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Hello was wondering if anyone could help me ! Stat holidays for some daycAre they make the parents pay and the daycare take the time off ! And if so what days do you guys take off like say for christmas this year is on a thursday so what days do you guys take off ! And also how does all of this work for a kid who is part time meaning 2-3 times a week !??
Thanks :)
I charge a monthly rate , so my days I take off are paid for . I was going to take Christmas Eve , Christmas Day and Boxing Day , I have all part timers .
I get paid for all stats, xmas eve and easter mon. I have this outlined in my contract. I usually take vacation around those paid holidays so they still pay me if i'm on vac and a stat falls during that time. Reg. vac days are unpaid as well as sick days.
I get paid for all of my stats/civic/easter monday if the child regularly attends on those days of the week. As for part-timers, I charge whoever is scheduled that day, so if 2 kids share a spot, then it's usually the monday kid who gets charged for the majority of the holidays. I also have an alloted amount of additional paid vacation/sick time.
We only have 5 official stat holidays in NS. But we also have other days like Thanksgiving, Boxing Day etc which are normally given as days off but not official stat days and therefore not always paid. I take them all and they are all paid.
From my contracts...
So for a child who is part-time, I would charge them if I was closed on a day they would normally be in the day care but not if it's not their usual day.Quote:
Hours and Days of operation
The Daycare will be available Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. To 4.30 p.m unless specific
agreement has been reached for your child and if so, those details will be recorded here. Late
collection of child will incur a late fee of $1 per minute per child as outlined in the handbook.
The Daycare will be closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Heritage Day (new stat holiday starting 2015), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Natal Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Should any of these days fall on a weekend, the Provider reserves the right to close the day care on the next business day. We also close at noon on Christmas Eve if it falls during the week. These are paid holidays.
i.e. A child who came Wed - Fri, would pay for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and plus all of Christmas Eve even though I was only open in the morning. That said, the rest of the year, when most stat days fall on a Monday, they wouldn't be paying since they wouldn't usually be here.
I take off 11 paid days a year. I charge a holiday rate for these days and for any days the child is out of my care, IF I am given notice before payment is paid. I charge $32 normally but holiday rate is $22.
This year, I am off the Thursday/Friday for Christmas/Boxing day, paid. I am off Thursday, paid, for New Year's Day. I chose to take the Friday, Jan 2nd off unpaid because I wasn't going to open for just one day.
In the years past, I have had all parents off the entire week of Christmas and I think by having the holiday rate, this helped keep their child at home too. This year however, I have a few parents who will send their child to me no matter what, so it doesn't help LOL. Oh well, this year I don't have any huge plans so it won't kill me to be open....but I sure got spoiled and used to being closed with payment!! lol
For my partimers....I stupidly started with part time but only have one left on the old contract. She has been grandfathered in on some rules. For example, stat holidays for her are charged every other one regardless if it's a day she would be here or not. Sometimes they luck out and pay less and sometimes they have to pay more than normal. I now have a new contract and only one part timer on it (the others are full time) and he pays for every stat. I don't charge a higher rate for part time so I don't feel guilty doing this. I didn't want the hassle of "oh I wasn't going to send him that day so I didn't think I'd have to pay for that stat"...this way it keeps nice and easy!
Hmmm - I take the stat and civic days listed in my post above but also have 10 paid personal days. These cover vacation, sick or any time off I need for appointments etc. I never take my day care children to appointments or run errands with them so that gets done on my time.
So my clients pay for their registered days regardless of their attendance. They pay if their day happens to be a stat day/civic day which I am closed. They pay if they are on vacation. They pay if their child is off sick. They pay if I am on vacation/sick/unavailable for a max of 10 more days a year.
Essentially they pay their daily rate x number of days registered and it's exactly the same each two week pay period regardless of what goes on within it.
I do have the option of taking more than 10 personal days however my contracts say anything more than the 10 would be unpaid.
Essentially, it's your business. You decide what you want and as long as the market is willing to pay you for it, then it's fine. If your local market balks at your terms, then you know they need tweaking when you have no clients.
I know most local providers don't charge for their own unavailability nor do they charge for the civic days. I've never had a client question my terms and if they did, they are welcome to go elsewhere since my terms are explained up front before anything is signed.
My 11, if I remember correctly, are 9 stat/civic days and 2 optional ones, remembrance and Boxing Day. I chose to take them as paid days off. I don't charge for days I'm closed due to my personal reasons. It's also not common in my area so I never even considered it.
I am lucky that my other half works evenings so I rarely have to close for appointments (unless they're specialists in the city 2 hours from me) because he is my backup provider. He also helps out when I need to take a sick day. (Although, had to take 2 days off recently because I'm battling a mysterious illness right now and he wasn't available all day)
For the most part, my errands are on my own time but If I only have 1-2, we have gone shopping. The parents just like that their child gets a "field trip" LOL. It usually includes the toy store, library, play places and lunch at a restaurant too. Its a cool way to teach them how to behave in public....knock on wood, I have excellent behaved children compared to who we see on our outings!! Ha ha
I agree with Rachael, you will find what works best for you and your market!
When I first opened, I didn't have paid personal days/vacation days. I have always taken the stat days and they have always been paid. Once I had someone question just the Easter Monday because they didn't get paid for it but at that time, my rates were $30 a day including meals, my hours were longer, and bottom line was, I felt if she was going to baulk at $30 a year that she was disputing, she wasn't the client for me.
However, when I opened my children were still in Elementary school. They needed my time too more so than they do now as teenagers. But we were spending our entire weekends doing the routine things all families need to achieve - grocery shopping, dental appointments etc. I was also having to deal with house maintenance, and decorating/repainting during evenings and weekends so that the day care was unaffected. With one income only, I couldn't afford a day off so would end up having to work when sick, or when my kids were, because it really did mean the difference between being able to cover the mortgage or not.
After about 3 years working with no day off, I was burning out. I didn't have the luxury of a partner or family to give me a couple of hours off or grandparents to take the children overnight. I was simply spent. I was lucky in the sense that most of the clients had been with me the full three years and so I approached them and asked if they would be willing to consider a contract change to give me 5 paid days a year and they all agreed. I then added these 5 paid days to new clients as they came in.
About 3 years ago, I realized I had never increased my fees despite of course cost of living increases. Since my original crew were now in school, I approached my client base and asked if they would prefer me to increase my personal days to 10 or if they would prefer a rate increase. They all said they would prefer the 10 days leave - so I did that but applied the rate increase to new clients as well.
It takes time to identify what you need and migrate those changes. It does help when you already have a client base in full agreement to what they are paying you having seen the service you provide and established yourself.
I think even locally, we all do things differently.
I know providers who take off the entire summer but don't charge because they understand their clients will need alternative care during those months.
I know providers who don't charge for their unavailability but likewise, don't limit it so they are able to take a long weekend or a week as and when they need it by giving the required notice.
I know providers who don't charge for the stat days but instead charge for up to 3 weeks leave.
Some people will look at my policy and decide it doesn't suit them, others will look at the providers who shut for summer and decide that isn't going to work - just as teachers would likely be delighted with such an arrangement.
It comes down to what your local market will support and what it won't.
My part timer's usual day is a Monday but if a stat holiday falls on one of her 3 days a week...she wants to change days????? so she gets her 3 days for the week....should I give her another day plus charge for the stat, ie....charged 4 days...thoughts, thx
I have 11 paid stat days paid per year. Everyone pays for the stat day's no matter what their attendance is. When I had a part-timer who came 3 days a week I always charged for the stat. If they came 3 days that week plus the stat then they paid for 4 days that week. I find it easier that way - everyone is charged for the stat no matter what!
I don't charge for my personal days off. No daycare's in my area do so gotta go with the flow. I also charge a holiday rate for when families go on holidays (with 1 month's notice only). I don't give that holiday rate to my stat days though. I am closed Christmas eve (with no pay), get paid Christmas day and boxing day. I have no kids on the Mon/Tues (they are paying my holiday rate those days). Finally a whole week off with most of it paid!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandylynn
Don't allow this!! No switching days. I ran into this all the time that is why I charge everyone for stats now regardless of days attended per week. People try and get out of paying for stat days.
I personally wouldn't let her change days. If you are at max capacity on the other days, you wouldn't be able to do that anyway without going over your numbers and risking your business being shut down.Quote:
Originally Posted by sandylynn
Plus - why would you let her do that? Parents whose children are with you Full-Time aren't given the option to come over the weekend are they? Why would a PT client be entitled to more benefits than the FT clients?
In this situation I would be clear that her three registered days were Monday and whichever two others she contracted for. If Monday happens to be a stat holiday, then too bad. It's the way it goes. If she would like an extra day when this happens, provided you have capacity, then she is welcome to have that fourth day but she will be charged for the extra day.
Simple - and fair to all.
The issue with permitting the arrangement your client is hoping for, is that it sets an expectation from them. If in the future you don't have the capacity to do this, then they will expect you to deduct the stat days fees since they are only getting two days care instead of 3 you facilitated by letting them switch.
If you do this, effectively you aren't being paid for stat days by this client. Is that fair to everyone else who does pay?
HI
I like how you approached the parents to do paid holidays instead of an increase!! Something I will definitely do when I must increase rates. I will also include it in my contract for all new families.
Currently I take stats as paid days. All regular days I am closed are unpaid. Now I budget a monthly amount so I take off 2 weeks (10 days) a year.
I hit burn out this year!! Been running my day home for 8 years. I took 1 - 2 weeks off each year including sick days and appointments. I also had 2 of my children during this time and closed a total of 3 weeks for there births. That was tough but you do what you have to, to pay the bills. Defiantly a good idea to include 10 days vacation to avoid burn out!! I do usually tell my day home parents days I plan to take off during the year in January so they too can book there holidays if they want around mine.
I have a parent that does that too.
I accommodate once but not every time. Depends if they are flexible too. In my case, when I need to close my day home for a day they will switch days - hence I do not refund them for the day I close.
I would love to know what others do too.
unfortunately 3littlemonkeys not everyone can take paid time off. There are NO provider's in my area that do this. I would certainly have a hard time filling spots if I did.
I just have to work towards taking more time off for myself and my family to avoid burnout. I am working on it.
Actually mickyc, I've seen and heard about one or two who are charging for paid time off. I will see if I can find their ad for you!!
I still think it's pretty uncommon in our area and I agree we would have a hard time filling spots. I actually would have a hard time charging for it even if it was the norm. If my service isn't available than I don't think it's right to charge. I feel lucky enough to be able to get the stats off with pay.
Taking time off is a definite must though!! I actually laugh when I read an ad saying "I never take holidays"...IMO, I wouldn't want this person as a provider. Can you imagine how stressed they must be!! I agree, time off is needed!! I understand not all can afford it but I would change my budget to allow for it! I would go without something just to have my time off LOL
mickyc and 5lm, I know another provider in town, and she has a few friends that also run home daycares. One of these friends charges $35/day, and gets 2 paid sick days a month. If she doesn't use them in one month, she carries them forward until she wants to use them. She closes spring break, and christmas break, and charges for them. I don't know about summer holidays though... And she's currently full. I never thought something like that would work around here.
I wonder if that's the one I heard about it. I think it was a daycare parent who was telling me about her. I read one on eb though...could be the same person too I guess?
If it works for her, that's awesome! I just don't know how I feel about it for myself....lol
really? wow...never would have thought.
I just find so many times when I interview people or have current families asking if any spots are available for friends it is because their provider isn't available and closes often. I am very reliable and post time off way in advance (I will likely give my next year's days off in February). Things happen and I sometimes close with shorter notice but not too often. Good for her if she can fill her spots for that price and with paid time off
I've heard of a few who close often and with VERY short notice....one my relative was telling me about texted all the families in the evening and was closing the NEXT DAY to take her own children to the fair. That is unacceptable IMO and those are the providers who give hdc's a bad rep. Dcp's who never take days off are no better IMO. They allow parents to think that we can do this on very limited time off and that is just not true nor healthy. Almost every single job allows their employee's to take holidays or days off without pay (for those that don't have paid holidays) and hdcp's should be given this same privilege. I wouldn't even consider taking on a family who thinks I should be open every day and never be allowed to take holidays. They are not the kind of people who would respect and appreciate me and I don't want that. I've had to take some time off recently for dr's appointments and thankfully all of the parents were really understanding and told me to not feel guilty as we all have to see dr's from time to time and sometimes we have to take the day off from work.
Closing often and with short notices is very different than a provider who takes a couple weeks off a year with notice. However, being their own boss allows them to close whenever and as long as their clients put up with such silliness, they will continue to do so because it doesn't seem to affect their business. It is sad how short we are for dcspaces that parents will put up with crazy things because they have nowhere else to go!
I would feel terrible if I closed without notice, but I think that's how I was raised. Even when I worked outside of home, and it was easier to call in sick, I just couldn't. I even tried to book my Disney trip during spring break, but I ended up having to book the week before spring break. I felt bad about that too, because some of my families don't have anyone around to fill in if I close.
It's just totally out of the question for me to close without notice unless it was an emergency basically.