Do snow days apply to nannies?

By Teri Karush Rogers| January 12, 2011 - 9:20AM

Over on UrbanBaby.com, the nuances of nannies and snow days are being hotly debated. Is it okay to require your nanny to come to work, especially if you have to go to work? If she can’t come in, do you pay her, dock her pay, or count as a sick day? Is it okay to demand that she sleep over the night before a storm, or is that like taking your nanny hostage?

Viewpoints vary depending on prior arrangement (were pre-storm overnight stays pre-negotiated at hiring?), the risk of casting a chill over the relationship ("I'm not afraid of my nanny and I take good care of her, so whether she hates me or not isn't important."), and the nanny’s commuting circumstances: “If the subway [from Brooklyn] is not running I don't expect her to walk here, but if the subway is running (even with delays), I expect her to come so that I can get to work. This does not seem like an odd expectation for an employer. I don't think it is strange that my boss expects me to come in even if it takes longer or is more of a struggle in bad weather. (UrbanBaby.com)

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