Family Wanting Lengthy, Unpaid Absence

[ardeur]

A current family wants to "pull" their child for the entire month of December and return sometime (they don't know when) in January. They will not pay during this absence and they may or may not even return. Not sure.

I do NOT feel comfortable keeping a contract open/valid while a family is not paying or attending my daycare for that length of time. Does their proposal automatically terminate their contract since they will cease, for 1 month, paying what the contract says they owe? I don't have any specific language in my policies saying that I will terminate a contract under circumstances like this one. But I do say that "the provider reserves the right to terminate this contract at will."

How would you handle this situation? And what language should I add to my policies and/or contracts to cover lengthy, unpaid absences on the clients part?

[Rockgirl]

I’d tell them to guarantee their spot upon return, they’d have to pay. If they choose not to pay, they’d take a chance on not having a spot to return to. And I’d fill the spot!

[ardeur]

I’d tell them to guarantee their spot upon return, they’d have to pay. If they choose not to pay, they’d take a chance on not having a spot to return to. And I’d fill the spot!

Would you charge them another enrollment fee? (Mine is $60). For leaving the program and then re-enrolling?

[rosieteddy]

Iwould do the same thing.They pay for the spot to keep it.Otherwise this is their 2 week notice.I would fill the spot if I could .If they take the chance you will not be able to fill and want to restart I would adjust their tuition.I would take the 6 weeks x what they pay now ex-they pay 200 now x 6=1200.Divide 1200 by 48=25.Then I would add the 25.00 week to their tuition to restart.This will cover the month of December next year if they choose to do it again .If not then you will make up some of the money you loose.I would not tell them that I would just say 2019 is new tuition and new policies.

[Ariana]

I would let them know that withdrawal for any length of time without payment is considered termination. You do not have any obligsgion to hold a spot for them, this is YOUR income! If they wanted to keep the spot they pay unless it was prearranged which it was not.

If they signed back up sometime in January and the spot was open I would not charge an enrolment fee personally since they were already clients.

They are doing what they need to do and you should do the same. Personally I would fill the spot and would not allow them back.

[Josiegirl]

I would let them know that withdrawal for any length of time without payment is considered termination. You do not have any obligsgion to hold a spot for them, this is YOUR income! If they wanted to keep the spot they pay unless it was prearranged which it was not.

If they signed back up sometime in January and the spot was open I would not charge an enrolment fee personally since they were already clients.

They are doing what they need to do and you should do the same. Personally I would fill the spot and would not allow them back.

I agree except if they do re-enroll, I would charge them the enrollment fee. They're choosing to leave(basically that's what they're doing) and might not even return.
I'd also fill the spot if you can.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I would just tell them that without payment, the contract will be terminated. If they choose to come back, they will owe the enrollment fee, plus a higher rate(yearly rate increase for new families), and it will be dependent on if you have a spot available at that point. They will be starting over as new clients and again, only if you have a spot and want to re-enroll. It's a gamble on their part, but I would be very clear that the current contract ends with the last payment.

[e.j.]

I have a paragraph in my handbook that states parents who need extended time off from day care (for pregnancy, teacher summers off, travel...) either need to pay me to hold their spot or I will have to work to fill the spot with another child. If there is an opening when they need day care again, they're welcome back (assuming they've followed my polices) but there is no guarantee there will be opening. I don't charge enrollment fees but if I did and I had included that in my handbook, I would charge them again.

[Grey]

Would you charge them another enrollment fee? (Mine is $60). For leaving the program and then re-enrolling?

Depends, what is the enrollment fee actually for?

[Blackcat31]

I don’t save space without regular weekly payment.
No discounts
If they withdraw I wouldn’t take them back
They’re going to great lengths to screw you out of income
That’s really disrespectful
I value my worth even when clients don’t.

[Blackcat31]

My handbook says “rates are based on enrollment not on attendance or time used”

Your mortgage company doesn’t discount your payment when you go on vacation and they don’t sublet

[Snowmom]

I don’t save space without regular weekly payment.
No discounts
If they withdraw I wouldn’t take them back
They’re going to great lengths to screw you out of income
That’s really disrespectful
I value my worth even when clients don’t.

Agree.

They would need to follow my policy on how to terminate the contract or lose their initial enrollment fee.
I would not take them back.

Nothing irks me more than those families who leave during the holidays to avoid paying vacation days/holidays or just plain avoid paying while they have off. So disrespectful.

[Annalee]

I have taken "clients" back twice and both times it ended bad....learned my lesson on that!

[DaveA]

Like the others said- if they want to secure the spot they can pay for it. I had a "reserve rate" of 1/2 fee but dumped it in my last contract. I could see helping someone in a real emergency, but not just because they want to save some $.

If they pull do not let them back in. It usually doesn't end well.

[Cat Herder]

I'd tell them they don't have to attend, by tuition is still due. If they pull, I'd replace and never look back.

I do not re-enroll other than extreme/medical circumstance.