babysitter sick- wwyd?

nicole81

Mon, May 29 2006, 9:26 pm

my full time babysitter (10 hrs/ day) has been sick for about a month. she doesn't have health insurance so 2 weeks ago I paid out of my pocket for her to see a doctor, plus I paid for 2 prescriptions for her. it's really expensive, and needless to say, after all that, I didn't end up earning any money that week. so she finished her rx, was getting better, but then started getting sick again. she came here today after the weekend off and sounded like her cough got really bad. I don't want her around my daughter, but I can't afford to take her to the doctor again or pay for any more meds. and if it were up to her, she wouldn't go either b/c it's too much money.

so far, dd hasn't gotten sick, but it may only just be a matter of time. should I tell her not to come in until she's better? but then I feel bad because I can't afford to pay her for sick days, plus lose out on a days work because I have to stay home.

also, I'm due iy"h with another child this month. I'll be full term in less than a week, and my babysitter will get a raise when I have the next baby and will also be working full time until the baby is a month old. if she's not better by then, there's no way I will allow her around a newborn. I've heard terrible stories of what just a cold can do to a new baby.

she's great with dd and I don't want to lose her before I have the next child, but I also don't want her to think I'm gonna foot all of her medical bills, because I can't. it's not even an option. what would you do/say? would it be fair to offer to pay the bill with her 50/50? I'm just trying to put myself in her shoes, and I can't imagine being told by my employer that I must go to the doctor and spend money I don't have or I can't work. but when I first hired her, we never discussed what she should do if she's sick.

nicole81

Mon, May 29 2006, 9:36 pm

so what, I'm just supposed to fire her because she's sick?

ok....... any advice on how to approach her or what to suggest to her before it gets to that point??

ie is it fair to tell her she can't work until she gets better and not pay her, either?

also, a good babysitter is hard to come by, so it wouldn't be wise just to drop her and find someone brand new when I'm about to have a newborn.

Last edited by nicole81 on Mon, May 29 2006, 9:37 pm; edited 1 time in total

Crayon210

Mon, May 29 2006, 9:38 pm

I also don't think she should be around your daughter if she's sick.

You don't need to tell her, "You must go to the doctor or else!", but being healthy is part of the job (perhaps an understood part of the job), and she has to be healthy to be there, whether it's from a doctor or a voodoo medicine man.

She might start to get the idea that you'll foot her medical bills, which is not a good thing either. It suddenly doesn't make it so worthwhile to work, does it?

I also would not feel obligated to pay her for days she's sick and therefore cannot be around your daughter.

I would start looking for a new baby-sitter.