WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

I have a babysitter who watches DD Wednesdays and Fridays.

She is scheduled to work from 8-6:30.

I pay her hourly but I always pay her for 10.5 hours

If I get home at 6/6:15 (which I usually do), I still pay her as if she stayed till 6:30. If am go past 6:30 I pay her in 1/2 hour increments depending how late I am.

I started back to work this month, so today is the 7th day she's come this month.

Of those 7 days, 5 of them she was anywhere from 5-15 minutes late.

I told her before we started this arrangement that she absolutely needed to be on time because I have a 9AM meeting every morning.

It makes a huge difference if she gets there by 8 because I live by a school and once it gets past 8:10 there is a ton of school drop-off traffic and it adds 15-20 minutes to my commute.

I already told her this morning that from now on she needs to be there at 7:45AM.

So, here's the WWYD.

I know this is petty, but since she got there at 8:15 and I will most likely get home by 6:15, would you only pay her for the 10 hours, rather than the 10.5 hrs that she is scheduled for? And continue to do that if she keeps coming late?

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

I would. I bet once it starts impacting her wallet she'll be more likely to be on time.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

If she only worked 10 hours then I would only pay her for those 10 hours. If she continues to be late I would look for someone else and fire her.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

I would pay her for the time she is THERE.. she is obviously mistaking kindness for stupidity because she knows you'll pay her either way..

what's her reason for being late?

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Some people need to see actual consequences (in this case, getting paid for only what she actually works) to mend their ways.

I'd actually let her know that her pay will be docked in 15 minute increments when she is late and then pay her for only what she works. You get home 15 minutes early most days, so she's already getting paid an extra quarter hour and you pay her if you come home late. Dock her and I bet she'll start coming on time.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Honestly, I would fire her.

I can't leave a minute late for work. For my job, it is IMPERATIVE I'm there on time (so I actually come 30 minutes early... just in case).

Just tell her to come 30 minutes earlier & pay her for that. Tell her if she is late, you will need to find someone who is NOT.

There are no excuses. I come to work MUCH earlier if there is snow.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Thanks. I don't know why, but I am such a push over sometimes.

You are all right. she takes advantage because she knows she can.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

I'd pay for her for how much she worked. I don't think it is being petty. (If she was on time and I came home early, I'd probably pay her for the full amount though.)

Your bigger problem seems to be that she is late. Tell her to take an earlier bus or this arrangement is not going to work out.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

I would start deducting the time she is late. I would not deduct from the end of the day, because she is there and you agreed to pay her til 6:30. But I would deduct for the morning 15 minutes. She needs to be on time. Leave earlier. When ever I started a new job I always tried to impress my bosses and be on time, early etc. She doesn't seem to care too much, or she would make sure she was there on time.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Part of the reason she is so lax is that she is not a new babysitter.

She has been with me for 2 years (watched my older DS who is now in daycare).

If she were new, I definitely consider letting her go, but she knows my kids and is generally a good babysitter.

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late

Re: WWYD - paying babysitter who is consistently late