when they or you are on vacation?

If so, is this standard?

I do.

In my area, SOP to pay them when you are on vacation. They also get a paid vacation of their own choosing.

As with many things, I find it's best when all of this is in the contract.

We just stopped using a live out nanny last month, but we did pay her when we were on vacation or if we cancelled, but not for her vacations. If she wanted to take time off, we did not pay her. From nanny interviews and the ones we hired, I got the sense that this was standard, at least until the nanny is around for 6 months to a year. At almost five months, she lasted longer than the prior two nannies, but we were not willing to offer paid vacation until we had someone last at least a year.

Ultimately we abandoned the nanny idea in favor of day care. One of the nannies quit on short notice and two were fired, and we found the sudden scrambles to find childcare too disruptive and exhausting. Now that the boys are a year old, we’re more comfortable than we were originally with a daycare facility.

When I was an au pair, I got the choice of going on the trip with the family (paid for) and working, going on the trip and paying half and not working (never really works that way) or getting it as part of my paid time off. I usually went on the trip with the family because they were going to cool places (Paris, Egypt and Zurich). However, when they went for a week to club med in Italy I took that time for myself and did my own traveling because I would have had to pay for myself since childcare was included in their cost of the trip. That trip counted as part of my 4 weeks of vacation.

If you don't want them coming with you, i think it would be ok to give them the option of using it as vacation and getting paid or taking it as paid time off (assuming you've given them enough notice to make plans of their own if they want to go on a trip). Their decision might be impacted by when and how long you're going for as well as how much vacation they get. For example, if they only get 2 weeks and you're going on a 2 week trip in the summer they might choose to take it as unpaid because they want to go home for 2 weeks at christmas/new year.

You may also try to help them find an interim position while you're gone if they decide to take it as unpaid. Or perhaps allow them to work over time as flex time (I did this as well sometimes) before you leave to cover the hours they aren't working when you're gone.

In Canada, the law requires you to pay your nanny or caregiver for vacation, employment insurance and workers' compensation and so on.

This isnt for me...

I ask because it was brought up earlier today and I found it odd for a sitter to be paid when THEY are on vacation.

I agree with paying them if they are salaried with benefits bit not if I am dropping the child off 2-3 times a week. Then there is paying for the whole week and only using 2-3 days a week..

I am childless so I guess I have lots to learn lol

But that's different. If it's just someone who watches them a couple times a week it's not the same as their FT job so the benefits wouldn't be the same.

Have you thought about getting an au-pair? It's usually cheaper than a nanny because the person comes in and becomes part of your family for a year and you then pay them a stipend. It's a good way to help your kids learn about different cultures. The family I lived with had au pairs for each of the 3 boys from 8 months until they were ready for school.

I'm in the wrong line of work. Working vacations plus paid vacation? Does anyone need a male nanny with absolutely no experience to travel to Europe with you?

there are male au pairs. when I lived in Switzerland one of my best friends there was a guy. It's actually a pretty sweet deal. I lived with the family and had my own bed/bath. I ate whatever meals with them that I wanted and got paid 750 CHF/month on top of it. I worked about 30 hours/week and was off every weekend from 1:00 pm on Friday until 3:00 pm on Monday. I also cooked most meals and did the ironing (both of which i enjoy - I was given other choices). I was on duty at 8 am 2 days a week then off at 1 pm for the rest of the day. the other days I didn't start until either 11:30 or 3 (depending on the day) and was off at 6 or 8. I also got paid health care, 4 weeks of vacation, trips with the family (which included Paris, Zurich, Egypt and 2 weeks at their ski Chalet in Anzere) and paid holidays off. I also got to live at the base of the Swizz alps for a year.

I did it when I was 27 and it happened after I quit my job at Vanguard. I just got a bug up my butt to go so 6 weeks after making the decision I was on a plane. Best thing I ever did.

I also crunched the numbers. When I added in the free room and board, only working 30 hours, 4 weeks of vacation, free trips, health care and stipend, i was making just about as much doing that as I was making after-tax at Vanguard. Of course I didn't have 401k or any of that but it was worth it!

I highly suggest anyone who gets the bug take advantage of it!

Don't you get a paid vacation at your job? It's the same thing.

A working vacation as in going with the family for thier vacation isn't really a vacation for you. It's the same work in a different location. I could even argue that it's harder. The home is usually babyproofed or private. No strangers wandering about to worry about. Fewer new and exciting things to entice a child to wander off.

It was not an option for us because we could not provide a private bath or a vehicle for the au-pair to use, both were required. Adding a bathroom and another vehicle would have made it cost prohibitive. We might have been able to work something out with the cars, but the bathroom was a deal-killer.

Ok, well, I'm a strong person. When are we going to Europe?

So is being a vacation nanny kind of like worrying about all the things a normal parent worries about while traveling with a kid, but getting paid for it? Obviously, this is a world I just don't understand. If my bosses told me, "Hey Ryan, we're moving the whole office to Europe for two weeks. You still have to work, but we'll be traveling around Europe. Oh and charge up that expense account." I think I would be ok with that.

It all depends on the family. For me it was easy to travel with them because the parents were very involved and the kids were great.