ADVICE on Policy....

[Rudy0003]

:confused:Hi there! I need some advice. I have a family that made it very clear that they don't want to pay me when "I" take a day off but they also don't want to pay me when "they" take days off.

I completely understand not paying me when "I" take a day off (which by the way was ONE day in October when I had to go to my sister's wedding 4 states away). BUT, at Christmas they want to take TWO weeks off and not pay me. I can't afford this! On my contract it says I am taking ONE week off around Christmas, NOT two.

Question 1: Should they have to pay me for the week that my daycare is open but THEY are CHOSING not to bring their son? What do you guys do about this?

Question 2: Do you guys give them a schedule with paycheck amounts/times etc. etc.?

(I wish I would have addressed this in my contract earlier)

Thanks so much!!!

Jen

[Country Kids]

If you don't want to charge when your not working that is totally fine.

They do need to pay you though if they decide not to bring their child to you. Let them know they are paying for that slot. If they don't want to pay tell them it will be a day by day situation then if the slot is open. If someone else calls and needs that slot you will be filling it for them.

[Blackcat31]

:confused:Hi there! I need some advice. I have a family that made it very clear that they don't want to pay me when "I" take a day off but they also don't want to pay me when "they" take days off.

It shouldn't matter what THEY want to do but it should matter what your policies say YOU do. Do you have it in your contract that you charge for holidays/vacations or days in which you are closed?

If so, and they signed the contract, they should have to pay. If you don't have it in your contract, then I would change it to say what you want it to say and also prepare for them to leave if they don't agree.

:
Question 1: Should they have to pay me for the week that my daycare is open but THEY are CHOSING not to bring their son? What do you guys do about this?.

Again, depending on your contract and what your policies are, I think you should charge for days you are open and available to provide care. If they choose to not bring their child then that is up to them.

:Question 2: Do you guys give them a schedule with paycheck amounts/times etc. etc.?

I require ALL my parents to submit a written schedule of all days they are going to attend WITH payment in advance for those days.

I allow my families a specific number of days per year to use without being charged. The number of days per year range from 3-8 days depending on how often the family attends.

HTH

[Mom&Provider]

What does your contract say currently?

If it says they don't have to pay for time you take then they don't pay the week you scheduled to close and they pay the week they chose to take...period. Your business your rules. I'm all for not charging when the child is not there because you are closed for vacation/personal days etc., but if you don't allow vacation days outside of that and they choose to keep DCK home, then the pay...simple.

I am closed over at Christmas. I have had a parent attempt to sway me to open (just not coming out and saying it!) and another who might take more time. I am not changing my plans on either! I'm closed when I booked and that's it. You don't come and have no vacation days to use up you pay.

They would certainly expect me to stick to the rules, so there is no reason I can see that they shouldn't have to follow them as well!?

[MarinaVanessa]

Do you not cover this in your policies at all? Do you have any policies about you or your client taking time off at all? Can you post these so that we can see them?

If your policy states that they get one free week during Christmas then that's what they get and they must still pay for their second week that they are off. If they continue to try to negotiate this then you can either

a) let it go and allow them to take the 2nd week off at no charge which btw I am highly against because this will only open the door for this family and possibly others to take advantage and then you'll eventually resent doing daycare.

b) Stick to your guns and be firm about your policies. Quote the policy that they signed and give them a copy of it to remind them that they signed and agreed to this policy.

with the second option (depending on how the family is) we all may potentially run the risk of the family not being happy and leaving in search of a daycare that won't charge for these days (which they may or may not find) but if you're not already having a hard time finding clients then thus family leaving may not be such a bad thing. If you tell them no and they still refuse to pay for the second week and they leave anyway without paying then I would definitely see this as a hostile act of defiance and would begin to start looking for another family. If I was not hurting financially I would terminate immediately (which I have in my contract) but if I couldn't afford to lose them as a client then I would search for a replacement first and once I found one I would give them their 2 week notice.

PS: Sometimes you don't have to let a family go, just the idea of terminating them is enough to set them straight. My first DCM had me by the round and curly's because she was my only client. She had decided that she had the upper hand so she would choose which policies to follow and which she wouldn't and I had to take it because I couldn't afford to lose the income. When I did try to enforce my policies she would threaten to terminate. Well I started to get more clients and once I had 2 more DCK's I was making more than enough to be able to terminate her. The next time that she tried to pull the good 'ol "Well I have to do what is best for my family.." I agreed and told her "and I have to do what is best for me, my family and my business. If you feel you need to seek childcare elsewhere I can understand that and good luck. No hard feelings. Don't forget to you need to put in a 2 week notice in writing". The look of astonishment was enough to make it all worthwhile and she never did put in her 2 weeks notice for that. She eventually got weird hours which I was unable to accomodate and I was firm so she went from FT to PT, then eventually to drop-in and as a drop-in client I just never seemed to have room on the days that she needed. Weird.

Moral of the story. You'll hate doing DC if you don't have control and even though it's crazy scary to have to use your backbone once you get into the practice of it you'll get better at it, it'll be less scary and you won't feel so anxious or stressed. You also won't get burned out as fast. KUP.

[itlw8]

You tell them I am sorry that will not work for me.

You have 3 options.

You can follow my policies and pay when the child is not here. that includes my scheduled days off and vacations.

You can give your 2 weeks paid notice

I can charge you the higher drop in rate. It is $15 a day more than the full time rate. there is no discounts for the weeks you are here 5 days. AND if I find you are not coming enough you can be replaced with a full time child at any time. You MUST schedule your days here 2 weeks in advance. If you reserve it you pay for it

[littlemissmuffet]

:confused:Hi there! I need some advice. I have a family that made it very clear that they don't want to pay me when "I" take a day off but they also don't want to pay me when "they" take days off.

BYE!!!

:: I charge for all days, no matter what!

Some providers here don't charge for the time they close their daycares, which is fine, but it's not fine for parents to dictate to you when they will/will not pay you!

Most providers here charge for the space, not attendance - so in short, yes, these people need to pay you whether or not their son is at daycare (unless you decide not to charge for your days off).

Some providers give "free" or discounted vacation time to families. I recommend if you take this route, you only offer it to families who have been with you for a minimum of a year and they must provide a certain amount of notice (like 2-3 months) in order to get free/discounted vacation time (this allows you to budget).

[SunshineMama]

You need to make a handbook and have a written policy. There is no way I would accept a family who didn't pay on days they took off, for sure. That's putting way too much of your income under their control.

Take control back and assert yourself as someone who is offering a service that they pay for. Hand them your policies and don't bend, even once (been there-done that. They will expect it every time). If they don't like it, they can find someone else, and you can find another family.

I've learned a lot as I continue this business, and still have a ton to learn, but the first lesson I learned is to have a written policy and handbook, and agree on all terms before starting service. good luck

[renodeb]

I would say that you need to lay down the law now and tell them that they owe you for one week. Thats way to big of a loose. Then ammend your contract.
As of this date _________ my policy on vacation days and days taken off are as follows. And have the parents sign it.
Debbie