Retroactive reimbursement for sick days.

My husband was very ill for two days in April and I had to be closed to care for him and take him back and forth to the hospital.

I apologized to the parents and let them know that I would reimburse them for two days.

One of my parents has decided to remove the two days from the June cheque she is about to give me. The other two parents that gave me new cheques for May with the days removed.

I am not okay with her retroactively removing the day on the cheque of her choice. I feel that it would be the same as her boss telling her they forgot to remove two days from her pay and were going to retroactively on the cheque of their choice.

She has stated it is not in the contract which cheque a reimbursement would come from and I did not communicate it. She is not okay with having to absorb a $70.00 loss and that she had faith it would be settled on the following cheque. She didn't settle it on the following cheque though.

Thoughts on this please.

I'm a bit confused .... You closed two days in April and told the parents they wouldn't have to pay for it so two parents have already adjusted their cheques back in may but you still owe two days to this other parent? Why do you think she should not adjust her June cheque. If I closed for a sick day it says right in my policy book that it will be adjusted in the next payperiod. This parent has already waited over a month. Of course she should adjust her cheque for June. If she was short two days on her payment to you would you be ok to wait more then a month to get it? Probably not ! You owe it to her and I believe she is in the right.

I'm with Crayola on this...if I am understanding correctly, you owe her the two days, so why should she not take it off of her June cheque? I recently went through the same thing when I had to close for 3 days when my kids had Hand Foot and Mouth disease. As I have used all my paid personal days, I told parents they would not have to pay. All of my parents had already given me post-dated cheques (except one who pays by money transfer). I returned the June cheques so they could minus the three days, but one parent chose to minus it from July instead as she hadn't yet given me cheques for that month, so it saved her from having to rewrite the cheque. I had absoultely no problem with it as it actually spread out the income loss a bit. I am confused as to why you are not happy with this?

I think maybe she's just unhappy that the client decided when she was going to deduct the 2 days, instead of her being the one to tell her which cheque to deduct from? To me, it's all the same, why not just let her deduct from that cheque as reimbursement? I'm easy going that way though.

I am not seeing the problem either.
You had to close and you said you would reimburse 2 days and so now she is collecting those 2 days back.
She isn't doing anything wrong if I am understanding the situation.

are you upset because she didn't deduct it in May and you figured she was going to let you keep the 2 days and you are now disappointed to find out that she wants the $70 reimbursed after all?

Let me give you a real life example.

Today, my husband got into a care accident today (he is ok thank god, and my son was not in the car)

And I have asked the kids to stay home for the remainder of the week..... Coming back on Monday.....


I would just take the fees off. no questions. I wouldn't wait for them to do that for me.

I am sorry but I really don't understand what the beef is?

Because I sent all the parents an email alerting them that they needed to deduct the money from the May cheques as the April ones had already been cashed.

She wants to be able to deduct the days of whatever month she wants to. Example: If I ended up with 10 days out of the whole year that I was not available for care, she wants to be able to deduct those days of whatever months she wants to, and possibly all ten days off the very last month in the year.

I have at least two months cheques in all parents files at all times. If it happens that I have to take a day off, I email the parents and ask them to provide me a new cheque in place of the old one. I also let them know that if they do not bring a cheque with the new amount, I will be cashing the one I have as I do not have another to cash. I expected parents to be able to provide a new cheque in a two week time frame for me to cash with the new amount. Am I expecting too much?

I strongly prefer her to deduct for the applicable month, not whenever she wants to.

Everyone is okay with parents banking reimbursement sick days and applying it to whatever month they want to?

Sounds like miscommunication to me, as opposed to her trying to use those days however she sees fit.
I am wondering; if she did not give you a new cheque in May, to account for those missing days, why this issue did not come up then. I know hindsight is always better, but I would likely have dealt with it right then.
Was there confusion in that, when you did not get a new cheque, perhaps you thought that meant that she was fine with just forgetting about those days. (I am sorry, my question mark does not seem to be working, LoL)
Honestly, I would let this slide. I know that you do not like that it seems as though SHE is dictating things, but this is money owed to her, and a month overdue. Perhaps just a gentle reminder that in the future, the adjustment will made to the NEXT months fees, not carried over. Play it to her advantage, in that you would hate for them to miss out on these banked days if they waited too long to use them.
Hope that your hubby is better now. :)

Sorry, just REread your last post.... so you reminded them that if they did not give you new cheques, you were going to use the old one.
I still would have talked about the issue with her then. Sometimes we need to treat these parents like we do their children.... spell it out to them in detail multiple times.
:p

I still don't really see the problem ..... Perhaps she didn't want to replace cheque and just wanted to wait till she had to write up a new one .... Maybe she has to pay for her cheques ..... I do all my payments by EMT and they are every two weeks so if I had a day or two that I owed I would just remind each parent a few day before the payment not to forget to remove the day(s) and if the forgot again I would just remind them again and be secretly happy they forgot as then the financial hit would be spread out a bit. But my parents wouldn't forget !; )

Hmmm - I do not have anything in 'writing' about how to handle this cause its never been an issue - with me it comes off the next cheque - if parents have given me a bunch of post dated cheques and do not bring me a replacement to fix it - I just tell them I will change the amount on the cheque I have and then I give them the credit and ask them to initial the changes at pick up so that their account is balanced.

However NO I would not allow a client to HORDE their credits/over payments until the end of care or something where they all come off in one huge chunk on me that would make it hard to budget for - it comes off the next payment either way either - correct cheque if you do not do post dates or adjusted cheque if you've given post dates.

As long as you already have the money upfront for days used then it is up to you to set that money aside and make sure you still have it come December when she gives you a cheque for less money. It is still to your advantage to have this lady pay this way. Yes it means a bit more book keeping to be sure she does pay the right amount and that is as simple as having a chart with yourallowable paid days off and their paid days off and marking them off as taken and as paid. If you had cheques already for April May then it totally makes sense to take it off the "next pay period" which for your clients is in effect every two months when they give new cheques.

If the parent had used overtime you would have expected a cheque for the amount right away. If this is bothering you that much then next time it happens make out a cheque to each of your parents and give it to them and then you will be able to just cash the cheques they have already given you as normal.

When I really look at it, I guess it is about accountability. This particular parent regularly forgets a great deal of things like spare clothes, permission slips for outings, cheques to pay me, days I have off where she just walks into my house or bangs on the door over and over until I answer it, and brings her son with no shoes often. She is an awesome lady, she is just really relaxed about some things. I am quite tired of being her mommy and reminding her as the more often I do that, the worse her behavior seems to get. She has a high powered job and runs a large team of executives so I know that time management and organization are something she can manage quite well. She just doesn't apply that to her personal life or inside her home. Maybe she gives too much to her job.

I did tell her to remove the five days she is demanding as she has added up three more days she has carried over from last year!!!! I do have emails from back then in my records where I have advised parents that I needed new cheques by a certain day to replace the old ones but she did not bring any, nor can I make her.

I won't write on someone else's cheque and have them sign it as I have had that cause numerous problems in the past.

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Originally Posted by clep

I won't write on someone else's cheque and have them sign it as I have had that cause numerous problems in the past.

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Just to clarify - I would never do it without permission - I give them the option of a new cheque for payday or b altered and initial post dated on file ... my point being they would not be able to BANK their credits up cause I cannot budget for that ... specially carrying over from one tax year to another to confusing.

I have never had an issue with this but I personally will not deal with adult I have to coddle - I would likely end up terminating if it was so many things not being followed through on their end!!!

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

Just to clarify - I would never do it without permission - I give them the option of a new cheque for payday or b altered and initial post dated on file ... my point being they would not be able to BANK their credits up cause I cannot budget for that ... specially carrying over from one tax year to another to confusing.

I have never had an issue with this but I personally will not deal with adult I have to coddle - I would likely end up terminating if it was so many things not being followed through on their end!!!

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I do find it quite confusing and also because I cannot budget then. I budget quite meticulously.

I tried to change the amount on their cheques a couple of times with their permission, but they didn't have time to initial over several days, so my payment ended up being quite late after they finally got around to it. I have no interest in hounding people day after day to initial the cheque.

After that I decided to remind them via email that I needed new cheques and if they did not get around to it, I still have a cheque to cash. I guess that is my way of putting their responsibility back in their court, and if they don't provide the new cheque they lose the reimbursement. Nothing tends to motivate people more than money.

I agree with not dealing with an adult I have to coddle. She has been here two years and it seems that in the past year she is getting more challenging in this way by the day. I think that this boundary I have set has put a bit of a jolt into things.

I set my holiday days, paid and unpaid on a document and email it out every November for the following year. I have an unpaid day set out for July, which she remembered to take off of her July cheque. Good to see she is getting it together a little bit.

Ahhh this puts a new spin on things ...... I wouldn't put up with that either... And I certainly wouldn't let her bank days from last year. Perhaps send out a memo that they have one calendar month to alter cheques/ bring new cheque/ whatever or they lose the credit. Use it or lose it. you right money and inconvienence motivates people...you need to start inconvienencibg her..... Maybe post a reminder on your door a few days before a scheduled closed day .... I wouldn't take that crap

I agree with Crayola. Send out a memo outlining how the reimbursement thing works. You can explain that you need to be able to budget, etc. But be firm and let it be known that this is the way it's going to work.

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Originally Posted by Crayola kiddies

Ahhh this puts a new spin on things ...... I wouldn't put up with that either... And I certainly wouldn't let her bank days from last year. Perhaps send out a memo that they have one calendar month to alter cheques/ bring new cheque/ whatever or they lose the credit. Use it or lose it. you right money and inconvienence motivates people...you need to start inconvienencibg her..... Maybe post a reminder on your door a few days before a scheduled closed day .... I wouldn't take that crap

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I am in the process of changing my contract this weekend to include this. I get pretty tired of changing my contract all the time. There are times that new parents see the contract and look at me like I am crazy, especially when they see things like "It is not acceptable to leave your child in my home without letting me know they are there. Leaving a child in my care without my knowledge will bring about immediate termination without reimbursement of day home funds" or something like that. I have actually had people do things like that.

I send out an email reminder before closed days, it is on the activity planner I email every month that outlines every daily activity, it is on the weekly menu planner that is emailed out ever Sunday night, it is on the daily helper schedule that I email out every month and is on the newsletter as well. It isn't that hard to remember a day off.

Anyways I let it go and am just changing the contract as she said "it isn't in the contract that I can't do that". People are ridiculous.

Some parents are more childish then the children they leave in your care. And ong that's in your contract ? You can't leave your child here without telling me? Bahahahaha ! Well I live in the middle of no where and in all honesty we never locked our doors until recently.... One parent asked if she could drop off early this one time .... "Please please please your saving my life" .... Oh good grief ....so I agreed she could drop off at 6 am ( I open at 645) and I set my alarm early(5:30) and stagger out of bed and flip on the kettle and I hear the kid in my basement, for the love of god she is in my basement at 5:40 AM, she has all my lights on and her kid is running top speed around my basement. I go down stairs with my mouth hanging opened and I say to her " umm you said 6 and it's only 540 .... Your going to have to wait as I am not ready and everybody is sleeping so you NEED to keep him quiet and no running in the house" i was furious i went upstairs made my tea and sat on the couch till 6, and I have locked all my doors since and I told all parents if the hall light is on then I'm opened. She has never asked me to drop off early since.

In the case of any overpayment I just give them the difference in cash on the Monday following the Friday payday. This way, it's taken care of immediately.

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Originally Posted by Dreamalittledream

In the case of any overpayment I just give them the difference in cash on the Monday following the Friday payday. This way, it's taken care of immediately.

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I would never in a million years provide them cash. They could just say they never go the reimbursement from me at a time when they are angry. People do the most ridiculous things when they are angry.

Edited to say: I could just write them a cheque and hand it to them the following Monday. That would be quite easy. Then they could have the reimbursement asap and I am in control of it, no cheques have to be changed and I can keep better track of it with the memo on my cheque. You just gave me a who new system. Awesome!!!! Thanks.

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Originally Posted by clep

I would never in a million years provide them cash. They could just say they never go the reimbursement from me at a time when they are angry. People do the most ridiculous things when they are angry.

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Sorry, I should have clarified...I have them initial a receipt with specifics on it: "I received xxx from xxxx on ______ as reimbursement for ____________________ _________ (why and when). I can totally understand your frustration with a parent as a culmination of many other things as well though.

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Originally Posted by clep

...I tried to change the amount on their cheques a couple of times with their permission, but they didn't have time to initial over several days, so my payment ended up being quite late after they finally got around to it. I have no interest in hounding people day after day to initial the cheque.....

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See this confuses me - it takes 10 seconds how can they not 'have time'? And plus because the change was 'my fault' I do not take issue with having to 'take control' of fixing it so to speak - however I do not let them drop off their child or pick them up without having done it - the day before payday when they arrive I hand them the revised cheque and say 'please initial this so I can do my banking tomorrow' and if it is the other spouse who has to do it I send it HOME to do so that it can be brought back the next day - if they FORGET than it is no different than any other late payment issue bring it by pick up or you will be charged a 'late payment fee'.

Honestly I have never had a client who wanted a 'credit' most of them are eager to get their $$ bank in their hands if I have closed unexpectedly for something???

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

See this confuses me - it takes 10 seconds how can they not 'have time'? And plus because the change was 'my fault' I do not take issue with having to 'take control' of fixing it so to speak - however I do not let them drop off their child or pick them up without having done it - the day before payday when they arrive I hand them the revised cheque and say 'please initial this so I can do my banking tomorrow' and if it is the other spouse who has to do it I send it HOME to do so that it can be brought back the next day - if they FORGET than it is no different than any other late payment issue bring it by pick up or you will be charged a 'late payment fee'.

Honestly I have never had a client who wanted a 'credit' most of them are eager to get their $$ bank in their hands if I have closed unexpectedly for something???

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Most parents don't have such terrible time management skills. This particular parent has the "later, I don't have time" attitude with most things these days. She happens to be an engineer and so is her husband so the money in her hands is not something she really cares about at the time, just when she get's around to wanting it.

I can not allow them to drop their child off, which I have done in the past. I asked the parent to sign the cheque before they left and she said she didn't have time so I said for her to take her cheque and bring it back to me signed. She did do that, on Tuesday. I can only guess that since she was angry with me about bugging her to sign it she made sure it was late. She took a couple of days off work, the Friday and the Monday and I charged her a late fee before care resumed. It was a complete pain in the butt.

I can't not allow them to not pick their child up.

Do you have a waiting list or people calling looking for a spot cause if you do there is always the option of a term letter... That'll get her attention!

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Originally Posted by Crayola kiddies

Do you have a waiting list or people calling looking for a spot cause if you do there is always the option of a term letter... That'll get her attention!

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Wow, she just sent me a text asking me to take her daughter for a week in the summer paid of course, but she wants both of her children to spend the night here on the Sunday night so her husband doesn't have to take the day off work she says on the Monday as she is going on vacation.

Yes I have a wait list. :)

That parent needs a lesson is the difference between a nanny and a daycare provider. And dad can't bring the kids on Monday morning why and look after them at home.

Actually that does say a lot if on top of her job she is 100% responsible for the kids.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

That parent needs a lesson is the difference between a nanny and a daycare provider. And dad can't bring the kids on Monday morning why and look after them at home.

Actually that does say a lot if on top of her job she is 100% responsible for the kids.

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No she isn't actually. He has the children regularly for weekends or sometimes a week at a time while she trains for a big competition she is going into. He picked them up yesterday and dropped them off today, and will be picking them up tonight. He also does the pick up and drop offs for the one day a week that she is not working so she can train. He is very, very involved.

My policy is for a month... sick days dont get reimbursed. I do my best to find alternate care for them, but it is unlikely that there will be a ton of sick days on my part that require me to close so if there is... sorry... still owe the month. My husband was sick as well and we ended up in the hospital and I was closed for 2 days as well... it is part of having your child in a daycare... if they were sick we would still expect to be paid. I wouldnt reimburse but thats just me! It is a monthly fee, not daily for me. I take 2 weeks in the summer and they still pay full price.

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Originally Posted by wolfpup

My policy is for a month... sick days dont get reimbursed. I do my best to find alternate care for them, but it is unlikely that there will be a ton of sick days on my part that require me to close so if there is... sorry... still owe the month. My husband was sick as well and we ended up in the hospital and I was closed for 2 days as well... it is part of having your child in a daycare... if they were sick we would still expect to be paid. I wouldnt reimburse but thats just me! It is a monthly fee, not daily for me. I take 2 weeks in the summer and they still pay full price.

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Interesting. I work the same way for holiday days, but provide myself six sick days a year. If I am not sick though I do not use them. If a member of my family is sick, or I have a day for court or something, I don't use it for that. I have never thought about having just the monthly fee regardless of sick days. I often feel upset when children are on the cusp of being sick, you know that point where it is iffy that they are here and I get sick from them. Or my favorite is when they don't at all look sick when they come and start vomiting with diarrhea in the afternoon. Cleaning all of that up is greatly increases the chances of being sick, more than just being around someone who is sick. I still work when I am feeling poorly just not if I am chained to the toiled bowl. Does anyone else not reimburse for sick days? I do for any days over six.

I have two fee plans - one with higher weekly fees and I do not charge for any days I am closed aside from Stats of course so I do credit if I closed unexpectedly resulting in overpayment since I get paid in advance - second plan has lower weekly fee and they pay same each week regardless - I take 10 days vacation and 10 sick/emergency/personal days for myself annually - if I went over that then I would reimburse that plan as well.

Is this a case where the parents thinks she is the 'employer' and you are 'employee'? Because she is WRONG! Be firm and get it settled. You are right about not being able to budget if she decides to use for example, December, which tends to be a very expensive month!