What’s the Standard Wednesday (on Sunday): Covid-19/Coronavirus
- Nanny Rachel
- Mar 8, 2020
- 4 min read
Today, I really want to talk about something that is weighing heavily on the minds of every nanny and domestic worker in the country. What is going to happen if I have to self quarantine? What happens if my employers have to quarantine? What if I get sick or my employers get sick? What if I can’t work or I am told to stay home for 14-30 DAYS! 2-4 paychecks of time at home. What happens?!
This is such a hard and terrifying place to be in. Currently in the Seattle area, many of our employers are already working from home or self quarantined. So, what’s the standard? Well, there isn’t one. The only standard I can point to and hold up is the standard of treating someone as you would want to be treated in this situation. Know that many, possibly MOST, domestic workers live paycheck to paycheck. Many have limited sick and vacation time available. What follows will be my suggestions based on the general feelings of fear and uncertainty and disbelief cycling through the nanny community. I will also suggest, that this be something covered in your contracts from now on, with an abundance of caution.
What do we do as employers if WE become sick or need to self quarantine with Covid-19 symptoms or known exposure? You should tell your nanny to stay home and pay her according to guaranteed hours for the duration of the 14 day quarantine OR until such time you receive a NEGATIVE Covid-19 test. If you are unable to do without the care provided by your nanny, you need to TALK to your nanny about options. Do they have a partner that they will expose? Are they or their family members in the high risk categories? If your nanny agrees that they feel ok continuing to come to work, talk about the plan. Will your nanny be interacting with you or your germs in any way? Will they need to stay overnight to care for the children? If their family members are high risk would they stay overnight at your home?
If your nanny is going to stay overnight, continue paying them according to your contract including overnight fees and OT.
If you have been exposed and they too are already at risk, tell them immediately. Ask them what they want to do moving forward. If they choose to continue coming to work, offer to be flexible with schedules, offer to have them stay overnight so they don’t expose others. If they choose to stay home and avoid further exposure, pay them according to guaranteed hours.
If the state declares a mandatory quarantine, pay your nanny according to guaranteed hours unless it is absolutely financially harmful (remembering that your nanny could be financially devastated by this)
If you are unable to pay your nanny for the time of quarantine, lay them off and have them immediately apply for unemployment, have a date to return to work in mind so that they aren’t forced to look for work during this time. If you lay them off with no return to work date in mind, or you aren’t able to guarantee that they will have their position when the quarantine or illness ends, you will need to pay them their severance based on your contract.
What to do if our nanny gets sick or is asked to self quarantine? If you can continue to do so, without causing financial harm to yourself (while remembering that your nanny could be financially devastated by any period without pay) pay your nanny their guaranteed hours. If you cannot do so, but can pay 50-75% of their pay, do so. Your nanny absolutely, without question, depends on the paycheck they receive, if you can’t afford to pay their guaranteed hours, lay them off and have them immediately apply for unemployment following the above guidelines.
Now, nannies, this is for you. Communication is absolutely key during this time. I hear you when you share your fears and anxieties, your employers need to hear them as well. I promise that your employers are not free from anxiety right now either. This is where our ability to care immensely will be our best tool. Because we all need emotional support through this.
My first piece of advice, go read your contract right now. Read every single line and make notes. Bring those notes up to your employers and discuss how those things are impacted with this outbreak.
Ask your employers what they see happening if they get sick, are exposed or if they choose to self quarantine. Do they still want you to come to work? How will your day look? Will you need to take on any extra tasks? What is their plan for keeping YOU healthy? What do they think it will look like if you become sick, are exposed or need to self quarantine?
Will you receive your guaranteed hours? Is there a maximum number of days/weeks that they are able to pay your guaranteed hours? At what point do you apply for unemployment or paid medical leave?
You should be given a return to work date and HOPEFULLY a week or so lead time so that you won’t miss a week of pay.
All of this needs to be discussed in depth and probably needs to be written in pencil for now, yes I mean that, WRITE IT ALL DOWN.
Top Tips:
- Be open to many options and ideas
- Come to the table with ideas you are HAPPY with, don’t offer up a solution that you KNOW will not be acceptable
- Write everything down and follow up with each other in email
- Don’t forget to talk about prevention and how you will all work together to keep healthy
- Know your state and local laws
- Know your financial picture
Washington State has a Paid Leave program available now, keep in mind, they are behind on processing, so depending on that to make sure your bills are paid is not a safe bet. If you are approved you will get that back pay, but it won’t help you tomorrow.
From everything I have been able to find, which isn’t much, that state is saying folks should apply for unemployment if their work is stopped due to the Covid-19 outbreak. They have said they are doing what they can to accelerate claims processing, I hope this is true.
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