Lots of Questions! Sick days/insurance! Need some opinions

[Erinn W]

Hello, I have discussed insurance on here before and cannot find my post. What type of insurance does my home daycare need? and what does it cover?

SICK DAYS! Ok so as the care provider what do I do if I fall sick? I would feel awful charging the parents, knowing some may have to lose a days pay to stay home with their child?? My care provider used to charge and I really didn't like it? what to do?

If a child that I care for is sick I should receive pay still, correct. I need to prep my backbone here!

Vacation days/Personal days! How many should I as the care provider have in a year? Are they paid?

HELP :) Thanks!

[michellesmunchkins]

I don't charge for my sick days. I have not taken one in over 2 years! I do charge if their child is sick because I just can't budget for things like that. I do not charge for my one week vacation and give the parents one week without fees...so total of 2 weeks off without fees being due. Any other time they take off full fees are due. I don't have any personal days in my policies either. I would love to add in sick/personal days but where I am there are daycares in every other house who charge significantly less than I do so I have to stay competitive somehow. I have insurance through State Farm for my daycare.

[Erinn W]

Thanks, it sounds like we think alike, I feel it's wrong to charge if I am the sick one...It always felt unfair to me (my personal opinion) Thanks for your thoughts Michelle! The care provider I had for my children had paid funeral days, vacation time, sick days (if she was sick), personal days...

[Fun&care]

My daycare is closed about 5 weeks per year ( not including stat holidays, but including all sick days, personal days and appointment days). I don't charge when I am closed except for stats, although I have thought about maybe charging for the time I am closed between Christmas and new year...

[zoomama]

Everyone figures out what works best for them and what your particular area is like. If nobody takes paid vacation and you do, you probably need to reconsider or make yourself stand out in some other way to compensate.

For myself, I take two weeks unpaid vacation. I charge for days dcks stay home for sickness or any other reason, but don't charge for days I am sick. Some allow for 3 paid sick/personal days, some do as many as 10.

Like I said, it really depends on you and what you feel is fair to you and your dcfs. There aren't any "rules" and you're the boss. That's the great thing (and sometimes the tough part) of being in this business.

Good luck!!:)

[Erinn W]

Thank you, All of this information really helps :)

[zoomama]

Btw, I find dcp don't want to keep their children home when they're sick, but when I get sick because of what their children have brought into my home, they don't want to pay. I don't charge for my sick days, but I think it's totally fair to do so, as long as it isn't abused.

[sunnydays]

Well...I do charge for some of my sick days. I have 7 paid personal days in my contract per year for if I am sick or my kids etc. I am human and the kids bring so many germs that I do get sick sometimes. I also charge for all stats and 2 weeks of my vacation. I charge when the child is sick or away on vacation as well. I need and deserve to have a bit of stability in income just like most people have some paid sick days. It is a hard job and we are not paid that much. Part of having kids is having to take days off work now and then to care for them when they are sick or the daycare provider is not available. I do feel bad when I have to close, but I do not think it is unfair to charge for some of these days.

[zoomama]

That being said, I had one family who paid every single sick day I took this year, although I didn't require it. needless to say, I loved going the extra mile for them when and where I could!!

[zoomama]

Well...I do charge for some of my sick days. I have 7 paid personal days in my contract per year for if I am sick or my kids etc. I am human and the kids bring so many germs that I do get sick sometimes. I also charge for all stats and 2 weeks of my vacation. I charge when the child is sick or away on vacation as well. I need and deserve to have a bit of stability in income just like most people have some paid sick days. It is a hard job and we are not paid that much. Part of having kids is having to take days off work now and then to care for them when they are sick or the daycare provider is not available. I do feel bad when I have to close, but I do not think it is unfair to charge for some of these days.

Good for you, sunnydays!! I would charge too if I thought I could stay full, but there are too many "cheap babysitters" in my area and no other dayhomes with policies as strict as mine so i'm growing slowly. :)

[apples and bananas]

I don't charge if I'm closed. Sick, vacay, stats. I know that's not the norm, but in my area this is what gives me the advantage over the other providers and I budget to make it work.

I put in my policies that I give as much notice as possible by text. And I also have them put on the registration form a place for them to agree to accept texts.

[Momof4]

I've only used one sick day in 5 years but several years ago I wrote 3 paid personal days for myself in case I do get sick. The reason I get sick is because the children brought it to my house so that's how I justify this in my contract. However, I've worked sick a lot! We want to be very reliable for the parents in order to gain a good reputation. I take 3 unpaid vacation weeks every year, but otherwise, I'm paid.

[Crayola kiddies]

I don't charge if I am sick and have to close but I am paid for every other day. to date I have not closed due to sickness in over 3 years. I have 5 paid personal days written into my contract but I don't use them for sickness because I have said that I will give notice for my personal days.

[mimi]

I take 3 weeks unpaid holidays a year. I get paid for stats and if the dck is away for any reason as they are paying for that spot. I did give parents 5 vacation days per year as a perk, but they would then want to trade them in for sick days and then take their vacations when I did. Yes, I didn't see that loophole. I didn't take the priviledge away from parents who received it, I just didn't offer it to the new parents. I haven't taken a sick day in 4 years. Yes, I've worked when not well, but not sick. Our daycare provider immune systems are amazing!