Taking Mat Leave

Hello fellow providers!

I am 30 weeks pregnant and will be taking some time off when baby comes. My boyfriend will be taking the 35 weeks parental leave so he will be helping me with the daycare and caring for baby. I am planning on closing the daycare for 2 weeks but im unsure of what to ask of the daycare parents for payment. Do home providers charge full rate when closed? Or half? Or nothing at all? I do charge for all holidays but not vacation pay. Im a little uncomfortable asking them to pay full rate but it will be really tight losing 2 weeks pay and then my boyfriend only making a portion of what we are used to. Anyways what do providers normally do? Thanks!

IMO, it was your choice to have a baby and take time off (which is natural, I'm not judging lol) so it's you that should take the loss not the dc families. It would be no different than if a dcm went on mat leave and wanted her spot held for her. It was her choice to have another child so she takes the loss not you.

Personally, aside from stats, if I'm not open and service isn't available, I'm not paid.

Depend on contract. If you have 10 day personal paid in your contract, you could use those for your mat leave. If you not have paid leave in your contract, then that not part of your agreement and you cannot charge parent. What does your contact have for time off?

EDIT - Just reread and see you don't charge when you are off. In that case, this same situation. You are taking time off, it not matter if that for vacation, sick, or mat leave. Your contract is you not available, they not pay. You not able to charge them. That not your contacted agreement.

I personally don't think you should be charging families (and this comes from someone that does charge for my own vacation time).

You are putting the family out by not being available. I think you greatly risk losing families by charging them for the weeks you are off with your baby. That said, you are 30 weeks along and haven't lost the families which is pretty good as I think families often jump ship when they find out you are expecting!

Many daycare providers have it in their contact that their are allowed a certain numbers of paid days off each year for vacation, sick time, emergency or family leave, etc. I have known daycare providers who use these paid vacation or personal days for their mat leaves. However, it sounds like your vacation time or other personal time is unpaid, so unfortunately I don't think there's any easy way to continue to charge your families while you take the time off. :(

I have two wks paid vacation. One wk in July and one wk in sept. If I got pregnant I would take those two wks and use it for my mat leave paid. But then when July and sept came if I still wanted time off it be unpaid because the wks were used. In your case u don't charge for vacation so u wouldn't be able to charge ur families. U would have to take a two wk pay lost :(

it sounds like you can take the 2 weeks at a loss and just look on the bright side you did not lose any families as they were loyal to you all during your preg.

Do you have a contract?

I do have a contract but since its a new year I am currently putting together a new one. It will be ready by the end of the week and the parents are aware of coming changes. I was thinking of adding something about Mat leave but I wanted to find out what other providers did in a similar situation.

Side note: most of my daycare parents are government workers and have lots of vacation and personal days. Taking two weeks off isnt too difficult for most of them so I wasnt too concerned about losing daycare kids.

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Originally Posted by DMof2

I do have a contract but since its a new year I am currently putting together a new one. It will be ready by the end of the week and the parents are aware of coming changes. I was thinking of adding something about Mat leave but I wanted to find out what other providers did in a similar situation.

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Most providers do something which reflect their contract. i.e. if they have 2 weeks paid leave, then they use that toward time off and try not take any more for rest year. If they not normally paid for leave, they have unpaid leave.

Any time new contact issued with changes, be mindful that YOU are changing the agreement in place not the client. Client not have to accept new terms and can walk away when the contract they agreed to ending. i.e. If you have new contract with new terms which cost client more than before, and if it start say 1st Feb., they can walk away on 31st Jan with no notice because you ended the agreement and there is no agreement for new terms until they sign and agree.

I think lot of carer lose client when on mat leave because parent concerned that more time might be needed than discussed, that new born child might take most carer's time, that they need pay for care elsewhere while carer off and that short term place hard to find.

Even if they have lot time entitlement off work for self, they not expecting to pay for mat leave unless you discussed with them. At 30 week, they likely already know you having baby, and if not warned you be charging them esp if that not your contract, might be enough for some leave.

It careful balance between your need and not ticking off client who maybe not expecting to pay for your leave. You know client best. I think if I was client who never had pay for leave before, who was expecting to have use my own leave to cover unavailability of carer, I might be insult to get new annual contract where I'd be paying for mat leave if not previously mentioned.

Do client have approx date and time you will be off already?
Do client have any idea you think charging them in new contract?
Is there any advantage to client in signing new contact vs refusing and demanding old contract enforced?

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Originally Posted by DMof2

Side note: most of my daycare parents are government workers and have lots of vacation and personal days. Taking two weeks off isnt too difficult for most of them so I wasnt too concerned about losing daycare kids.

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You have to be a bit careful in assuming this though because while the parents may have a lot vacation time, they don't necessarily like to feel like they are being forced to use it, especially when it's a time of year that people don't typically take time off. While many parents coordinate their summer or winter vacations around their daycare providers vacation time, it's a bit different when it's a mat leave and it's impossible to know exactly when it might start (unless having a planned C-section). That being said, I think most parents are supportive of their daycare provider wanting to take time when having a new baby and will make it work by either taking some time off or getting family, friends, or other temporary care. However, they just might not be real pleased to have to pay for this time when they've never had to pay for your time off before. And changing your contact now when you're only a couple months away from having the baby might not go over well, as people will know that you are only making the changes in order to accommodate your upcoming mat leave. If these were changes that had been made prior to getting pregnant or even earlier in your pregnancy, it probably would have been easier. Good luck with whatever happens. This is an exciting time. Try not to worry too much about it. Paid or unpaid, it will somehow all work out in the end.

Before I even got pregnant I wanted to add 2 weeks paid vacation. But now that Im pregnant I wasnt sure if I should just leave the vacation unpaid and put something in about mat leave.

The more I think about it the more id like to just add vacation time. When I got these parents they were surprised that I didnt change already. Although they werent complaining!

The parents know the due date and I even gave them a tentative c-section date. I have an AMAZING support network and even though I might be healing for longer than 2 weeks I have people who are willing to help me with the daycare. The parents are aware of the situation and seem comfortable with it.

I also always do a yearly contract since this business can be a learning experience so my parents always know to expect an updated contract in January. Its not always major changes just things added like my policies with sick children, holiday pay, expected time off in the year, etc. Plus it makes my parents actually read my contract and policy because some parents seem to forget over time whats in it :S

Personally I would be annoyed if my 30+ week pregnant care giver changed the contract to add mat leave pay. If you want paid weeks off add it as weeks of paid vacation and let them know you will use that when the baby arrives and not later in the year. Still might annoy them but it isn't quite as obvious that you want paid mat leave as an after thought!

I agree with the above, be careful. You run the risk of losing families to gain 2 weeks of paid time off. In the long run you might be at a bigger loss. Also should a family decide to walk because of the paid time off you might find it harder to fill a spot if you have a newborn.

That said...you may still lose families when baby arrives. They might have lined up care to start when you take your 2 weeks and they just haven't told you yet as it is too far away. So I would be prepared and have plans in place should that happen so you are not scrambling completely unaware when baby is born.

Not trying to be negative but if my child's caregiver was pregnant odds are we would line up care and give notice and switch when it best worked for the new caregiver. As much as I would love to be supportive and caring to the old caregiver who is about to give birth I would be looking out for my family and my child and making a switch where huge changes aren't taking place. As a pregnant home caregiver we need to be ready and almost expect that at least some families will do this with as little notice as possible (as per your contract).

I'm just kind of surprised that with only 10 weeks to go you haven't a plan yet. I would have thought you would have sorted this out at the beginning of the pregnancy prior to notifying your daycare families .....however if you don't get paid for your time off then you can't charge your families ....simple as that ....you maybe should have been putting a bit away every payday to compensate for the two weeks you are taking off

I also wonder (and all home caregivers would have this issue) but even if families have lots of paid vacation to use they can't prebook it. My daughter was born 5 weeks early...obviously not the norm but i have friends whose kids came close to 2 weeks early and others who came 10days late. That is almost a full month range of when a normal baby may come...so it would be quite hard to families to adapt to that last second, no? I think this is a reason so many families jump ship in the weeks before a baby is due. If they have new care lined up at least it is in place and there are no sudden surprised on the families end.

That said I know many on here have managed to have a baby and keep some families in their care in the coming weeks...so it can be done but I think it does require a fair bit of planning and communication for the caregiver and families.

I thought about the possibility of losing families but it would be very unlikely. Although I have learned you cant always count on what they originally say and will do what is best for their family. I only care for 3 kids, one of them is leaving in September and Ive had him since he was 12 months old. I know they wont be finding alternative care. Another family has already stuck out a mat leave with a previous provider and only left because the provider was closing the daycare. My last family is related and I cant imagine them just up and leaving. Again I do know that most familes do whats best for them and might consider finding another daycare.

Would it seem shady to add the 2 weeks paid vacation and took one for 'mat leave' and the other in the summer when I normally go on vacation? All my parents know that a new contract will need to be signed at the end of the week.

I'll be honest the beginning of my pregnancy I almost lost it and I had a hard time commiting to a birthplan and what I would tell the parents. Ive had a previous c-section so thats why I was scheduled one for this pregnancy. I know the healing would be tough but at least this way I can give the parents a confirmed date and they can make arrangements for their children while im closed.

I think the adding 2 weeks paid vacation and using one when baby is born is the least "shady" of ways to go lol.

Tell them verbally that you will use them after the baby is born this year and in future years will use them in the summer (or when ever).

The planned c-section will make it a bit easier. Less "surprise" factor :-) It does sound like you have a good chance of keeping your families. As long as you at least considered the chance they might leave so it wasn't a total shock. Hopefully they all stick it out and everything goes smoothly :-)

Im hoping its the right thing to do thats why I was asking what the norm was. Most providers in my area do charge 2 weeks paid so it wont be a total shocker that Im now adding that. I REALLY hope everything goes smoothly :) With the pregnancy scare I've found it hard to really believe that I will have a baby in the end. But as the date approaches its becoming more real and im letting myself get more and more excited.

I have been putting money aside but with my boyfriend taking a pay cut I dont want to deplete everything that was saved. Surprises do happen and I can only save so much! Lol

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Originally Posted by DMof2

Before I even got pregnant I wanted to add 2 weeks paid vacation. But now that Im pregnant I wasnt sure if I should just leave the vacation unpaid and put something in about mat leave. .

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Need be careful. As self-employed, we not entitled to pay on stat day, vacation, sick or mat leave. We get around by having paid days in contract and not labelling any of these terms which are entitlement of employed person with employer. It very thin ice if labelled as employment term and can blur line for client. If not careful, they might be on hook for employer responsibility.

We have option to opt into EI as self-employed person which give limited mat benefits but being already pregnant it too late now. Have be opted in for min of one year before allowed claim.

Since you have support, I think if I you, I would not rock boat with client who not run as soon as they learn you pregnant but stay open with support from other people.

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I also always do a yearly contract since this business can be a learning experience so my parents always know to expect an updated contract in January. Its not always major changes just things added like my policies with sick children, holiday pay, expected time off in the year, etc.

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This understandable. Just be aware, each time you make change, you are cancelling prior contract. Client not have agree to new one and is risk they all just walk away on final day of old contract. Even if you adding just 10 day paid leave per year, if your fee is $35 a day, that costing parent extra $350 they not agreed to pay, even if surprised not charged when they join. If fee is $60 day, that $600 more. Need to consider worse case scenario. If all your parent walk away, can you manage financially until new client sign up with new terms?

Unfortunately, you not in position of strength at moment where you having baby in 10 week. This not time to risk annoy client because might leave when you take 2 week and once gone, may not return.

Honestly if you don't get paid time off right now if I was one of your families I would be ticked if you all of a sudden added 2 paid holiday days in especially seeing that you knew you were taking 2 weeks off when the baby comes.

I don't get paid time off unless it is a stat day - all of which are listed in my contract.

I think lot parent be ticked to have two week paid leave added to contract and then all taken within 10 week of change. Parent not stupid. They will know why.

The thing is too is that you are planning on giving them such short notice too that they need to pay during your 2 weeks off. They have probably made other arrangements while you are closed and will have to pay for that too. Regardless of whether or not you think they can afford it you really don't know their financial situation. You have had 30 weeks to save up for your time off.

That being said you have every right to make changes to your contract. With that type of change though I think more than 1 month notice should be given. You also need to be prepared for them to go elsewhere if they don't agree to your new terms.