Ask MaryPat: Arranging Time Off During the Holidays
MaryPat doesn’t fly around with a black umbrella, but she does have over 20 years of experience as a Child Development Expert and over 10 years experience as a Placement Counselor in our Palo Alto office. She’s has a wealth of knowledge and we’re confident you will find her advice spot-on!-Alicia
Dear Alicia,
Not all families offer paid time off, and it is not something that they are required to offer, but when families hire through Town + Country we suggest that they offer paid paid time off for major holidays and two weeks of paid vacation time. In addition, we always suggest to both nannies and families that at least one of those two weeks of your vacation time be coordinated with the family’s vacation, so that you will continue to be paid when the family goes on vacation.
We recommend that families provide a clear written work agreement that outlines your responsibilities, hours and how time off will be handled. If you do not have a written agreement you can ask your employer for one.
It is also best to have a clear plan for paid holidays, including a list of paid holidays in your work agreement. Common holidays include Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Your employer may ask you to provide notice when requesting vacation time off, and as we mentioned above, they are also likely to ask you to coordinate some of your vacation time with their family’s vacation plans. I recommend that you bring your desired dates to your employer with as much notice as possible and have a two-way conversation to coordinate dates that work for all of you. The sooner you can talk about time off the better, so families can make alternate arrangements for their children if necessary.
If you are meeting with them to discuss holiday plans you may also want to map out some of your dates for 2016 as well.
-MaryPat