I have been open for about 4 months. I state in my handbook that I don’t charge for days a child is sick, & if a day is missed then the parent pays a missed day fee (half the daily rate) rather than the full rate. I initially set this up thinking that it would be an occasional thing, but I have a family (I care for their twins) who has been really taking advantage of it. Every pay period since they’ve been here there has been at least ONE “sick” day that’s credited to their balance owing & now I am really second guessing my policy to not charge for sick days & missed days. I am sure that on more than one occasion she has said they were “sick” so she just didn’t have to pay the missed day fee. One day they’re here & perfectly fine, I get a text the next morning saying they’re not feeling well, & magically ok the next day they come (she usually says it’s due to eating something that didn’t agree with them).
I am considering changing my policy to charge for the spot, rather than days used. I’m in Manitoba & I am legally allowed to have a max of 4 (I have one of my own) & every pay period it’s really affecting my finances because I never really know what I’m going to receive. I was thinking of implementing this change (no missed day fees, no non-paid sick days, but just paying for the spot) February 1st, & notifying families December 28th so they have plenty of time to find other arrangements if they don’t accept the new change. I guess my question is, is it too soon for me to be changing a major policy like that, or am I stuck with this?
I currently don’t charge parents for days I choose to close (there’s been only 1 so far), I don’t charge for my vacation, & I don’t charge for holidays & stat holidays. These I plan on keeping the same.