Schedule Change & Billing

[Lyss]

So I'm confusing myself with this situation and for some reason I feel like I can't come up with the proper solution. I'm good, amazing actually, at over thinking things and I think that's what is happening here! Plus I feel like lately I've discovered a lot of little things here and there that need to be tweaked about my fees/hours/contract (like switching to contracted hours) and I don't want to create another issue for myself to look at think "darn! That's what I should have done!" down the line.

I charge a flat rate for full time and I have a daily rate for part timers (slightly more than ft breaks down to be), this is standard in my area so it's how I structured my program.

So the problem: I have a DCB that is charged a flat rate for full time. He comes 4 days a week about 12 hours because DCM works 4 10 hour days. I don't accept schedules this long normally (10hr is my max) but when her schedule changed I agreed to keep him, at the full time rate, as he was only going to be here a few more months (6 tops) until DCM got fired (which she's actively trying for) or DCD returned from Afghanistan in March and would be home with him (then they planned to move out of state). Well DCD is returning sooner than expected, tomorrow actually, but has decided that he wants DCB to come a few days a week rather than be home with him full time like planned.

My dilemma is that DCB would still be here the 12 hours and DCM is emailing me about the cost, which she's breaking down in all kinds of different ways (probably where my confusion is stemming from) trying to figure out "what to pay." Granted she says she is trying to be fair about the situation, but then she ends her email making it seem that she thinks she will be paying the daily rate which isn't fair to myself at all. (*Backbone alert!* I've already sent her an email letting her know that I, and I alone, will be the one to set the rate not her, I just needed to look at the calendar and schedule and would get back to her)

How do you guys handle over 10hours if you've had them or been approached about it? my daily rate if you divide it out over 10 hours comes out to about 3/hr so should I tack an extra $6 a day or just charge a flat "overtime" fee? Also this part time would be only until DCD got a job (then would return to 10hr days) or they move out of state.

[AnneCordelia]

So they are asking for 2 12hr days instead of 4, even though dad will be home?

My rate for a fulltime child works to $35/day. My rate for a fulltime child coming for 12 hours would be $40. My rate for a part time child coming 12 hours would be something like $45. Although, I cant see to agreeing to 12 hour days if a parent is at home.

[MamaBearCanada]

I would definately charge more for the extra 2 hours a day. A 10 hour day is long enough to count for a full day in my opinion. Or,

1. you could explain that he was being charged at the full time rate of $150/week for 5 days over 4 days (48hr). Now he will be charged for 4 days over 3 (36 hrs if he comes for 3 12hr days) so $120/wk. If you charge $3/hr for the first 10 hrs then $5/hr for next 2hrs then that is $40/day so for the 3 days would still work out at $120/wk so that would be the MINIMUM I would charge.
2 explain a part time slot is x hrs a week (25?) anything above that is a full time slot - but be prepared for them to want to use all their hours.

[Lyss]

So they are asking for 2 12hr days instead of 4, even though dad will be home?

My rate for a fulltime child works to $35/day. My rate for a fulltime child coming for 12 hours would be $40. My rate for a part time child coming 12 hours would be something like $45. Although, I cant see to agreeing to 12 hour days if a parent is at home.

Yes, DCD will be home but looking for a job...

His reasoning to DCM (or what she's telling me anyway) is that he needs time to get out and job hunt without DCB in tow so they want to pay for a spot PT that DCD can use to schedule interviews and job search stuff (I told DCM I need a set schedule, no calls the night before will be accepted as drop in and part time are 2 very different things!). If he doesn't have anything then DCB stays home... supposedly but we all know how that works. Plus DCM gets reimbursed $200/mo by her work for daycare fees so he said why not keep accepting it and get care for nearly free (to them). The reasoning why DCD couldn't pickup/drop off at a different time? DCM works in my city, two minutes from my house, but they actually live in a smaller town about 30 mins outside of the city I live in.

IMHO I don't think DCM expects DCD to stay around, just from comments she's said here and there plus she's very concerned that I'm going to fill DCBs vacated full time spot as i refused to hold it while they attend part time.

[lovemykidstoo]

To figure out how much you would charge for 2 / 12 hr days I would first need to know how much you were charging for 4 / 12 hr days. How much were you charging them before?

So daddy dearest who hasn't seen his child in awhile because he's in the service can't handle having him at home? That's really sad.

[Lyss]

To figure out how much you would charge for 2 / 12 hr days I would first need to know how much you were charging for 4 / 12 hr days. How much were you charging them before?

So daddy dearest who hasn't seen his child in awhile because he's in the service can't handle having him at home? That's really sad.

I think I got the billing figured out with the help of PPs!! I think my biggest issue was how to phrase it in my head! !

I think its sad as well. DCD works for a private contractor in Afghanistan and has been gone since March of this year. He was supposed to call me on DCB's bday recently to talk to him but instead i got a text he had no minutes and wasn't going to call. DCB was so disappointed.

[theycallmetaytor]

In the dad defense coming home from a deployment and transitioning back into daily life can be very difficult and frustrating for them. My husband is a soldier and has deployed twice and it has taken him months to transition back both times and we have no children.


I didn't read the contractot part...but having been away for months and then coming home and jumping right back in can be hard either way.

[MarinaVanessa]

I'm not sure where the confusion is because it seems to me that you've got a good handle on it already. You told them you wouldn't hold the full-time spot for them, you told DCM that you and you alone would decide on the rate etc and that's great.

You also charge a flat weekly rate for FT ... good. So I hope you do the same for PT based on the number of hours/days that they need. I for one figured out what the minimum that I wanted to make for FT was and set that as my base rate. Everything else costs more hourly. 30 hours of PT costs more per hour than FT, less than 30 hours of PT costs more hourly than 30 hours of PT, Drop in daily costs more hourly than less than 30 hours of PT and drop in hourly costs more than a full day of drop-in.

I figured out how many hours I wanted PT to be and charged more hourly for PT (like you do) and kept it as a flat weekly rate just like FT and on a set schedule. If they needed less hours than what my PT rate is (30 hours a week for me) then I charge a little extra than the PT hourly rate and charged based on a set schedule (still charged a flat weekly rate based on the hours they needed). I also have a limit of 10 hours a day and anything over 10 hours a day is charged at an overtime rate of $5 per hour.

If they wanted to add an extra day in there one week then they would pay my drop-in rate willing that I had availability.

So for example (going on my rates) for this family this is how I would find what their rate would be:

DCB will need to come 2 days a week for 12 hours a day, sometimes extra days needed.
PT hourly rate for less than 30 hours a week $3.75/hr x 10 hours per day = $37.50/day
$37.50 x 2 days per week = $75.00.
Add the 2 extra hours each day ... 4 hours x $5 overtime rate = $20.00
$75.00 + $20.00 = $95.00 flat weekly rate on scheduled hours. Same days/hours each week charged whether they attend or not. Days cannot be exchanged for other days.

If they needed an extra full day I would charge them $40 for a full day (10 hours) and $5 for each additional hour. Less than a full day is $5.00/hr with a $20 minimum.

That's just how I do it, and although it seems complicated it's really not and it works for me but theres more than one way to skin a cat.