Free Days after Termination Notice...

[Abigail]

I am working on wording in my contract. I realized a client/parent could potential use their "free days" (5 if they're full time) in leiu --is that the word?--of their termination. I have a required two-week deposit so once they give notice they just don't pay until they're gone unless they get late pickup/early drop off fees added. I added a sentence to my contract so parents can't decide to use their last 2 free days during their termination two week period because I dont' want to give back a refund....KWIM?

This is what it says now...anyway to make it sound better in the one sentence?

Client Vacations & Absences
Ninety days after enrollment, a week vacation (equal to the number of days enrolled in care) will be given at no charge for each client per calendar year. You may use these days separate or together. To use these days for a child’s illness, the provider must be notified prior to the client’s contracted start time. These days can not be used in conjunction with termination notice. If the client doesn’t provide advance notice, the client will pay for the missed day(s) of care, regardless of any other terms in this contract.

[MARSTELAC]

I am so glad you asked this as I was wondering the same thing. I have already had my parents sign my contract for the year. Would it be appropriate to send out an addendum so soon with this new wording? I am going to steal it from you. I also want to add something about brining sibs to daycare when the other is home sick. I think the wording is fine.

[missnikki]

How about instead of "These days cannot be used in conjunction with termination notice", it could say "Any vacation days left unused at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a credit or refund."

[Abigail]

How about instead of "These days cannot be used in conjunction with termination notice", it could say "Any vacation days left unused at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a credit or refund."

LOVE IT! If they're smart they will turn in the free days and then their notice! LOL. I just don't want to have to give a refund since the last two weeks care is paid in advance. Even though I love it, how about it becoming shorter and simplier....CHILD CARE COINS (or whatever I decide to call the free days) are not valid during the termination notice period. Is that good enough? I was also thinking about adding if they refer a family to me and they stay for 90 days (same amount of time each new family is required to stay prior to earning the free days annually) then they earn one additional free day per child enrolled. So if a family recommends a family with two children and they enroll and after their 90 days of enrollment the new family will receive their equal amount of days enrolled per child in free days to use and the family that referred them will earn two additional free days for that year. Also, do I want the coins to expire the last day of December just so it's easier for me? Do I need to add that I will prorate days if families enroll mid-year? ha ha, trying to make sure I don't have any loop holes here!

I also want to know wording about not bringing siblings if one sibling is home ill. Please share any advice.

[Rachel]

I also want to know wording about not bringing siblings if one sibling is home ill. Please share any advice.

Just curious, why would you not allow siblings if one was ill?

[Abigail]

This isn't in my policies yet, I'll wait until I get experience. The only concern I have is if a child has a sibling and is home sick or is getting picked up early because they're sick then the sibling should stay home (because they've been exposed and likely to get sick) or the sibling should be brought home along with the sick child because the parents are already there anyways. Doesn't anyone have issues with this? It's no big deal to me, just curious.

[Rachel]

I have 4 kids, 3 of whom live in the same room. In my experience, one getting sick does not (thank goodness!) mean another will. The only illness we ever passed around was chicken pox, and quite frankly I woudl have been annoyed if my healthy kids could not go to daycare for 5 weeks just because a sibling had it (no, they didn't have it all together, that would have been too easy @@@).

I think if a parent is picking up a sick child and it upsets another child, it's fair to ask them to take both home, but I think it's over the top to exclude well children just because a sibling is sick.

[Unregistered]

My policy says "Depending on the illness, siblings of a sick child may also be required to stay home". That way, I get to use my discretion and make my judgement on a case by case basis. I've never had to do it but would like that option. I would base my decision on how contagious I believe the illness is. If it's something highly contagious, the sibs are staying home too.

[missnikki]

LOVE IT! If they're smart they will turn in the free days and then their notice! LOL. I just don't want to have to give a refund since the last two weeks care is paid in advance. Even though I love it, how about it becoming shorter and simplier....CHILD CARE COINS (or whatever I decide to call the free days) are not valid during the termination notice period. Is that good enough? I was also thinking about adding if they refer a family to me and they stay for 90 days (same amount of time each new family is required to stay prior to earning the free days annually) then they earn one additional free day per child enrolled. So if a family recommends a family with two children and they enroll and after their 90 days of enrollment the new family will receive their equal amount of days enrolled per child in free days to use and the family that referred them will earn two additional free days for that year. Also, do I want the coins to expire the last day of December just so it's easier for me? Do I need to add that I will prorate days if families enroll mid-year? ha ha, trying to make sure I don't have any loop holes here!

I also want to know wording about not bringing siblings if one sibling is home ill. Please share any advice.

Those ideas in the first paragraph sound good to me, but as a contract stickler, I always prefer to spell things out rather than the 'short and sweet' approach, since it has saved me from explaining things on many occasions. Parents who try to get away with things tend to take advantage of policies that aren't spelled out completely. (Not that yours aren't, just making a point about explaining policies)

On the sibling issue, that one is up to you, I personally do not enforce anything like it.

[Abigail]

MissNikki, I agree and decided to spell it out. I also decided to stick with good terminology and not call the days by "Child Care Coins" because I can always refer to them as that when I explain it to make it fun and keep the important stuff in the contract. This is my final choice...unless anyone has any other recommendations. I almost done with my entire contract word for word!

Client Vacations & Absences
Ninety days after enrollment, a week vacation (equal to the number of days enrolled in care) will be given at no charge for each child per calendar year. These days may be used separate or together. Each client will receive these days annually. Any days left unused at the end of the year or at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a refund or credit. To use these days for a child’s illness, the provider must be notified prior to the client’s contracted start time. If the client doesn’t provide advance notice, the client will pay for the missed day(s) of care, regardless of any other terms in this contract.

[missnikki]

MissNikki, I agree and decided to spell it out. I also decided to stick with good terminology and not call the days by "Child Care Coins" because I can always refer to them as that when I explain it to make it fun and keep the important stuff in the contract. This is my final choice...unless anyone has any other recommendations. I almost done with my entire contract word for word!

Client Vacations & Absences
Ninety days after enrollment, a week vacation (equal to the number of days enrolled in care) will be given at no charge for each child per calendar year. These days may be used separate or together. Each client will receive these days annually. Any days left unused at the end of the year or at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a refund or credit. To use these days for a child’s illness, the provider must be notified prior to the client’s contracted start time. If the client doesn’t provide advance notice, the client will pay for the missed day(s) of care, regardless of any other terms in this contract.

I might say,
After the first 90 days of enrollment, unpaid vacation days will be available to use as credit towards care when your child will be absent. The number of days allowed in a calendar year will be equal to the number of days your child is enrolled in a week. Vacation days can be used consecutively or individually.

Then, the rest is good but put the sentence "Any days left unused at the end of the year or at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a refund or credit. " at the end of the paragraph.

I know what a relief it is to finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnell on the handbook project...congrats! Just keep a little file on your computer (mine is "policy concerns") for each time you have to explain something to someone you can just jot it down so when you are ready to revise it, you already know where the weak spots are. I changed mine about once every 2 years or so.

[Unregistered]

I actually have a provider friend that had a client say "but it wasnt in the contract". It was the fact that she wanted all the dc kids there by 9am,(rookie mistake) She amended it so quick! I have had clients that I had to spell it all out for b/c they would try and find a loop hole. I dont give any refunds at all so they know right off not to try it!
Debbie

[Abigail]

I might say,
After the first 90 days of enrollment, unpaid vacation days will be available to use as credit towards care when your child will be absent. The number of days allowed in a calendar year will be equal to the number of days your child is enrolled in a week. Vacation days can be used consecutively or individually.

Then, the rest is good but put the sentence "Any days left unused at the end of the year or at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a refund or credit. " at the end of the paragraph.

I know what a relief it is to finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnell on the handbook project...congrats! .

Missnikki, that sounds wonderful and so easy to understand without any fluff! Thanks, I'm going to change it and think on it since I re-read everything over and over before it seems perfect. Thanks!

Here's how it reads now:
After the first 90 days of enrollment, unpaid vacation days will be available to use as credit towards care when your child will be absent. The number of days allowed in a calendar year will be equal to the number of days your child is enrolled in a week. Vacation days can be used consecutively or individually. Each client will receive these days annually. To use these days for a child’s illness, the provider must be notified prior to the client’s contracted start time. If the client doesn’t provide advance notice, the client will pay for the missed day(s) of care, regardless of any other terms in this contract. Any days left unused at the end of the year or at the time of termination notice are forfeited and will not be paid out as a refund or credit.

Does this mean at the end of the fiscal year (December) they will expire and then I can issue new vacation days for January-December? I would prefer to do it this way, but I can see if someone enrolls in September, they'll get those days in December and would use up to five free days and then get up to five free days again come January. Should I add a sentence about mid-year enrollment is pro-rated? How do I word that? I know I could do per contracted year, but I want to keep it simple for me and do everything in January.

[QualiTcare]

Just curious, why would you not allow siblings if one was ill?

good point. the only thing this sort of policy brings about is LIES. i mean, if the philosophy is that "the child has been exposed to the illness if their sibling is ill" then basically the whole daycare should be shut down bc everyone has been exposed.

i have two children and last friday (feb. 4th) my son was diagnosed with strep throat. the doctor said he could return to preschool on monday so i sent him to preschool and attached a note saying the doctor said he could return, but to call me ASAP if he had any symptoms of illness. my daughter goes to a different school and hadn't shown any signs of illness, but i sent a note for good measure saying her brother had strep and to call ASAP if she showed any signs. i got a call at 9:45 from my son's teacher to pick him up and while i was on the phone with her, i got a beep from my daughter's teacher and had to pick her up immediately after getting him. i did end up having to take him back to the doctor - apparently there's a strain of strep that resists penicillin. my daughter went with him at the same time and also tested positive.

HOWEVER, my daughter has had the flu before and nobody else caught it. plus, i think it's a little different when we're talking about school vs. child care which someone is paying for. i mean, if you're telling a parent that they can't bring their healthy child (a child who hasn't been diagnosed by a MD as ill) then you should eat the cost. i would dare my boss to tell me i can't come to work bc my husband has the flu, u know? IMAGINE if my boss told me not only could i not come bc my husband had the flu, but i had to pay HIM for the time i missed? LOL.

i'm a rare bird apparently.

[missnikki]

"Each client will receive these days annually."

Does this mean at the end of the fiscal year (December) they will expire and then I can issue new vacation days for January-December? I would prefer to do it this way, but I can see if someone enrolls in September, they'll get those days in December and would use up to five free days and then get up to five free days again come January. Should I add a sentence about mid-year enrollment is pro-rated? How do I word that? I know I could do per contracted year, but I want to keep it simple for me and do everything in January.

How about,
"Vacation days renew at the start of each calendar year."

I would go ahead and allow the partial year personally, because you already have a 90 day (3 month) cushion in there. It makes for good business in my opinion. But if you aren't comfortable doing that, you could say:

"Vacation days renew at the start of each calendar year. New families enrolling after July 1st (or pick a date that works for you) will recieve half of their allotted vacation days for the first year, and will receive their full allottment the following year." or something like that.