Days Closed Because Of Weather

[jokalima]

Hello,

I am updating my contract and added 5 personal/sick days, I already had 2 weeks vacation unpaid time and 7 paid Holidays, I got this 2 last ones form the contract of the Day care Center I used to work in. I decided to add 5 personal/sick days because sometimes is really hard for me to find someone to stay and cover when I have a Doctors appointment, also I know that day care centers are giving their employees some "Mental Health Day" and I believe we are no different from them only maybe we work a little bit harder because we are all alone ( no offense intended )

Would like your opinion on this. Please..

Also have a question, last year I had to closed my day care for almost 2 weeks in 2 different occasions because of 2 storms that passed through my area leaving me with out power for this period of time. I did not charge the parents for that time but I really felt it hurting my pocket, i still had to pay my bills and buy things for the day care with no income for a week from all the parents at the same time. I am thinking of adding a part on my contract that talks about this, and ask for the parent to pay @ least 1/2 of their fees if a situation like this one ever happens again. Would like to hear your feedback on this before making a decision about my contract.

Thanks

[Michael]

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I've upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

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[littlemissmuffet]

I have 5 paid sick/personal days and think that every hard-working provider out there is also entitled to these days!! I also take 2 weeks paid vacation per year (+ 1 unpaid if needed for emergencies, etc). I also get all stats off with pay.
I WORK for these days off and I feel absolutely no guilt about using them

Where I live, there is no such thing as "closure due to bad weather" for schools, businesses, public transit, etc. The winters here are very brutal but we're all pretty used to them. I do, however, see your concern about losing money when your power is out. I can still run my daycare fine by candle-light if necessary, and prep foods that don't require heat... but keeping the kiddos warm/cool for days on end would be a diffrent story. I have never had a power outage longer than a few hours, and in those cases I just bundle everyone up and we do our best to keep warm in the winter and do my best to keep the kiddos cool in the summer - this wouldn't work for entire days or weeks, however.

Personally, I see this as an issue that you might have to just take the financial hit for. I can't see many parents being willing to pay (even 1/2) for daycare closures due to this reason. I could very well be wrong, though

[jokalima]

Thanks for you comment, have you ever had any trouble from the parents because you get your vacation time paid? I just know that one of my parents will flip out if I say something like that. I do know we work hard for it and now I know I am not the only one that has personal days so I feel less guilty.

[Country Kids]

Legally here we can't keep our childcares open if there is no power. If we can't cook, keep things cool, keep the house at 68 degrees, etc. then we have to close.

I think if you can't stay open because of power outages then you need to take the financial hit. I would make it very, very clear to the parents though that when this happens though you are closed whether or not they can make it to your house or not.

[littlemissmuffet]

Thanks for you comment, have you ever had any trouble from the parents because you get your vacation time paid? I just know that one of my parents will flip out if I say something like that. I do know we work hard for it and now I know I am not the only one that has personal days so I feel less guilty.

Nope, no trouble. And if a parent tried to cause any trouble over it, I would show them the door. My policies and non-negotiable and not up for debate - I make this VERY clear during interviews.

[momma2girls]

I had a family a couple of yrs. ago, bring their child over in an ice storm!!! We were without power for 4 or 5 hrs. It was getting very cold in here. I called the Dad who was sitting at home laid off- I was so mad!! I fell twice putting salt down all over my sidewalk and driveway. I had to go to the chiro over it. Never again!!! All because they paid for it!! I added immediately in my contract- if there is ever a pwer outage, you may be called for pick up. UGHHH!!!!

[jokalima]

Thanks,

I am from CT, last year we had 2 storms, on left us w/out power for 1/2 a week and the other left us in the cold w/out power for a entire week, I have a 1 year old and I WAS NOT going to be having him here in the cold for a week nor the other kids, so i closed the day care.