I have a babysitter who never told me up front she expected to paid for her off days (Labor Day, 4th of July, etc.) should I?

NO! Unless you don’t have any other option. Then try to put it off while you find a replacement. Then tell everyone about her.

You obviosly use her full time thereby locking up her chances to do other things. Seems you also told her on a whim that she is getting two weeks off. Doesn’t sound like the kind of employer that she needs. Childcare is a profession like any other and good ones are hard to find. You can always go somewhere else.

I think it’s reasonable for an employer to pay an employee (using the term colloquially) only when they do work…

Did you fill out a W4 for her and send it in?

If your daughter is unhappy there (and has been going to that babysitter long enough to settle in, like more than a month) find another sitter. Ask any potential sitters for references. It’s important enough for you to be very picky about who you choose to care for your child.

Find someone licensed for home daycare who uses a contract with terms like that spelled out for the parents. It is actually standard for a home daycare (and a daycare center) to be paid even on days your child does not attend. We always paid weekly, no matter if our child was sick and missed some days. The exception to this would be any time the sitter calls for a sick day or a vacation week.

The costs of running the daycare, plus the sitter’s need to be able to count on a steady income, are the reasons for being paid when your child doesn’t attend. There are probably sitters who don’t have a policy like that, but many do.

Personally, I wouldn’t use someone for childcare who isn’t at least licensed.

Babysitting is by definition not steady work. So no, you don’t need to pay her. Unless by babysitter you really mean day care facility. Then you should check the contract. Except you mentioned there’s no contract so tough noogies for them.

And since your daughter hates it, find someone else to watch her.

I did not tell her on a whim, I gave her two weeks notice that my mother was coming up.

There is no W4 she does this off the books and she watches 3 other kids so I am not leaving her in a lurch.

Also I have been looking elsewhere and found a highly reputable center for my daughter, that she has visited and enjoys greatly.

Then that settles it. Don’t pay her, she shouldn’t assume work as a babysitter.

And for the record, I don’t think it would matter how much notice you gave her. That’s like me demanding money from the schools because I’m available to sub. It just doesn’t work like that.

Without a signed contract you don’t have to pay her for time she doesn’t work.

If your daughter liked her and she did good work, I would consider paying her to keep the spot for your daughter. But as your daughter does not like the conditions and you have found another place for her, don’t pay what she hasn’t earned.

Especially if she’s doing this ‘off the books’ you don’t owe her any sort of holiday pay. That’s just silly. She’s not even paying taxes on it. Make it clear that you’d be happy to pay her some sort of ‘bonus’ but don’t set a president with her… (not that she could take you to labour court over it..haha)... but, yeah, pay her a bonus of some sort to keep her happy and save the spot for your child.

I ran a professional daycare. I had in my contract that I expected to be paid for holidays that we both had off. If the parent had to work, though, I didn’t ask for payment, because she had to pay another babysitter. But yeah. It was in my contract up front.