With Winter Weather Coming

[QualiTcare]

I'm open regardless of weather conditions - and if they can't get out - they don't have to come but they still pay me.

yeah, but now she's asking about like if the power is out. if you're licensed, i don't think there's any way you could stay open for a week without power.

btw - if it's something that's likely to happen in your area, you might think about getting a generator.

[DancingQueen]

but if my house gets flooded I still have to pay the mortgage

or...

If I can't make it to work in corporate america I still get paid

or...

If my car doesn't start I still have to make my payments and pay the insurance

or...

If I can't make my doc appointment and don't give 24 hours notice I get hit with a $25.00 canc. fee

This is one of those situations where you have to really decide what playing field you want your business to be on.
If you want it to be a job and a career then you should allow yourselves the same benefits that a career person would be allowed. If you want to treat it like a 'service' .. like a hair salon or something like that.. then you are allowed less benefits.

I think either option is fine - but I think that you have to respect either option. I respect those that choose to run their business more like a service. But I would hope that I would also be respected for running my business as a career.

[momofboys]

If there is a level 3 snow emergency (no travel allowed) then I am closed. Anything else, I'm open.

Same for me & we have had some of these just last year so I was closed!

[DancingQueen]

if power is out - I am closed - I missed that part. My apologies.

[momofboys]

Actually, how often schools close depends entirely on your area. Around here (central OH) there's usually one or two snow days a year, and it's not unusual for some/most districts to meet or exceed their quota of calamity days (most often, 5 or 6). Our county rarely shuts down (level 3 snow emergency)--maybe every couple of years we'll get a lvl3 for all or part of a day. When we have bad snow, it's often accompanied by ice, too, and that's what closes things even more than the snow. That, or the timing of the snowstorm might cause schools to close for the day, if the worst of the storm falls during rush hour or something.

Yep, that was us last year too. I am in western central Ohio & my school district used 8, yes 8 snow days last year! Now that we are only allowed 3 calamity days I am guessing the schools will conserve those days like crazy when possible.

[QualiTcare]

but if my house gets flooded I still have to pay the mortgage

or...

If I can't make it to work in corporate america I still get paid

or...

If my car doesn't start I still have to make my payments and pay the insurance

or...

If I can't make my doc appointment and don't give 24 hours notice I get hit with a $25.00 canc. fee

This is one of those situations where you have to really decide what playing field you want your business to be on.
If you want it to be a job and a career then you should allow yourselves the same benefits that a career person would be allowed. If you want to treat it like a 'service' .. like a hair salon or something like that.. then you are allowed less benefits.

I think either option is fine - but I think that you have to respect either option. I respect those that choose to run their business more like a service. But I would hope that I would also be respected for running my business as a career.

yeah, but there is a difference when you're providing a service. either way you put it, you're getting paid for the time you spend caring for a child. so, if you don't care for the child, and the parent has no say in the matter (aside from contracted sick days, etc) - it wouldn't make sense for them to pay. you would have to pay a cancellation fee for the doctor, but if the doctor called you to cancel - would you still pay for the visit?

[DancingQueen]

Nope but if Aetna called to say that they were shutting down and I didn't have to come into work today because of a watermain break - I'd still get paid.

[QualiTcare]

Nope but if Aetna called to say that they were shutting down and I didn't have to come into work today because of a watermain break - I'd still get paid.

true, but this isn't corporate america. most people working in the service industry don't get paid. hourly employees don't get paid - restaurant employees, retail workers, etc. there are ups and downs to working in the corporate world...or not. like i was saying in a different thread, if you were paying a nurse to provide care in your home and she couldn't come due to an "act of god" it's not likely you would pay her for that week - or would you?

i think anyone would have a hard time getting parents to pay for a week they were closed no matter how it "should be."

[MyAngels]

I bought a generator (I hate being without power : so I never have to close.

I do think I would probably not charge if it were a major thing where everything was closed down for more than a day or two. Fortunately I can only remember once in my adult life that this ever happened where I am.

[DancingQueen]

I think that if it turned into an entire week there would definately be adjustments made.

ourly employees don't get paid - restaurant employees, retail workers, etc.

I'm not any of those things. I'm a childcare provider.

[jen]

yeah, that's hard. i know it would **** not being paid when it's out of your control, but it would **** as a parent having to pay when it wasn't their fault either.

this is where i like to remember how everyone says "this is a business so treat it like a business."

if i booked a hotel at the beach for a week and there was a hurricane that flooded it - it would **** for them not getting paid, but i wouldn't pay when i didn't get to stay. if you booked a party venue and their power went out...you wouldn't pay if there was no party. if your mom (or dad, or child) had a home health nurse and she couldn't make it because of a disaster, would you want to pay her for caring for your mom that week?

That's one way to look at it...

Another way is this: If you can't get to the gym because of bad weather, do you get a pro-rated discount? If you rent a parking space, but don't go to work because of bad weather, do you get a refund for that day? If you purchase theater tickets, but can't get to the show, do you get a refund?

Nope, nope and nope.

[QualiTcare]

I think that if it turned into an entire week there would definately be adjustments made.



I'm not any of those things. I'm a childcare provider.

"most people working in the service industry don't get paid. hourly employees don't get paid - restaurant employees, retail workers, etc." that's the full context.

so, i get that you're a childcare provider. the point was - childcare providers provide a service. they are one of many employees that get paid based on their service/time which is different from salary employees in the corporate world. it might not be "fair" but that's how it is. although i actually do think it's fair because everyone has the option to work in the corporate world if they want corporate benefits, but that's another story.

"if you were paying a nurse to provide care in your home and she couldn't come due to an "act of god" it's not likely you would pay her for that week - or would you?"

i think the resounding answer would be "no," and you have to think about what you would do in that situation. what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[QualiTcare]

That's one way to look at it...

Another way is this: If you can't get to the gym because of bad weather, do you get a pro-rated discount? If you rent a parking space, but don't go to work because of bad weather, do you get a refund for that day? If you purchase theater tickets, but can't get to the show, do you get a refund?

Nope, nope and nope.

if the gym closed down because of a flood then yes - i'm pretty sure they would let me make up that time. if the theater closed down because the power was out then yes, i believe i would get a refund. if i rented a parking space and the parking lot was shut down then yes, i'm pretty sure i would get a refund.

we're not talking about a service being available and not being used, but a service being paid for that isn't available. there's a huge difference.

[DancingQueen]

they are one of many employees that get paid based on their service/time

I don't. I am not an hourly person. I am a salary worker. I get paid regardless of the hours their children are here etc.

The only exceptions being the UNPAID days written into my contract. I have not given myself paid vacation time. I take those days UNPAID. I also shut down between xmas and new years and I chose for those to be UNpaid as well.

But (unlike the service industries you listed above) I DO get paid sick time and paid personal days.

The joy of creating your own contract

[DancingQueen]

Again - if it was a long term power outage - then I would absolutely consider not charging them. But the original question asked about snow days. I am referring to those days. The gym stays open in inclement weather, so does the parking lot and so does my daycare.

The power outage for a week - as I've expressed would be a rare and unique situation and I seriously doubt that I would charge for it - however.. I won't put that in writing anywhere