Taking a Nanny on a Cruise

[PrincessShmoo]

Just wondering if there's a standard protocol. Sounds like everyone is in agreement.

Many years ago (when I was of babysitting age) my sister and I accompanied 3 families on a trip for the purpose of watching the children. While we pretty much did all the things that everyone was doing (meals, activities, etc) we were in charge of the kids. We got paid (in cash) at the end of the week.

 

[LAS2AMS]

OP needs to be aware that if the babysitter isn’t compensated, they can make a wage claim - even if it’s a verbal under-the-table transaction.

Check the laws in your state. In CA, the law specifies how babysitters are to be paid (not the rate, but double time etc.). I’ve worked with wage claims and they’re not pretty. Especially considering most of the babysitters I work with earn $300K/year and more (many near $1M). And they’re not live in, get to fly on private jets, eat gourmet meals at the top restaurants, stay in the best hotels, etc.

 

[Marthasor]

Yes, the sitter should absolutely be paid and the hours/expectations should be set prior to the trip. We took a nanny on a few trips when DS was smaller, including a DCL cruise, as DS was not comfortable in kids clubs until he was about 7 years old. We paid for all aspects of her travel (flights, own stateroom) and established her daily working hours/responsibilities prior to the trip. We paid her her full wage for her working hours. Those vacations were quite pricey for us, but worth it so DH and I could actually have a bit of a vacation.

 

[tvguy]

OP needs to be aware that if the babysitter isn’t compensated, they can make a wage claim - even if it’s a verbal under-the-table transaction.

Check the laws in your state. In CA, the law specifies how babysitters are to be paid (not the rate, but double time etc.). I’ve worked with wage claims and they’re not pretty. Especially considering most of the babysitters I work with earn $300K/year and more (many near $1M). And they’re not live in, get to fly on private jets, eat gourmet meals at the top restaurants, stay in the best hotels, etc.

It's a cruise ship in international waters. U.S wage laws would not apply. So I sure can't see how any wage claims could be made.

 

[LAS2AMS]

It's a cruise ship in international waters. U.S wage laws would not apply. So I sure can't see how any wage claims could be made.

You need to check your local labor laws. In CA, if a nanny is hired to perform services CA labor law applies to all travel, regardless of where or the duration.

No different that if you) hired an employee in the US to commute to India regularly, and docked their pay while working in India because labor is cheaper there.

Or better yet trying stiffing your DCL bill at checkout saying the items were purchased in international waters so there’s no enforceable contract to pay .

 

[tvguy]

You need to check your local labor laws. In CA, if a nanny is hired to perform services CA labor law applies to all travel, regardless of where or the duration.

No different that if you) hired an employee in the US to commute to India regularly, and docked their pay while working in India because labor is cheaper there.

I have no idea how California laws could possibly be applied outside California let alone outside the U.S for work performed outside the U.S. . Or any other state's labor laws. The ships are registered in the Bahamas, so I suspect Bahamian law would apply.
All the cruise ship employees are governed by Bahamian labor law.
I suspect babysitting is probably one of the jobs where labor laws are most often ignored. Using California since you mentioned it, as an example. How many Californians pay their babysitters minimum wage, $16.50 an hour? I suspect few...... if any.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I have no idea how California laws could possibly be applied outside California let alone outside the U.S for work performed outside the U.S. . Or any other state's labor laws. The ships are registered in the Bahamas, so I suspect Bahamian law would apply.
All the cruise ship employees are governed by Bahamian labor law.
I suspect babysitting is probably one of the jobs where labor laws are most often ignored. Using California since you mentioned it, as an example. How many Californians pay their babysitters minimum wage, $16.50 an hour? I suspect few...... if any.

The babysitter isn’t being hired to work on the cruise ship. The babysitter is being hired to work for the family, which involves going on the cruise ship. Local labor laws apply, not those on the cruise ship. If the babysitter were permanently based on the cruise ship, it’s a different matter.

I’ve been invoked of hundreds of wage suits involving domestic employees. And yes, many teens around the country have sued their employer (e.g. a friend or neighbor). 11yo babysitters should’ve gone the way of 11yo paper boys

 

[tvguy]

The babysitter isn’t being hired to work on the cruise ship. The babysitter is being hired to work for the family, which involves going on the cruise ship. Local labor laws apply, not those on the cruise ship. If the babysitter were permanently based on the cruise ship, it’s a different matter.

I’ve been invoked of hundreds of wage suits involving domestic employees. And yes, many teens around the country have sued their employer (e.g. a friend or neighbor). 11yo babysitters should’ve gone the way of 11yo paper boys

I apologize if you are correct. I just do not see how a state's law can be enforced outside the state or the country.

 

[lanejudy]

I apologize if you are correct. I just do not see how a state's law can be enforced outside the state or the country.

Probably because the contract (written or verbal agreement) was initiated in CA. The job starts and ends there, therefore the job is based there regardless of any travel required.

You traveled for work, both to other states and internationally. But you were considered an employee in CA and thus had labor protections granted by that state even if traveling elsewhere. If there had been an issue with your pay, it would have been resolved in CA.

 

[tvguy]

Probably because the contract (written or verbal agreement) was initiated in CA. The job starts and ends there, therefore the job is based there regardless of any travel required.

You traveled for work, both to other states and internationally. But you were considered an employee in CA and thus had labor protections granted by that state even if traveling elsewhere. If there had been an issue with your pay, it would have been resolved in CA.

Never had any issues when traveling.
Our issues were when we got new corporate owners and we were the only California location. One employer, had to add 15 pages to the employee handbook just for our location the explained which corporate policies did not apply to us (because they were illegal)
My last corporate employer spent 2 years trying to get around California law that says "a use it or lose it" policy for vacation and or PTO is illegal. You can NEVER lose vacation or PTO, you either have to get the time off or they have to buy it back from you. By then there were two of the companies 64 locations in California. Our HR director left shortly after that was resolved because she had told them that was exactly what the law was. Corporate spend thousands on various labor law attorneys trying to get around that.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Most, if not all, jurisdictions have laws that cover this. The work is considered to be performed in the babysitter’s domicile, and the cruise is considered travel. On the flip side, a nanny working in Georgia is not entitled to CA’s nanny labors when taking the kids to SoCal for a week - they get GA law.

The babysitter is legally entitled to local minimum wage for all hours worked (including OT and special OT requirements, if any, for nanny services). I would also HIGHLY recommend that the babysitter is covered by a travel insurance policy.

As I said earlier, in today’s litigious environment, the days of 10yo babysitters making a few bucks should got the way of the 10yo paper boy earning commission.

 

[Kwami]

As I said earlier, in today’s litigious environment, the days of 10yo babysitters making a few bucks should got the way of the 10yo paper boy earning commission.

The state that I grew up in required that we be 12 to deliver papers. My sister and I did it for a couple of years, earning 1/4th the cost of each customer's fee plus tips. It was good money at 12! And I bet kids are still doing exactly the same thing now, too.

Anyway, of course you should pay the babysitter. I can't imagine why anyone would think otherwise.

 

[LAS2AMS]

The state that I grew up in required that we be 12 to deliver papers. My sister and I did it for a couple of years, earning 1/4th the cost of each customer's fee plus tips. It was good money at 12! And I bet kids are still doing exactly the same thing now, too.

Anyway, of course you should pay the babysitter. I can't imagine why anyone would think otherwise.

It’d be very rare today. Most newspapers shifted away from traditional paper boys in the 1990s, as child labor laws tightened around the country. Where I grew up, it became unlawful to hire somebody under 15. Obviously many people will ignore the law, but big companies (like newspapers) won’t.

And today few residences still subscribe to print newspapers. We had a print subscription to a local paper until recently, as the paper regularly had high value coupons (BOGO up to $30) to a go to restaurant for us. The person who delivered ti delivered pretty much all print newspapers and covered all of Southern Orange County. You’d need a car to do that. Our subscription ended when the paper ended most residential delivery.

 

[cedricandsophie]

When our daughter with Down syndrome was young we had Nannie’s. When we traveled and she came with we paid all travel expenses, her regular salary and a bonus.

 

[cedricandsophie]

When our daughter with Down syndrome was young we had Nannie’s. When we traveled and she came with we paid all travel expenses, her regular salary and a bonus.