Taking Mat Leave

[Suzie_Homemaker]

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.

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?

[MommaL]

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.

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.

[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.

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.

[DMof2]

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

[Lee-Bee]

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).

[Crayola kiddies]

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

[Lee-Bee]

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.

[DMof2]

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.

[Lee-Bee]

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 :-)

[DMof2]

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