Spin - Do you charge for YOUR vacation days?

[Samantha33]

No, I don't charge for my 3 weeks of vacation per year. However, I charge full fees for the other 49 weeks of the year no matter what happens, so if the families take any other vacation they pay. If they have any sick days, the closed stat days listed in my contract, snow days, whatever, they always know they pay full fees and I never have to answer a question about how much people owe at any time.

This is what I do.

[Blackcat3168]

I think you are lucky but this approach could backfire. It isn't as simple as saying if a family isn't happy with that policy they can go elsewhere if there are more providers than demand and lots of competition.

Some providers rely on this income and it's not always a case of additional income so they don't have the luxury of doing this. It may be tough to fill those spots to begin with and when the parents have the pick of the crop they are obviously going to go with another caregiver who doesn't charge them for days they are not available. In an area where it is not the norm to charge for vacation days to do so potentially sets the provider up for putting themselves in a tough spot.

I feel lucky that it works for me too. I've read many threads from providers who struggle to make ends meet and work far more hours than they wish to simply because they can't afford to take the time off.

For ME it IS as simple as saying if it doesn't work for a family then they can go elsewhere.

Charging for vacation has worked for me for 21 years so I will continue to do what works for me.

Which is why I said there is a right fit for everyone.

It's like pricing yourself out of the market when you charge more than the areas average going rate. Unless you are offering something above and beyond and can justify the extra then you have eliminated a percentage of your possible clientele to begin with. The same with paid vacation, if you are closed for business how can you possibly justify charging someone for a service that is neither available to them or being provided by the person they are paying. If they are paying for childcare services, then shouldn't they be able to use the services instead of having to pay double to get service elsewhere? They either have to pay someone else to care for their child costing them additional money, or take time off so money they receive from their vacation pay as an EMPLOYEE, they are just giving straight to the provider and they are left out of pocket. Yet when the parent takes time off to go on vacation you want them to still pay you...seems like a double standard to me.

I justify it by making sure that parents understand that this IS a high stress job and when I take a paid vacation it eliminates the need for me to have to work when I may be sick, stressed out or not physically or emotionally able to... SO in an essence my parents are paying for the comfort of knowing I am not working when physically or mentally exhausted. They are paying for that peace of mind. Knowing their provider is emotionally well. (Again, this goes along with parents having the ability to sign on with me knowing my policies in advance or find a provider that better meets their needs)

Yes I would love to be paid for vacation days but that is a labour law set out by the government that employers must pay their employees the minimum legal amount per year, it is not an employer "doing what's best for them" it is them following employment laws. As self employed people we can do what we want when setting up our business policies, but like someone else said in this thread, and others on the many other threads regarding this, what other self employed business owners get paid vacation time off? My daycare is paid by enrollment but only for days that daycare is open for business or Stat/Civic Holidays or named paid days off as stated in the contract.

Obviously if you can get away with charging vacation days then good for you regardless of whether it is the norm or not, but in my opinion those providers are lucky because I don't feel like we are somehow entitled to it.

I'm in the states and here we are allowed to set up our policies and rules as far as payment and which days we charge or don't charge in any way we wish to do so.

I don't feel I am entitled to anything... I simply do what works for me.
I've changed certain policies over the years to better meet the demands of clients but still do what is best for MY family first and foremost and won't be made to feel as though I am doing something wrong for doing so.

I simply stated how I personally do things.

Charging for vacation days works for me and for the parents I have in care. Bottom line is as long as I am able to make things work and still maintain a client base then I'm good.

In no way was I trying to argue whether providers should or shouldn't do something. I was replying to the original question of "Do you charge for your vacation days" and the answer is yes. I do charge for them.

I charge for them because it works for me (and my clients) and that choice was not made on whether or not it is or isn't the norm for others in my area.