Nanny Agency JobsClarify paid sick time, notice, eligibility and pay records in the written arrangement and applicable local rules.
Separate the absence from its pay treatment
If you are sick, the first practical step is to notify the responsible contact about the affected shift. Whether that time is paid is a separate question. Ask the household or agency for the written sick-time policy and the work location used to check applicable rules.
The US Department of Labor’s FLSA advisor says the federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to provide sick leave, with or without pay. That does not decide a nanny’s rights: DOL’s paid leave overview notes that many states and localities have paid sick leave laws. Contract terms may also matter. This guide cannot decide eligibility for a particular worker.
Ask what accrues and when it can be used
Request the rule for earning sick time, any waiting period, the available balance and which absences qualify. Ask how the rule applies to part-time, changing or live-in schedules without assuming one arrangement has the same treatment as another.
Confirm whether a broader paid-time-off bank includes sick time, whether unused time carries over and what the written policy says about separation. These answers may depend on location and the actual agreement; a generic online chart is not a substitute for checking the current agency or local labor source.
Agree on notice and records
Ask whom to contact, by what method and when an update is expected if you cannot yet know your return date. Share only the information needed to explain availability unless an applicable policy or law calls for something more. Keep the notice and response in a permitted channel.
When pay arrives, compare the sick hours or days listed with the relevant period, your balance and the written policy. DOL’s FLSA advisor distinguishes paid sick time from hours worked for federal overtime calculations; state rules and the actual pay statement still require separate review.
Use a specific offer question
Fictional example: an offer says ‘five paid sick days’ but does not explain whether they start immediately or accrue over time. The candidate asks: ‘What is the start date, how is the balance earned, and who records a sick day?’ The household puts the answer into the agreement before the first shift.
If an absence later occurs, the nanny follows the notice process; the household records the affected hours and pay treatment. A disagreement can then be discussed against the written terms and the relevant jurisdiction’s current guidance instead of an assumed nationwide rule.