Use of the Employee Handbook

The Employee Handbook is designed to provide you (the nanny) with information about your employer and details of your employment. The handbook also contains the policies, procedures and rules, which your employer has adopted and you are expected to follow as their employee.

The Employee Handbook will be updated as and when changes occur. Should any conflict or ambiguity arise between the terms set out in this handbook and those in your contract of employment, the terms in your employment contract shall have primacy – with the exception of obligations pertaining to visa requirements

Equal Opportunities Statement

Your employer will not discriminate on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

You agree to abide by the same principles. Your employer will not tolerate direct or indirect discrimination against any person on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Changes to personal details

It is essential that all information on your personnel records is complete, correct and up to date. Please inform your employer and Koru Kids of any changes in your personal circumstances.

Your personal information is confidential and will not be released to outside sources without your prior authorisation.

Visa Requirements

If you are working under a Tier 4 visa, you must notify your employer and Koru Kids within five working days of any changes in your circumstances which would require the Home Office to be notified, or of any changes to your visa circumstances.

You must inform Koru Kids and your employer of the maximum number of weekly working hours permitted under your visa terms.

You must not exceed the maximum number of weekly working hours permitted under your visa terms.

Pay

Payment of salaries

You can use the Koru Kids App or the Koru Kids website to submit shifts as often as you like. We encourage you to use the app and submit as regularly as possible to keep track of all your worked shifts and save the hassle of tracking them elsewhere.

The payroll window runs from the 26th of the previous month to the 25th of the current month. Koru Kids will process payment for these shifts by the end of the month.

All hours approved by the family by the end of the 28th of the month will be paid by the end of the day on the 7th of the following month. Payment will be made by Bank Transfer (Faster Payment) and when the funds have been released, they should reach your account instantly. 

An individual payslip showing gross pay, fixed and variable deductions and net pay will be sent to you via email each month.

Hourly rate of pay is that stated in your contract of employment.

Deductions from salaries

Your employer will make any deductions from your pay as required by law, as stated in your contract of employment, or as authorised by you in writing. In addition your employer reserves the right to make salary adjustments to your pay where an overpayment has been made or in cases of malicious damage which result in dismissal.

Pensions

Your pension contributions and the contributions of your employer will be made in line with statutory requirements.

Hours of work

Your normal hours are those set out in your contract of employment. They may be varied from time to time with agreement from both parties (such changes should be obtained in writing).  

The party wanting to make changes to the normal working hours, either permanently or temporarily, shall inform the other party as soon as possible and:

• Not later than 48 hours before the change takes effect if only a single shift is changed; or 
• Not later than 5 working days before the changes take effect for permanent or long term shift changes. 

It is important to note that the minimum hours policy stated in your Agreement still applies even if it is agreed that one or more shifts are changed. 

It’s unlikely you’ll end up doing such long shifts, but if you take on shifts exceeding 6 hrs (e.g. during school holidays), discuss with the parents whether you think you’ll need a break. Breaks are typically unpaid, so you may prefer to continue working (and earning) instead. These breaks must be agreed with your employer in advance to ensure there is never a break in the child’s care.

Holiday Pay

A full-time nanny would receive statutory 28 days (5.6 weeks) of paid leave (inclusive of bank holidays). Since you will be working a few hours each week, it’s easiest to calculate holiday pay by the hour.

Any holiday you accrue is paid to you at the end of each month in addition to your salary for hours worked.

A simple way to think about this is that you will earn 12.07% of paid leave for every hour worked (i.e. if you work 10 hours, then you have also earned 1.207 hours of paid leave – for which you’re paid at the end of each month). This 12.07% is equivalent to 28 days of paid leave for a full-time nanny.

We typically pay out any earned paid leave at the end of each month. This means that you won’t need to keep track of how many hours of holiday pay has been earned. It also means that if you take a holiday, then it will be considered an unpaid holiday.

Taking Unpaid Holiday

Do not book unpaid holidays during your contracted hours of employment (i.e. don’t plan to go away on a week you’re scheduled to provide care). If you wish to take unpaid holiday during your contracted hours, for instance for a religious holiday, you must discuss this with your employer well in advance. Your employer will not discriminate against you on the basis of your religion. Their decision regarding the request will be based around their childcare needs.

Sickness & Absence

Sickness & Absence Policy

If you’re feeling unwell, please inform your employer as soon as possible so they can make other child care arrangements, and don’t come in to work.

Please also read our advice for nannies about Coronavirus which you can find here.

You should inform both your employer and Koru Kids as early as possible by phone. Try to do this the night before, if possible. At the latest this should be by 7am on the day of your shift.

When reporting your absence you should give a clear indication of the nature of your illness and the likely date of your return to work.

Our top priorities are to keep our families and nannies safe and healthy, and to help public health authorities fight the spread of the Covid-19 virus. It is essential to follow the official NHS advice.

If you become eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, this will be administered directly by Koru Kids, not your employer.

Both your employer and Koru Kids will respect the confidentiality of all information relating to any employee sickness and such information will be held in line with data protection legislation. Your employer has outlined how they will process any personal data they hold on you via the Koru Kids privacy policy, under the section: ‘sharing of data’.

Certification

Sickness certificates are required for absences and should cover all calendar days, including work days, weekends, public holidays and any days not normally worked. You do not need to provide a certificate if you are self isolating due to symptoms  of Covid-19.

A self- certification may be made for the first 7 calendar days of absence. From the 8th day onwards a medical certificate is required.

A final Doctor’s statement giving the date on which you will be fit to resume work must be given to your employer (or via Koru Kids) prior to your return to work.

If your absence is not continuously covered by a self certificate, Doctor’s statement or in-patient certificate, it may be treated as unauthorised absence and dealt with using the Disciplinary Policy.

Return to Work

On return to work your employer will have an informal discussion with you in order to establish:

• The reason for and cause of your absence
• Your fitness to return to work.
• Whether you need any support to return to work

They may ask you to provide a written self-certification, detailing:

• the reason you were off — including information about your illness or injury;
• causes of your illness or injury;
• dates your sickness started and ended

A ‘fit for work’ certificate is required should you wish to return to work before your medical certificate runs out.

Sent Home

If while you are at work you decide that you are unwell and need to go home, you must inform your employer and get their permission first. You must not leave a shift early without the express permission of your employer, and the safe handover of the child’s care to the next designated adult.

If you have worked less that 50% of your working hours for that day before going home, the remaining hours may be classed as absence and form part of your absence record.

Medical, Dental or Optician Appointments

Where possible medical appointments should be made outside of working hours. Where attendance for a medical or hospital appointment necessitates a complete day’s absence from work, this will be treated as sick leave and the procedure for self-certification should be followed. Give your employer as much advance notice as possible in these circumstances.

Absence during pregnancy

Pregnancy related absence will be dealt with separately from sickness absence in accordance with the Statutory Maternity Pay regulations.

Caring for sick children

Caring for the children when they are sick and administering medicine with permission from the parents could be required from time to time.

If you are administering medications, make sure you follow the latest guidance to comply with our Nanny Insurance.

Wearing a face mask, good hand hygiene, and cleanliness should eliminate most risk of contagion. 

However, we recommend you have a discussion with the parents when you start working with a family if you would not feel comfortable caring for the children in the situation where they would have caught certain types of illnesses. It is important that the family knows from the start so they can plan back-up childcare arrangements appropriately. Also, please note that if you do not wish to care for sick children you will not be paid for those shifts.

Sick Pay

Statutory sick pay

In accordance with the government’s eligibility requirements, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) when you are absent from work due to sickness. The main features of the scheme are:

• the first three days of incapacity are unpaid (called ‘waiting days’).
• SSP is paid for up to 28 weeks.
• once SSP is exhausted, an employee normally transfers onto benefits paid directly by the Department for Work and Pensions.
• if two periods of sickness are separated by less than eight weeks (56 days) then they are linked and the employee need not serve the waiting days again.

Koru Kids will assess your eligibility and administer any relevant Statutory Sick Pay in the eventuality it is required.

Time off

Special Leave Arrangements

Sympathetic consideration will be given to any hardship, difficulty or special circumstances which might necessitate a request for absence from work on compassionate grounds. Such circumstances might include bereavement or severe illness of a close relative or dependant.

Antenatal care

All pregnant employees are entitled to time off with pay to keep appointments for antenatal care. Antenatal care may include relaxation classes and parent-craft classes made on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, midwife or health visitor.

Except for the first appointment, you must show your employer, if requested, a certificate from a registered medical practitioner, midwife or health visitor, confirming the pregnancy together with an appointment card or some other document showing that an appointment has been made.

Maternity, Paternity and Adoption

All qualifying employees are entitled to statutory maternity, statutory paternity, and statutory adoption leave and pay. A qualifying employee must request and take leave according to the statutory procedure. Find out more here.

Time off to deal with a family emergency

All employees are entitled to a reasonable time off work without pay, to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. For example, if a dependant falls ill or is injured, if care arrangements break down, or to arrange or attend a dependant’s funeral.

Time Off for Public Duties

Employees who hold certain public positions will be allowed reasonable time off with pay to perform duties associated with that position. The amount of time off allowed will be at the discretion of the employer .

Performance and Behaviour at Work

Appearance

Your employer does not seek to inhibit individual choice in relation to your appearance. However, you are expected to dress appropriately at all times in relation to your role, and to ensure that your personal hygiene and grooming are properly attended to prior to presenting yourself at work.

If you have any queries about what is appropriate, these should be raised with your employer.

Equipment or facilities

Any equipment or facilities belonging to your employer, to which you are given access, must only be used for the purposes of your work for them. If, for any reason, personal use is made of these items then arrangements must be made to pay the cost price of all services used. Abuse of these facilities will be considered a potential disciplinary matter.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

You must not disclose any confidential information either while employed or after having left your employer, unless specifically given permission to do so. You must be aware of and comply with your responsibilities under the 2018 Data Protection Act. Any breach of confidentiality will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedures and may lead to dismissal.

Smoking

In the interests of the health, safety and comfort of the children in your care, your employer operates a no smoking policy. Smoking during your shift will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

Consumption of alcohol and drug abuse

Your employer forbids the consumption of alcohol and use or storage of drugs on its premises nor will it permit any employee to work whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Any such instances will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure and may lead to your summary dismissal.

Professional conduct and public statements

All employees have a responsibility to act in good faith and to promote the good name and effectiveness of their employer. You are expected to be trustworthy and to conduct yourself reasonably at all times. You are not permitted to give press or other media interviews or assist with or be involved in the publication of any article relating to the private or business affairs of your employer without prior consent.

Outside Activities

You must not engage in any activity which may prejudice the performance of your duties as an employee. If you find yourself in a situation where there is a conflict or potential conflict of interest between your outside activities and your duties as an employee, you must immediately report the matter to your employer.

Usage of vehicles

Family’s vehicle: It is up to the family to decide whether you can use the family car (or other vehicle such as bike) during working hours. It is important that you and the Family think about who will be responsible for the safety, insurance and MOT of the vehicle before you start using it. 

Your own vehicle: If you agree with the Family to use your own vehicle for work purpose, you would be most likely responsible for the safety, insurance and MOT of this vehicle. It is important that you discuss those points with the Family before using your own vehicle for work. You should also ensure that you have the appropriate insurance to cover you (most insurance policies do not cover driving for work).

Petrols expenses: if you use your own car for work purposes (for example collecting the children from school if you are an after school nanny) and you are reclaiming petrol expenses from your employer (the family), you must provide a mileage expense claim detailing the date and number of miles you have travelled. Your employer can pay 45p per mile for up to 10,000 miles, tax free in one tax year. If you travel more than 10,000 miles the expense will need to be processed through your pay as a taxable expense. 

You and your employer must keep a record and report the number of miles claimed in each pay period to Koru Kids.

Disciplinary Procedure

The Disciplinary Procedure enables your employer to take appropriate action against you where your performance or conduct is unsatisfactory.

In order to ensure that you are treated fairly and consistently your Employer will endeavour to act according to the ACAS guidelines.

Unless specified otherwise, your employer will adopt the following procedures.

Written Warning

A written warning may be given immediately if it is felt that the matter is serious, if there has been no improvement in standards following a verbal warning or if a further incident of a similar kind occurs. Your employer will invite you to a hearing to discuss the problem and may give you a written warning.

Final Written Warning

A final written warning may be given if an initial offence is very serious or if conduct, performance or attendance remains unsatisfactory following a verbal or written warning. It may also be given if an incident of unsatisfactory performance or conduct occurs following a previous verbal or written warning. Your employer will invite you to a hearing to discuss the problem and may give you a final written warning. The final written warning will state that any recurrence of the offence, or further misconduct of a similar nature within 12 months will result in dismissal. Final written warnings will be kept on your personnel files held by both your employer and Koru Kids.

Dismissal

If, following a final written warning, your performance, conduct or attendance does not improve significantly or further misconduct occurs, you may be dismissed. 

Should you be dismissed with immediate effect, you will be given an amount of notice equivalent to that specified in your Contract of Employment or pay in lieu of such notice.

You will have the right to appeal against the decision but where the notice period would expire before the outcome of the appeal is known, you will be suspended without pay until the appeal process is completed. You will receive a written statement of your dismissal within 14 days of the dismissal hearing. The statement may come from Koru Kids, on behalf of your employer.

At all stages of the disciplinary procedure you will have the right to be accompanied by a Trade Union Representative. You will also be given the right to appeal against all disciplinary warnings.

Gross Misconduct

Gross misconduct includes any action which threatens your employer or their children, your employer’s work or reputation, the people or organisations connected with employer, or members of the public, or which destroys your employer’s trust in you. Examples include theft, damage to property, fraud, incapacity to work through being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs or other substance abuse, physical assault or threatening behaviour, gross insubordination, negligence, harassment or any other discriminatory behaviour or conduct which endangers others. It would also cover breaches of confidentiality or professional conduct and inappropriate or misuse of equipment or facilities.

This list is not exhaustive and actions not listed above may also constitute gross misconduct or give substantial reason to terminate your employment. If you are accused of an act of gross misconduct you will be suspended on full pay for up to 10 working days whilst an investigation takes place. If, after investigation, it is decided that you have been found to be negligent or have committed an act or acts of gross misconduct, you will be dismissed without notice and without pay in lieu of notice.

Suspension

If your employer considers that the matter may result in your dismissal, with or without notice, or that your presence may result in a witness in any disciplinary proceedings feeling intimidated, you may be suspended on full pay. The fact of such suspension will not be taken into account in any disciplinary proceedings.

Appeals

You are entitled to appeal against any disciplinary warning or decision to dismiss. To do so you must notify your employer in writing within five working days of receiving the written warning or other written notification of any decision. Your letter must specify the issues you wish to appeal against or contest. You should copy Koru Kids into any such communication.

Grievance procedure

You are encouraged to have an open and honest relationship with your employer and to raise any concerns about any aspect of your employment in an appropriate manner. This procedure should be used to settle all disputes or grievances which you may wish to raise concerning any matters relating to your employment. The purpose is to settle any grievance fairly, simply and quickly.

Stage 1

If you have a grievance about a matter concerned with your employment you should set out your grievance in writing and send the statement or a copy of it to your employer.

Stage 2

Your employer may respond to your points in writing, or may invite you to a hearing to discuss the grievance. You have the right to be accompanied at this hearing by a colleague or by a trade union official. After the hearing your employer will inform you of their response to your grievance.

Stage 3

If you wish to appeal against your employer’s response to your grievance you should contact them to discuss further.

This Disciplinary and Grievance procedures is not legally binding and does not form part of your contract of employment.

Whistleblowing

If you have any concerns about your employer, you may wish to raise these with Koru Kids. Whistleblowers are protected by the Public Disclosure Act.

What and How of Harassment

Harassment can be defined as conduct, which is unwanted and offensive and affects the dignity of an individual or group of individuals.

Sexual harassment is defined as “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex, affecting the dignity of women and men at work”.  This can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct.

If you feel you are being harassed in your role, you are strongly encouraged to raise this with your employer. You should also keep a written record detailing the incidents of harassment and any requests made to the harasser to stop. This written record should be made as soon as possible after the events giving rise to concern and should include dates, times, places and the circumstances of what happened. You may also contact Koru Kids should you require advice in this regard.

Your employer follows the ACAS Code on Discipline, Dismissal and Grievance Procedures.

Health and safety

Your employer has a legal duty to protect your health and safety. Your employer expects you to take care to avoid injury to yourself and others and to cooperate with any health and safety measures stipulated by your employer.

If you spot a faulty appliance, warn everyone to stay away from it, find a safe way to switch it off (if possible), label the appliance as unsafe for use (include the date), and report it to your employer. Typical things to look out for might be discoloured sockets, damaged cables/equipment, or defective plugs. Your employer will then arrange for the situation to be made safe.

If you’re bringing in your own electrical equipment to work, please ensure it’s in a good state of repair and safe to use – e.g. no worn cables.

If you spill something, please clean it up immediately.

Fire Safety

Please familiarise yourself with the fire escapes at your place(s) of work. Ask your employer to outline these on your first shift. If your employer has fire safety equipment (such as a fire safety blanket, or extinguisher), they will show you where these are located and how to use them.

Insurance

Insurance required of the employer (parent)

As your employer, the parent must hold Employer’s Liability Insurance (with a minimum cover amount of £5 million).

Your employer has confirmed their awareness of this requirement with Koru Kids via the Koru Kids Terms and Conditions, and has confirmed that they will hold such insurance for the duration of your employment.

Insurance options for the employee (nanny)

There’s no legal requirement for you to hold insurance, however you have Public Liability Insurance cover as a Nanny working via Koru Kids (unless you do not meet the conditions).

If you cause accidental damage to non-Material Property then you are still liable for any arising costs (e.g. fixtures and fittings or possessions); and you have two choices in how you handle this risk:

You could ‘self insure’ – this means that if something goes wrong and it’s your fault (even if it’s an accident), you’ll have to pay the bill yourself

Alternatively, you could take out your own Liability insurance which covers accidental damage

Expenses – using cash and cards appropriately

Your employer may choose to give you cash or a prepaid card to cover pre-agreed expenses during a shift. For example, if they ask you to take the child to the cinema, or if they expect you to take the child in a taxi.

Always follow these basic principles:

• Be 100% clear in advance what your employer expects you to spend the money on, and what the maximum budget is
• Photograph the receipt of anything you buy (showing the breakdown of items)
• Return any cash change or the card to your employer at the end of your shift, along with any receipts
• Never use your employer’s personal credit or debit card. If a prepaid card is not available, ask for cash.

Acceptable Payment Methods

• Cash
• Prepaid debit card. E.g.

Koru Kids has no relationship with any of these providers, these suggestions are provided for employer reference only. Please note: some providers may charge a small monthly or transaction fee.

Unacceptable Payment Methods

• The employer’s personal credit or debit card

Lending or borrowing money

It’s not appropriate to ask your employer for a loan or to be paid in advance. This complicates your relationship with them, and can cause serious problems when such arrangements are entered into. Your employer must not be expected to lend or advance your payment in any form.

Document version 1.6

Updated 15/02/2022