WWF14D nanny q

gigantan

DH and I hired a nanny to work for 10 hours a week to help while he works from home. Today, he finished his work 20min early and used the last few min to catch up on local news. Much to his surprise (and my utter shock) he saw our nanny's mug shot with an article of her arrest last week for grand larseny charges involving a volunteer position she had. Apparently it was monies misappropriated over time and charges of forgery. My stomach aches thinking of how she could be allegedly a thief and we are trusting her with our children while my husband is home. Also, she didn't disclose this to us which makes me think she is admitting to guilt by not giving us a heads up.

WWF14D? Is this an automatic firing no questions asked? Would you hear her out to see her side and let that weigh in on your decision? Or do you give her the benefit of the doubt, innocent until proven guilty? I'm legit torn because she is a married mom of 3 adult kids who all seem to be successful in life. She had run day care centers for the good part of her life. She does a great job with our girls, but if her moral compass is so skewed perhaps it is better to protect our family. I don't want to act impulsively because I genuinely like her but cannot wrap my head around this info and what to do with it. Please share your thoughts. Thanks F14

MissDemeanor

I'd fire her personally.

narcissticbeaut

woah. id let her go. She didn't disclose it. if she wouldve said "hey this is happening but this is my side" then you could've made your own decision. she didn't give you that option. and thats your HOME where you need to feel you can trust the people in it. 

gigantan

You're right. I think I just needed a little reassurance that it is the right decision to let her go. You know when you are in the middle of a situation it is always harder to know what the right decision is?

magentawarped

Yeah, she'd be gone if it was me. Had she been up front even after you'd hired her, I'd consider keeping her, but no disclosure, no job.

shellbell3845

Yikes. I'm sorry you're in this position. But, yeah, she'd be gone. 

ShePersisted

Please fire her and yes, I would invest in a background check before hiring a nanny next time. It costs $50 to $100 bucks but it's worthwhile for me with no doubt!

boogerbearoriginal

Hg45 said:

Please fire her and yes, I would invest in a background check before hiring a nanny next time. It costs $50 to $100 bucks but it's worthwhile for me with no doubt!

To be fair, if she had no prior issues and was just charged a background check wouldn't have shown anything prior to her being hired. And I'm guessing she didn't disclose it at interview because she hadn't been caught yet? 

FWIW I can see being conflicted on whether to keep her on since her charges have nothing to do with harming/endangering children and there are people who are innocent and charged by mistake and until she's been tried and found guilty, she's not a felon/criminal.  Honestly my concern with keeping her on would not be that she'd harm my kids, but that she'd steal from me if she was stealing from her other employer.

All that said, I'd fire her, not doing so is likely delaying the inevitable if/when she's found guilty. And if she's facing a trial it's not like she's going to be available to watch your kids anyway.

gigantan

Yes, she had a clean record upon hire 3 months ago.She only works Mondays and Fridays for us. She apparently posted bail on thurs and made it to us in time as if nothing happened. That was just last week. She had two total opportunities aside from calling us to disclose which concerned me and I am concerned not about my children as much (because my husband is still home when she is) but trusting her in General is a huge problem now.

nebraska84

I would let her go too, but I would make up another reason for it, like your DH hours changed and you don't need her any longer...I am sorry you are going through this

gigantan

Thanks for your support guys; it cannot be quantified but means so much to this sad mama.