Would you ever contact another provider for information?

[playfelt]

It isn't illegal to discuss fees but you have to be careful that out of that discussion doesn't come the price-fixing which is illegal. If for example a group of caregivers in an area got together and discussed their daycares and decided you know I think we could get more for our services - if we all charged teh same amount parents would just have to pay it. That is the part that is illegal - why they were investigating price fixing at the gas pumps, etc. It seems silly but we do come under some of the same rules as major corporations, etc.

Indirectly we do the same on our own by checking out the ads of other caregivers to find out what the "going rates" are in our area and generally set our rates at the same as everyone else. But that is ok - it is just the I can't talk to you and together we agree to set our rates at a certain amount - limiting competition. We were warned that there is such a fine line that it is better to leave fees out of as many discussions as possible.

[Judy Trickett]

It isn't illegal to discuss fees but you have to be careful that out of that discussion doesn't come the price-fixing which is illegal. If for example a group of caregivers in an area got together and discussed their daycares and decided you know I think we could get more for our services - if we all charged teh same amount parents would just have to pay it. That is the part that is illegal - why they were investigating price fixing at the gas pumps, etc. It seems silly but we do come under some of the same rules as major corporations, etc.

Indirectly we do the same on our own by checking out the ads of other caregivers to find out what the "going rates" are in our area and generally set our rates at the same as everyone else. But that is ok - it is just the I can't talk to you and together we agree to set our rates at a certain amount - limiting competition. We were warned that there is such a fine line that it is better to leave fees out of as many discussions as possible.

Ah, don't you know already that I live in the grey area of life?!