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Working Moms
rockychryslerb2010
member
Nanny facing cancer battle - WWYD
rockychryslerb2010
member
in Working Moms
Just looking for advice or if anyone has been in this situation before. Our nanny who has been with us since E was 3 months old (over two years) was just diagnosed with cancer. We don't know stage yet, so we're not really sure what her treatment will be, so this could be a little premature. We have a great relationship with her, and E adores her. Timing wise, we were going to be giving her a few weeks off to get adjusted to new baby, so I don't think that will change. I am starting to think about child-care options for October on. We had wanted E and baby 2 to be home with her for at least another year before doing daycare for both. E starts preschool next week, 2 mornings a week. I feel like a horrible, insensitive employer if she ends up needing more time off than we can accommodate, and I don't want her to worry about losing her job while battling cancer.
I guess I'm not sure how to handle this from an employer perspective? I know we will have childcare needs and if she can't physically meet those needs, we need to look for another option. That just seems so cruel to lose her job on top of cancer. Any legal issues I need to be aware of?
I guess I'm not sure how to handle this from an employer perspective? I know we will have childcare needs and if she can't physically meet those needs, we need to look for another option. That just seems so cruel to lose her job on top of cancer. Any legal issues I need to be aware of?
laying down the law on Oahu's North Shore
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Nanny facing cancer battle - WWYD
Hmmm, I don't do employment law but unless you have a super formal arrangement in place, I am guessing you are probably able to terminate her employment if need be, without fear of some sort of discrimination lawsuit, especially since you don't employ anyone else. I think what it comes down to is you obviously need childcare and if she is going through cancer treatment, she likely is not that person...unless of course it's a matter of surgery to remove the tumor and then a couple weeks recovery and that's it.
Obviously you don't know the treatment plan so you can't really answer whether she'll need a lot of time off or not, so you kind of just have to sit tight for now I think. I mean if she needs chemo and radiation, etc. etc., it probably won't work out. If she needs a quick surgery to remove the cancer, and a couple weeks recovery, you could be OK.
My other question would be does she still want to work for you while all this is going on? I mean she might want to leave anyway, without you having to let her go. Or, she might gracefully sort of bow out without you having to terminate her employment. One of my colleagues had a cancer battle a few years ago, and she needed to take 3+ months off for treatment. If your nanny found out something similar, I am sure she would probably either quit or just flat out tell you that she understands you can't wait three months for her to recover. I would be shocked if something like that happened and she expected you to make alternate childcare arrangements for three months, you know?
In any event, my T&Ps are with her and GL with whatever happens.
BFP #1 6/28/11 ~ EDD 3/7/12 ~ m/c 7/15/11 at 6w2d
BFP #2 8/29/11 ~ EDD 5/12/12. 4/25/12: Our take home baby is here!
BFP #3 8/27/13 ~ EDD 5/11/14. 4/27/14: Our second take home baby is here!