By Maria Lopez, Nanny Miami, FL
If you work as a nanny, au pair, or babysitter your employer might ask you to get a flu shot in order to work with their children, or you may even lose a job opportunity if you haven't had the flu shot. I know, because it happened to me.
I work as a full-time nanny but I also have a regular weekend babysitting job. I babysit for a seven-month old baby at least every other weekend. The mother called me this week asking if I had the flu shot yet.
The mother told me that their pediatrician warned that the flu vaccine takes about two-weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection.
Plus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, "Out-of-home caregivers (nannies, daycare providers, etc.) of children younger than 5-years-old should get a flu vaccine."
Therefore, she asked that I not babysit her daughter until two-weeks after I get the flu shot.
Has a parent asked if you have had the flu shot or asked you to get the flu shot?
No one has asked me, but I got my flu shot as soon as it became available.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a daytime nanny I had several parents require I get the flu shot every year. I had it in my contract that if they required it, they paid for it. As I was mostly working with preschoolers and I rarely get sick. It depended on the children and their doctor recommendation whether or not I needed to get it that year.
ReplyDeleteNow that I work with infants as an NCS I get it and pay for it myself.
I have scheduled to get one this weekend at CVS but I asked my boss if she would reimburse me and she is! :)
ReplyDeleteYes. My boss required that I get one so they paid for it.
ReplyDeleteNanny K.M. got mine. family didn't ask me - but I think it's a good precaution.
ReplyDeleteNanny S.R. I would have lost my last job if I HAD gotten it and I am glad that my current family didn't require it, though they offered.
Nanny D.T. Has anyone ever asked their boss to pay for their flu shot?
Nanny A.F. Sarah - why would you have lost your last job if you'd gotten your flu shot??
I always get a flu shot yearly.. Haven't gotten this year's yet though (should've mid-October) because I was overseas last month and it's also hard to get to a doctor/flu shot clinic with my hours!
Nanny M.S. If they require it, they pay for it...just like they pay for CPR
Nanny S.R. My current boss offered to pay when I told her that I was not planning on it. I explained my stance though, and they were ok with it.
My last family was very anti-vax and did not want their child around someone who had recently gotten a flu vaccine, esp the H1N1 vax, so they would have, at the very least, have found alternative care for a few weeks if I had gotten it, and might have fired me. Fortunately, we have very similar views. Loved that family! Probably the absolute best family I have ever and may ever work with.
Nanny A.F. Whoa, I think that's crazy! The vaccines are safe for people who have them..... How on earth would a person who had the vaccine endanger someone who was around them? So bizarre that the hoopla about simple flu vaccines is spiraled into unreasonable panic by people who have no idea what they're talking about. The idea they might've fired you over it??? Wow.
Nanny M.S. Getting fired for having a flu vaccine? Sounds like a law suit!
Nanny D.L. SR, I completely understand what you're talking about and where you're coming from. My new family I'm gonna start working for in a few weeks wants me to get one but I don't want to. I've never gotten the flu shot and I've never gotten the flu. I'm in to homeopathy and I don't want all those chemicals in my body if I don't think it's nessasary. I honestly don't remember the last time I've taken an antibiotic. I know that we are not the norm but I've been dealing with that my whole life so I'm kinda used to it. I might have to get one this year though because I don't want to lose this job. So it can go both ways. A family not hiring or firing you because you won't get the flu shot.
Nanny D.B. I think the best case scenario is what S.R. had with employer and employee on the same page wrt vaxing. Personally, reading Dr. Sears book on vaccines helped me think a little differently on vaxing kids. That said, I always get the flu shot, and I got a pertussis booster recently too. I'd get vaxxed for a job if asked.
Nanny D.L. I agree D.B.
Nanny S.R. Completely agree, D.B. I think that big issues like this can be important to agree on, because it generally can be an indicator of similar beliefs and make working together as a team easier. Like how for me, since I try to eat organic, avoid excessive medical intervention/medicine, etc., it is much easier working for a family who shares those goals than one who goes to the doc for every sniffle, goes on antibiotics at the drop of the hat and eat McD's for dinner a couple of times a week.
No one has asked me, but I got my flu shot as soon as it became available.
ReplyDelete