While checking out at the grocery store this morning I purchased the August 15, 2011 issue of InTouch Weekly. The cover story is, "The Nanny Tells All." In the cover story, Angelina Jolie's former nanny, Kirsann Morel, is writing a tell-all book about the actress.
Every time I see a nanny come public about a former employer (or charge) I think to myself, "How could anyone betray another person like that?" No matter if the work or personal relationship with the former employers became strained, I think it speaks badly on the integrity of the domestic employee.
Domestic workers are often privy to some of the most intimate details of their employer's life. A nanny or au pair may come across financial records, medical records, court paperwork, and more. It would devastate a family if their private issues were made public by a once trusted employee. I also think it would hurt an domestic worker's chances of landing another nanny or au pair job.
Do You Have a Confidentiality Agreement in Your Nanny or Au Pair Contract?
I do have a confidentiality agreement. But I wouldn't need it. I hate books like "You'll Never Work in This Town Again" for that reason. I do tell my best friend and husband stuff but would never tell anyone outside those to people. I can trust them not to gossip to parents.
ReplyDeleteMy friends that have non disclosure or confidentiality agreements gossip anyway. I think it's a great idea for parents and nannies to sign these but do they work? I guess they work if you were to make money off your gossip like writing a book. But telling friends in town it doesn't stop it.
ReplyDeleteI had a nanny that would speak about our family and job to other parents. I was told immediately by friends. It is humiliating. I don't need the person I pay to gossip and all my friends over hear it. Now, when I hire a nanny, I go over every aspect of the job, but also spend a great deal of time on privacy and confidentiality. I lay out the expectations and give examples. I will fire them. The point is to stress how important it is to you as a parent. If you do this correctly, your nanny will understand privacy is important.
ReplyDeleteParent, South Salem, New York
Never ever in a million years would I do that. I wouldn't be able to be hired after that.
ReplyDeleteConfidentiality agreements are important. But they don't stop gossip. I think they would help if the nanny were to slander the parents or try to make money off their story like in a book or interview. Nannies and au pairs gossip. Parents gossip about their nannies and au pairs. Confidentiality agreements don't change that.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest pet peeve is that nannies are so disrespectful of the parents and talk badly about the parents in front of the children. Also nannies shouldn't speak about problems at work with each other. They need to speak to the parents about their problems to help resolve the issues. It's disrespectful to the parent to talk badly about parents or their kids in their presence or to others.
ReplyDeletethis is the stuff that defines a professional nanny fron a babysitter. all i hear is nannies thinking they are better than sitters. "don't call me just a sitter". it makes me a little sick when i see these kind of headlines. i have no problem with a nanny defending herself against a crime and it that becomes public and it's out of her contol. but this article in this magazine is a bunch of nothing. just stupid and it sells magazines. when you read the article you will see it's stupid, no one cares. sick that someone can make money writing a book about being the nanny to someone 30ish years ago and sell magazines from it. so stupid.
ReplyDeleteNanny contracts should have a confidentiality clause that you must sign stating that you will not repeat anything heard or seen within the home, unless you are concerned about possible abuse issues.
ReplyDeleteA confidentiality clause protects the family from having you repeat private information to others around you. Obviously, this is also a matter of professionalism and common courtesy, but signing a confidentiality clause helps your employer have some peace of mind that you will not tell friends or family how much money the family makes or any other personal issues that may arise. Signing a confidentiality clause doesn't mean the family finds.
I'm leaving the family soon for a new opportunity and the mother has apparently been discussing my plans with lots of other moms in the neighborhood. I know she totally means well, but it's weird!She didn't blab about me to be mean, I know that, but if I was talking to all these same people about her job and what she intends to do she would flip out I'm sure. The confidentiality agreement should go both ways. I don't want people knowing how much I make or who I'm going to work for.
ReplyDeleteI would never do that- my repuation as a nanny would be at stake. I guess this person who used to be their nanny was never a true nanny- and she is just out for money and fame. But I am betting she won't get any support from the Professional Career Nannies.
ReplyDeleteIn my work agreement- I say that I will: respect parents' and child's privacy as it relates to personal information.
I also have written in my work agreement:
Parents Agree to: Respect Nanny's privacy as it relates to her personal information.
I will sign a contract with a non diclosure agreement, no problem. There are plenty of occupations that have to do this. Priest, doctor, lawyer, accountant.... it's not that hard to do. Just takes maturity.
ReplyDeleteNever, no way, no how would I do something like a book or interview to someone else's demise. I think only disgruntled employees do stuff like this.
ReplyDelete