Payment Schedule

[Rachael]

I'm just wondering how you ladies charge for services? Also do you charge for stat holidays and are you closed for the stats?

I charge a daily rate. Any child joining my day care has set days. I can't accommodate those whose shifts change regardless of how much notice they can give - unless they are paying for a FT place. Lots of nurses locally work 4 days on and 4 days off and so they need the availability of all five week days but many only want to pay for what they use.

Fees are due two weekly, in advance. Fees are due either by cash at drop-off time on the first Monday of the pay period or by e-mail transfer no later than drop off time at the first Monday of the pay period. I stopped accepting post dated cheques from new clients a few years ago when some local providers were having issues although I did continue taking them from clients who had that existing agreement.

If fees are not paid when due, even if it's later that same day, my contracts state I can apply a late fee of $5 per day per child, and that if they aren't paid the next day, I have the right to refuse care until the debt is settled. This avoids me working 2 weeks at 50 hours a week, providing 10 lunches, and 20 snacks, and running the risk of not getting paid. I get paid in advance - it's not negotiable.

Yes - I close and charge for Stat days. These are listed out clearly in my contracts, repeated again in my handbook, and also I have a private group on FB for current clients, where these dates are set up each calender year so my clients get a reminder of them all.
However, fees are only due for the days registered. So if I happen to have a child who attends say Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, then they wouldn't pay for a stat day on a Monday as they aren't contracted for care on that day anyway. I wouldn't expect to be paid for their normal three days plus a stat day which they wouldn't attend anyway.
Should a Stat day fall on the weekend, I am then entitled to have the next business day as closed and paid. i.e. If Christmas Day fell on a Saturday, since my stat days include both the 25th and 26th, I would take my weekend as normal plus the following Monday and Tuesday. Otherwise, I'd only be getting my standard weekend for Christmas!

My contract give me 10 personal days a year as well for my own sickness and/or vacation. These 10 days are paid.

Essentially what this all results in is a set income for the duration of time a client is here. They pay for days reserved for their child regardless of child's attendance. They pay full fees regardless of if a stat day falls in the pay period. They pay when I am unavailable - up to a max of 10 days a year. If I ever did take more than 10 days off, the additional days would be unpaid.

I've never had an issue with this but primarily that's due to it being clearly defined in my contracts from the get go. If someone doesn't want to pay for my 10 days, if someone wants to pay solely on attendance, then that's entirely their right and they are more than welcome to find a provider who operates that way.