If you are considering a travel nanny, or asking your nanny to join you on a trip, there are a few things to think about before approaching your nanny. Having a nanny for childcare is often considered a luxury, taking your nanny on vacation is an extravagance. However, it’s worth it when you consider that you get another set of hands and a chance to step away for a while to be alone or go on an outing with your partner. Here are some factors to consider while evaluating whether or not to hire a nanny.
Tips For Travel with Your Nanny
1. It’s your vacation, not theirs
Keep in mind, your nanny is working, so it’s not really a vacation for them. You’ve decided on the destination; it’s a location you want to visit with your children.
Taking a vacation with your nanny is similar to your boss sending you on a business trip. They may send you somewhere nice and sunny, and you may even get to enjoy some rest or relax on a beach or go sightseeing. It’s still a business trip! In fact, some nannies claim that working during a family vacation is more draining than caring at home.
2. Communication
For a solid working relationship in your house, you must have excellent communication with your nanny. The same may be said for your vacation arrangements. Make sure your nanny understands exactly what you want from them, including their schedule and responsibilities. You won’t be disappointed that your holiday didn’t go as planned if you do this. Review and approve payment, lodging, and the itinerary; this is best in writing.
3. Hours worked = hours paid
It may be enjoyable to go to interesting or even exotic locations, but it is not a substitute for their pay. When your nanny returns home, she must still pay her bills and purchase food.
With that in mind, your nanny should be compensated for all hours worked. Any time spent over 40 hours on the job is considered overtime and is paid at a rate of 1.5 times per hour. Do not compensate your nanny on a flat rate for the holiday. Whether they’re working in your home or watching your children on the beach, they are still hourly workers. When you’re away, you are also subject to the same wage and labor regulations that apply to your nanny’s work in your home.
To keep track of when your nanny is on and off the clock, you might want to bring a tiny notepad or utilize a smartphone note-keeping software. Verify these hours with your nanny on a regular basis so there are no unpleasant surprises at pay time.
4. Travel time is paid time
By law, your employee is entitled to be paid for the time they spend traveling to and from your destination. The time traveling for your holiday is not the same as their regular commute, and it must be compensated. The hardest thing for some families is traveling away from home. You may want your nanny’s assistance during those hours. If you were an hourly employee, you shouldn’t be expected to pay for your company trip’s travel time.
5. All travel expenses are covered
Taking your nanny on vacation is costly, as we stated at the start of this post. You’ll have to cover their airfare, meals, accommodation, activities, and other travel-related costs. Your company would cover your transportation, food, and hotel accommodation if you took a business trip. In addition to meals that your nanny prepares for themselves, you should reimburse them. Remember, your nanny would not have to pay for these expenditures if you had not requested their assistance.
If you visit a museum, an amusement park, or any other attraction and ask your nanny to join you to work on the clock, you’ll be expected to pay their admission fees. If an excursion is voluntary, you shouldn’t expect your nanny to work if they come – and you are not obligated to pay for their entrance or time. They may choose to do something else instead of coming with you in this scenario, but they have the choice to go with you.
6. Sharing a room with your children
Sharing a room with the children might help you save money on your holiday, but this may not be the best solution. Your nanny needs time off and sharing a bedroom with kids she’s been caring for all day won’t allow them to unwind. Your nanny must also be in the room when your children go to bed, which might be hours before your nanny is ready to sleep. If they don’t get their own room, your request to join your vacation may be declined.
Will you expect your nanny to assist your children if they wake up in the middle of the night? By law, your nanny must get at least five consecutive hours of sleep and a total of eight hours of rest time every night, or the entire night will be considered paid hours. You may find it more practical to give your nanny their own room.
7. Make sure your nanny gets downtime
When you are home, your nanny is relieved of their responsibilities at some time during the week and can go home to rest. When you take a vacation and hire your nanny to come along, they’ll need the same amount of relaxing time that they would when you’re not on vacation. They may have the evenings free, or they might be able to take a few days off to do anything they want. Whatever you and your nanny agree on, make sure they know when they’re not working. Communication must be clear to avoid any ambiguity about when they are supposed to work and when they are relieved of their responsibilities.
Any hours when they are not responsible for your children is unpaid time.
8. Travel Is Not PTO
Paid time off (PTO) refers to nanny time off (NTO). You can’t make your nanny use PTO and work for you while you’re on vacation. If you go on a business trip, you are not required to take PTO, so neither should your nanny.
9. Give them a day off
You can use it as well, especially if you return on a Sunday and they have to go back to work the next morning. If your nanny works Sunday when they usually have that day off, and then a full week of work, this may result in overtime pay.
10. If they say no?
Your nanny may not anticipate your family vacation to be as enjoyable as you do. They might decline the chance. It’s possible that it’s a location that doesn’t thrill them or appears too difficult to visit. If they decide not to go with you, they should still be paid their usual weekly wage or assured hours.
If you are planning a trip and want your nanny to attend, write up a an agreement and have a discussion. Remember communication is the best route! Reach out to Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny if you need some assistance navigating these terms: info@bostonbabynurse.com.
