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  1. #1
    Shy Elly's Avatar
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    Part time charge

    I was wondering if I could get some help about part time. There are a lot of threads for part time during the day, but not during the week.

    I have a potential client who is wanting part time full days during the week. She works 2-4 days per week on a 9 week rotating basis. Should I charge by the day, or my usual full time rate. So minimum she would work 4 days and maximum she would work 8 days over a 2 week period. I don't want to get taken advantage of, but I also don't want to appear greedy. I had an interview with her this morning, and I got a strong feeling she won't pay full time...thinking back now she also asked if I had any flexibility on my pick up time...I said absolutely not. Now I'm wondering if this should be a warning.

  2. #2
    Euphoric !
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elly View Post
    I was wondering if I could get some help about part time.

    She works 2-4 days per week on a 9 week rotating basis. Should I charge by the day, or my usual full time rate. So minimum she would work 4 days and maximum she would work 8 days over a 2 week period. I don't want to get taken advantage of, but I also don't want to appear greedy.

    thinking back now she also asked if I had any flexibility on my pick up time...I said absolutely not. Now I'm wondering if this should be a warning.
    There is a high demand for rotating shifts in my area. While I don't take them myself, I can explain what is common practice with those who do.

    First, you are right to consider if this is right for you. Regardless of how many days this parent ends up working, you are essentially reserving a full time place for her child in order to have capacity every day when her shift changes. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need to make this viable for you. I've had parents pay for full time or go elsewhere because that's what's viable for me. Some will pay for the full time space and send their child daily, others won't.

    Most providers who do take these clients in my area have a min payment of three days a week. Schedules are required in advance. This means, if it's a week where Mom is only working two days, she can only come for those two days on her schedule and that payment for the extra day is to compensate you for money you lose with this arrangement vs waiting for a different client who requires full time care.
    For the weeks that Mom's schedule has her working four days, then they would be required to pay for the additional day. She doesn't get 4 days care for three days pay even though there are times she's paying for the min 3 days and only getting 2 days pay.
    Clients have to understand that their shift pattern requires 100% of a day care place to be assigned to them. And both sides have to gain from the agreement. She's gaining the capacity to switch her child's days and you are gaining the occasional week where you get paid a day without her child attending.
    Remember that even if she's working the max of 8 days over a two week period, (and paying for those 8 days out of 10), you are still losing 20% of the potential income that space provides. Likewise, if she is only working 4 days out of the 10 days over a two week period, that means she's attending 40% of the time, having 100% of a space available and only paying for 60% based on a three day min pay.

    Also be aware that rotating shift client's will often schedule their work around stat days. If you are normally closed and paid for stat days, remember that this client won't be paying you because unlike all other FT client's, they are paying based around attendance not days reserved. There are a couple of provider's here who make it clear that all stats are paid and so even if a rotating shift client plans around the stat, they still have to pay for it. This means, if they are working three days the stat falls, they are paying for 4 days. If they are working 4 days, they are paying for 5 days.

    Consider vacation time too. If you get paid personal days, think about how you are going to charge this client. If you are going to charge the 3 day min detailed above, make sure your contract reflects that these fees are due during your personal days too. If you charge based on attendance (which likely goes against all your policies for other clients) then be aware that you will lose personal day fees as well.

    One final idea what I've seen providers use is to charge a higher rate per day. Consider FT care is your vanilla service. Any bespoke requirements mean that additional fees are required. An early drop off would increase daily rates. A specialist diet might affect the agreed fees. Don't be afraid of charging a higher rate for the flexibility of a full time space that isn't going to be paid for.

    For me, these arrangements don't work well but I don't take part timers normally anyway. I require all client's to pay for the days reserved for their child and no one is charged based on attendance. If a rotating shift client wants to come here, they have to pay for the full time space their child requires. It would seem unfair to me that the client's who paid for full time and came full time and therefore provided a larger portion of my income had less flexibility than a client only paying attendance based fees.

    In terms of that final comment you made about the inquiry to later collection at the end of the day. It might be fine...they might simply have been seeing if there was any flexibility and you did the right thing by saying that there isn't. However, if you think it was potentially a red flag, make sure that any contract you issue clearly states the business hours and that late collection results in a late fee of $1 per minutes, with no grace period, and from 5.01pm if you normally close at 5pm. Make it really clear that if they come late, they are going to pay for it. And that if late collection becomes an issue, you will terminate them.
    Then of course, ensure that you do charge. Even if they are only three mins late, put your hand out and ask for the $3.00. Don't be fooled into thinking it's just three mins and feeling petty about asking for it, because the next time it happens, and it's 5 mins or 10 mins you are in a weaker position having waivered that late fee first time. It sets the expectation that you aren't going to enforce it. Also, don't be afraid to start calling them at 5.01pm. Again, this set the expectation that you are closed and they should be there. You will have a hard time asking for $60 if the first time they come late, it's a whole hour and you didn't call and chase them down.
    Last edited by Suzie_Homemaker; 01-08-2018 at 03:44 PM.

  3. #3
    Expansive... BlueRose's Avatar
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    If she come to me she would have the following options:

    1) pay for 4 days/week every week, these are set days (same each week). Its up to her if she send 2 or 4 days.

    2) pay for 5 days/week every week, Its up to her how many days the child attends each week.

    Payment is by enrollment not by attendance. I will be on call the days she doesn't normally send her child (notify me by 5pm the night before).

  4. #4
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    I tally which weekdays are used within the month, and charge a minimum of 3 days a week at a higher daily rate. If they use each of the weekdays at least once a month(ie mon/tues/wed/Thurs/fri) then full time fees are charged, as I can’t fill the spot on weeks not used. Once they hit at least 4 weekdays, then it’s full time care, again I cannot fill in the gaps on a rotating basis.
    Someone who is already asking about late pickup in the interview is a big red flag to me! I don’t let clients attend for my full operating hours, I have all of them on fixed contracted hours, and if they go outside of those hours, late fees are charged.

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