if we hired them for full time to expect them to take a cut b/c we didn't need it. i don't know your terms, i'm just saying from our experience.

yes, it's one of the frustrating parts of having a nanny, but now the flip side is you have help when they're sick instead of them being home from day care and you're on your own with two sick babies.

 

She's never called out sick before and I have no reason to believe she would lie. I do realize it must stink for her to have her hours cut but we can barely afford to pay her. So it's hard for us to pay her for when she's not here. She does have another job as a waitress and we gave her a weeks notice. I figured she'd be able to pick up extra hours with that job.

 

Honestly, I'm a nanny and I put it in my contract that if the parents cut my hours or don't have me work my regular hours, I get regular pay. It's really, really hard not to have a set income. It does weed out a few prospects, but most people are fine with it. If she's never done it before, I'd be inclined to believe her. But honestly, one week is very short notice to tell someone that they won't be getting 1/4 of their pay for the month. Can you imagine if your DH's boss told him a week before that the pay for that month would be 1/4 less than usual? It's not like rent or electricity or anything would be reduced by 1/4. The bills are all the same. If it were the difference between not getting enough money to pay bills for the month, or having employers hubby take care of the kids so I could make up the pay difference, I'd be inclined to lie about it. Money is money and bill collectors aren't going to care why you don't have the money.

 

QUOTE(MamaD @ Nov 25 2008, 08:09 PM) [snapback]1086500[/snapback]
I have no idea if she fell down the stairs or not... (in my gut, I'd vote no) BUT...

I'm sorry, I think she should have gotten her normal pay.

How much notice did you give her before you cut her hours in half? What is she supposed to do this week with half hours, and so close to Christmas (and bills to pay)? If she did lie she doesn't want to lose her job with you, but I bet she can't afford it. (What would you do if someone cut your hours in half for a week during the holidays?) I'd cut her some slack. She seems to want to stay with your family otherwise she would have said something more direct...

Perhaps you should consider working through an agency. You would pay more, but you could cut hours with no issue.

JMO



I agree. 1 weeks notice is not sufficient

 

QUOTE(Callen @ Nov 25 2008, 10:48 PM) [snapback]1087082[/snapback]
I agree. 1 weeks notice is not sufficient


I know... My DH sprung this vacation on all of us at the last minute. We will give her much more notice in the future.

 

QUOTE(Buttercup1 @ Nov 25 2008, 08:56 PM) [snapback]1086910[/snapback]
She's never called out sick before and I have no reason to believe she would lie. I do realize it must stink for her to have her hours cut but we can barely afford to pay her. So it's hard for us to pay her for when she's not here. She does have another job as a waitress and we gave her a weeks notice. I figured she'd be able to pick up extra hours with that job.



We can also "just" afford our nanny most times but I would never expect her to miss work due to OUR schedules changing without being paid. And certainly not on 1 week's notice. I understand the situation you are in but that's not fair to her. I'm sorry that your DH has to be the FT caregiver this week and that things are in a bit of upheaval but I don't blame her if she is lying.

If you want to know for sure, you can always ask for a Dr's slip from the ER saying she can return to work. My employer would require me to submit one.