Nanny Calling Out Sick Too Often? How to Handle It

Your nanny calls out sick—again. You scramble to find backup care, miss work, or cancel meetings. It's happening more than you expected, and you're starting to wonder: Is this normal? Am I being unreasonable? How do I fix this?

Here's how to handle nanny attendance issues without damaging the relationship or your sanity.

How Much Sick Time Is Normal?

Industry Benchmarks

Timeframe	Reasonable Amount
Per year	5-10 sick days
Per month	0-1 days
Pattern	Random, not predictable

What's concerning:

• More than 1-2 days per month regularly
• Consistent pattern (always Mondays, always after holidays)
• Little or no notice given
• Vague explanations that don't add up

---

Common Reasons Nannies Call Out

Legitimate Reasons

Reason	What to Expect
Actual illness	Occasional, with advance notice when possible
Their child's illness	More common for nannies with kids
Doctor appointments	Should be scheduled in advance
Family emergency	Rare, but happens
Mental health day	Occasionally needed in demanding job

Concerning Patterns

Pattern	What It May Indicate
Every Monday	Weekend activities, second job
Around holidays	Extending time off
After conflicts	Avoidance behavior
On nice weather days	Prioritizing personal plans
Increasing frequency	Burnout, job searching, declining commitment

---

Step 1: Track the Pattern

Keep a Simple Log

Date	Notice Given	Reason	Pattern?
Jan 15	30 min before	Sick	—
Jan 28	Night before	Car trouble	—
Feb 10	Morning of	Child sick	Monday
Feb 24	Morning of	Not feeling well	Monday
Mar 3	1 hour before	Migraine	Monday

Look for:

• Total frequency
• Day-of-week patterns
• Amount of notice
• Types of reasons

---

Step 2: Review Your Agreement

Check Your Contract For:

Paid sick days:

• How many do you provide?
• Are they using more than allotted?

Notice requirements:

• What's the required notice?
• Are they meeting it?

Documentation:

• Can you require a doctor's note?
• After how many consecutive days?

Consequences:

• Is there language about excessive absences?

---

Step 3: Have a Direct Conversation

Frame It Around Impact, Not Accusation

Not: "You're calling out too much."

Better: "I wanted to talk about something that's been challenging for our family. Over the past two months, there have been five days where I needed to find last-minute coverage. I understand illness happens, but this frequency is creating real difficulty for my work situation."

Ask Open-Ended Questions

• "Is everything okay? You've been out more than usual lately."
• "Is there something about the schedule or workload that's making this hard?"
• "Is there anything we could adjust to help with reliability?"

Listen for Context

They may share:

• Health issues (chronic condition, pregnancy)
• Personal problems (childcare for their own kids, transportation)
• Burnout (too many hours, difficult aspects of job)
• Red flags (second job, job searching)

---

Step 4: Set Clear Expectations

Be Specific About What You Need

"Going forward, I need at least 12 hours notice except for true emergencies. And I need absences to be occasional—once a month or less under normal circumstances. Can you commit to that?"

Document the Conversation

Send a follow-up email summarizing:

• What was discussed
• What you both agreed to
• What happens if issues continue

---

Step 5: Create a Backup Care Plan

You Need Options Beyond Your Nanny

Backup options:

Option	Pros	Cons
Backup nanny/babysitter	Same in-home care	Must find and vet
Drop-in daycare	Professional, reliable	May have availability limits
Family member	Usually free, trusted	May not always be available
Work from home	Maintains your schedule	Not always possible, less productive
Neighbor/friend	Quick access	May not be available

How to build your network:

• Ask your nanny for referrals
• Join local parent groups
• Research drop-in daycares
• Build relationships with trusted sitters

---

Step 6: Improve Notice Requirements

Make Expectations Crystal Clear

Minimum notice by situation:

Situation	Expected Notice
Planned time off	2+ weeks
Doctor appointment	1 week
Feeling unwell night before	Evening/night before
Woke up sick	As early as possible, minimum 2 hours
True emergency	ASAP

Put It in Writing

"If you need to call out, please contact me by text or phone by 6 AM so I have maximum time to arrange coverage. For non-emergencies, please give at least 12 hours notice when possible."

---

Step 7: Consider Structural Changes

If the Problem Continues, Evaluate:

Are you providing enough sick days?

• Industry standard: 5-10 paid sick days per year
• Fewer may encourage working while sick or calling out without pay

Is burnout a factor?

• Hours per week realistic?
• Duties reasonable?
• Enough breaks during the day?

Is pay competitive?

• Underpaid nannies may not prioritize the job
• They may be looking for other work

Is the schedule sustainable?

• Very early starts are hard
• Split shifts are exhausting
• Weekend work limits personal life

---

When Call-Outs Become a Deal-Breaker

Signs It's Time for a Serious Conversation

• More than 2 days per month consistently
• No improvement after addressing it
• Patterns that suggest dishonesty
• Last-minute call-outs without true emergencies
• Your work is seriously impacted

The "Final Warning" Conversation

"I value our working relationship, but the attendance issues have continued despite our conversations. At this point, I need to be direct: if this pattern continues, I'll need to consider whether this arrangement is working for our family. I want to give you the opportunity to turn this around."

When to Move On

• They've had clear warnings
• Pattern continues
• They're defensive rather than accountable
• You've lost trust
• You're constantly stressed about coverage

---

Preventing Attendance Issues: Contract Essentials

What Your Nanny Agreement Should Include

Paid time off structure:

• Number of sick days (typically 5-10/year)
• Vacation days (typically 2 weeks/year, aligned with your family)
• Whether unused days carry over or pay out

Call-out procedures:

• Required notice timeline
• How to communicate (text, call, app)
• What information to provide

Doctor's note policy:

• After 2-3 consecutive days, can require documentation
• Be consistent in applying this

Consequences for excessive absences:

• Warning structure
• When termination may occur
• How you'll document issues

---

FAQ

Q: Am I being unreasonable to expect reliable attendance?

A: No. Reliability is a fundamental job requirement. While occasional illness is expected and should be accommodated, frequent unplanned absences are a legitimate concern.

Q: Should I offer more sick days to reduce call-outs?

A: If you're offering less than 5 paid sick days per year, yes—this may help. But more than 10 paid days is generous, and excessive absences beyond that indicate a different problem.

Q: What if my nanny has a chronic health condition?

A: You need to balance compassion with your family's needs. Discuss what accommodations are possible, but also be honest about what you need from this position. There may be a mismatch.

Q: How do I handle call-outs for their child's illness?

A: If your nanny has children, this will happen. Consider: including "their child sick" in sick time, having backup care ready, and being realistic that this is part of employing a nanny with kids.

Q: Can I require a doctor's note?

A: Yes, especially for extended absences (2+ consecutive days). Be consistent and put the policy in writing.

---

Related guides:

• How to Hire a Nanny →
• Managing Your Nanny →
• Backup Child Care Guide →
• Nanny Contract Essentials →

What every centre asks you to bring

Whatever else changes between programmes, the supply list barely does. These four turn up on nearly every one.

Best Nap Mat

Wildkin Nap Mat with Pillow and Blanket

Budget: Under $100

Mat, blanket and removable pillow in one roll, and it is machine washable, which is what decides whether a mat survives a year of daily use.

Check price on Amazon

Best Backpack

Skip Hop Sparks Kid's Backpack

Budget: Under $50

Sized for a preschooler rather than a school-age child, so it actually fits a classroom cubby.

Check price on Amazon

Best Lunch Box

Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box

Budget: Under $50

Leakproof compartments a small child can open unaided, which is the whole test for a daycare lunch.

Check price on Amazon

Best Labels

Name Bubbles Custom Name Labels (95 Labels)

Budget: Under $50

Ninety-five waterproof labels in six sizes. Every centre requires everything named, and this covers a full year.

Check price on Amazon