Have i been stupid?!
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  1. #1
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    Default Have i been stupid?!

    So as some of you may know im due to stop minding end of may and begin nanny job in june I know this isn't a forum for nannies but would love if one of you kind people could help with a quick question..

    I have signed and returned my contract which was all fine and partner checked it too but its just dawned on me this morn that there was nothing in it regarding maternity.. should there be or am I being abit dim?! I am in no way planning a baby imminently but would like to think it will hopefully happen if we are lucky enough in the next year/18m .. x

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    I had many nanny contracts and maternity was never discussed until I started a new job when DS was 1 ) I went back to work for the same family when DS was 10 weeks. And then did part time for 2 families when he was 1.

    If you feel strongly about it, then arrange a meeting to discuss or at least to say ... I'm not planning a baby as yet, but I may do in the future ....

    When I took maternity, my bosses paid me maternity pay, most of which was then repaid by NI (I think!)

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    Its just such a difficult sector to work in when you throw your own family and desire to have a baby into the mix. This family has twin 1yo and a 4 yr old so obviously by the time it may happen the little ones would be nearer 3 so in pre school for funded hours etc I highly doubt they would want me with own child but that would be a deal breaker for me so I guess I would have to cross that bridge when I come to it as I say its all just thoughts at the mo but I hope im lucky enough for it to be realistic one day in the future.x

    How did you find going back with a 10 week old? Did they cut your pay ? x

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jessymax View Post
    Its just such a difficult sector to work in when you throw your own family and desire to have a baby into the mix. This family has twin 1yo and a 4 yr old so obviously by the time it may happen the little ones would be nearer 3 so in pre school for funded hours etc I highly doubt they would want me with own child but that would be a deal breaker for me so I guess I would have to cross that bridge when I come to it as I say its all just thoughts at the mo but I hope im lucky enough for it to be realistic one day in the future.x

    How did you find going back with a 10 week old? Did they cut your pay ? x
    I'd already worked for the family for 4 years when ds was born. DS just became the youngest of the family! Dad was working from home when I first went back and I used to leave ds asleep in the garden with the dad around (dads suggestion) when I went to do the school run ... and when I got back, dad was always holding him! I'm sure he used to wake him up!!!! But we've got really good relationship ... my bosses are dds godparents! My pay didn't change at all

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    that sounds a really nice scenario
    I guess time will tell just going to get stuck into the job and hopefully become a valued member of the family and see what the future holds. I shouldn't presume they wouldn't want me to come back but don't really need to worry about it yet thanks for advice x

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    :-) good luck with the job.

    Just take it a day at a time and what will be, will be! X

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    I worked as a nanny before I became a minder. I started off by saying that I would hope to have children at some point and so ideally would be looking for a job where I could bring my own child but it wasn't essential as I had no plans as yet to have 1. They offered the job to someone else. Then a couple of weeks in they changed their mind and called me and asked if I would be interested? I was and thought that I would just leave / get another position etc if I had my own child as I didn't think they were interested in me bringing one with me.

    I was there for 3 years before I was pregnant and by then their youngest was in full time school. They were happy with me coming back as by then I had a relationship with the children. I went back when my dd was 4 months old. I took a slight pay cut (15%) to bring her with me. They always increased my pay yearly anyway so I was just back on what I started on really so I felt it was fair.

    2 years later and I was having my second and mum announced she was pregnant with their 4th! I did go back for a month when ds was 7 months and their 4th was 4 months so that they could find a suitable replacement as I decided that 6 with a 13 year age range and 2 under 1s was too much as they had also decided to cut my pay again plus had asked me to put my 2yr old with a childminder for the after school hours which would have been 2:30-7:30 mon-fri. Their reasons so that their children had more attention which was fair enough. However the cost of the later care I needed and the likelihood of a minder doing those hours were just not working out for me- it worked out that I would take home after my childcare costs £70 a week for a 55 hour working week with 6 kids for most of the time and miss out on my dd for 25 hours a week of that too. So I left.

    I then became a childminder.

    Nannying is great with a good family. The now 16 yr old girl I used to look after is my dd's bff even though she is 10. They have a sisterly bond. The boys who are 18 and 20 now helped me move house a couple of years ago. The youngest is friends with my ds. They come to any social events I hold for minded families and we meet up in the holidays. My youngest is now 7 so I think it shows a good relationship.

    It just wasn't right longer term for our families to be brought up together.

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    that's sooo nice

    I have decided to not query no mention of mat pay /leave in contract because legally as my employer they would have to pay it unless I handed notice in ( when the time comes) and hopefully by then we will all be blissfully happy and can cross that bridge when we come to it I have also thought I would probably go back to child minding VERY part time maybe 2.5 days a week when we start a family. It gives me butterflies thinking about it if only it could be now! x

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    Aw good luck jessymax

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  13. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jessymax View Post
    So as some of you may know im due to stop minding end of may and begin nanny job in june I know this isn't a forum for nannies but would love if one of you kind people could help with a quick question..

    I have signed and returned my contract which was all fine and partner checked it too but its just dawned on me this morn that there was nothing in it regarding maternity.. should there be or am I being abit dim?! I am in no way planning a baby imminently but would like to think it will hopefully happen if we are lucky enough in the next year/18m .. x
    If the family employs you then 'maternity pay' is part of your employment's rights and you will need to make sure the family will comply....just as they must comply with your paid leave, sickness pay and pension legislation.

    I would suggest you check with a body that specialises in nannies' contracts...if the UK leaves the EU there may be changes there too...make sure you ask all the questions to be sure

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    pension, holiday, sick pay is all in contract so its all above board maybe they just presume I wont get pregnant in the time they need a nanny they have said they are hoping I will stay til the babies go to school x

  15. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jessymax View Post
    pension, holiday, sick pay is all in contract so its all above board maybe they just presume I wont get pregnant in the time they need a nanny they have said they are hoping I will stay til the babies go to school x
    That would be a mistake on their part surely? no one could possibly presume such thing!

    pension, sick pay, holiday and maternity pay are all part of the same Terms and Conditions for employees as workers....all must be clearly stated in your contract....have you thought of having someone check your contract is sound and includes all necessary agreements?

    Also have you told your prospective employers that you are planning to start a family ...in due course?...may be worth discussing this with them so they are aware of the possibility of having to have a change of nanny to cover your maternity leave!
    Last edited by Simona; 04-05-2016 at 07:21 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jessymax View Post
    pension, holiday, sick pay is all in contract so its all above board maybe they just presume I wont get pregnant in the time they need a nanny they have said they are hoping I will stay til the babies go to school x
    Maternity should be written in there as well for completeness. If they ask if you are intending to have a family soon you do not have to answer them, it is none of their business in terms of their employing you and it is a risk they take employing a woman of childbearing age. To ask you outright is sex discrimination because they would not ask any man the question.

  17. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickysmiths View Post
    Maternity should be written in there as well for completeness. If they ask if you are intending to have a family soon you do not have to answer them, it is none of their business in terms of their employing you and it is a risk they take employing a woman of childbearing age. To ask you outright is sex discrimination because they would not ask any man the question.
    You are right in your statement.
    The reason for mentioning it is that often families allow the nanny to care for their children as well as the nanny's own children....so after the maternity leave the nanny can return to the family with own baby!

  18. #15
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    hi both thanks for reply I have sent contract back and 2 people looked over it the rest was fine I believe. I really don't want to bring it up due to the fact then they will think im going to announce pregnancy any day which trust me im not planning imminently at all! Can I not just leave it because if/when the time came they or the government would have to pay my mat leave and keep my job open unless they made me redundant? is that right?x
    And yes I agree daft to presume!

  19. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jessymax View Post
    hi both thanks for reply I have sent contract back and 2 people looked over it the rest was fine I believe. I really don't want to bring it up due to the fact then they will think im going to announce pregnancy any day which trust me im not planning imminently at all! Can I not just leave it because if/when the time came they or the government would have to pay my mat leave and keep my job open unless they made me redundant? is that right?x
    And yes I agree daft to presume!
    I would ring a nanny association or union and ask them to advise you...they will tell you for sure or check Gov.uk website for more details

    They could also look at your contract and tell you if it is right and includes everything...did the parents do it themselves or is it one they got from somewhere reliable....or an off the shelf one?

    As said before employees benefits cannot be separated ...so maternity pay is part and parcel of your rights with all the others

    if you are worried 'that' particular maternity detail has been left out of your contract get it checked
    why would the parents comply with all legislation except maternity pay?
    is it an oversight on their part?
    have you checked who they employed before and your employer's references?

    Up to you ...hope you find a solution

    Any cm here who employs an assistant maybe of help to you as they can advice on their contract they have for their employee.

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    Hi I am the first nanny they have had they got it online somewhere but I have got this job through an agency so she checked it too don't really no why she hasn't picked up on it. I have emailed her and she replied this am saying she is going to ring them ask them to add in and re send a contract. Im just really scared they will change their mind about me? Id be in a mess if so :/

    Yes maybe they simply didn't think they needed to put in or hadn't even thought of it, im not sure they are really lovely people

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    Agency lady put ' I think it needs to be in there regardless of when you choose to have children and its your right as an employee that there is clear gudielines in your contract. I will word it in a way that by sending them a fact sheet on how to include maternity into an employment contract so its not obvious that you have come to me and said something so just leave it with me and ill be in touch asap'
    Fingers crossed they don't pull out

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  23. #19
    Simona Guest

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    Excellent...let someone in the know deal with it. You may be right that this is the first time they looked at a nanny contract
    an agency is there to sort out everything and, as you come via them, they will want everything to be correct.

    Also ...just to clarify...a nanny cannot be made redundant for being pregnant
    If I misunderstood I apologise right now...it just bugged me.
    Not really worth it on the part of any employer to do that.

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    Hi I meant if I went on mat leave they got a temp nanny and I only wanted to come back with baby and they are in their rights to say no to that.. I guess in that scenario I would give notice but then wouldn't I owe mat pay back argh its all so confusing and not even pregnant but we are planning in the near ish future so its good to have a clue about the legal side of it all I guess! Yeah definitely im sure she will sort it wonder what grounds they have to change their mind about me though because of it...X

 

 
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