Do you charge on Bank Holidays?

[Tippy Toes]

Hi All

Was just wondering whether you charge for bank hols including christmas day and boxing day?

If so how do you justify it to parents?

I had a parent asking me why I charged for bank hols and I got stuck for words.

Thanks

[haribo]

you should have asked if she got paid for bank holidays herself:angry: i charge half as per parents holiday unless im away ad couldnt do it if asked . i have never been asked to work and if i did id charge double x

[breezy]

I wont work bank holidays so I dont charge

[jellytot]

I dont charge as I dont work them, I feel if I charged I would need to be avaliable

[PixiePetal]

I wont work bank holidays so I dont charge


Same here. But if they asked I might do it for double:)

[Tiger Lilly]

I dont charge if im not needed, but will charge more if i do. But its been really nice having the day off.
It always good to have a long weekend..:)

[mushpea]

i wont work as i value the family time so dont charge, on the new contracts from ncma it says somthing about if you charge you have to make yourself avalible to work if needed but as i dont want to work then i dont charge and if your not prepared to work then i dont see that you can justify charging.

[zillervalley]

I am not available on bank hols, so no i dont charge

[Sarahbelle]

I am closed but I get paid anyway. Its in my contracts.:)

[Shivvie]

If we're not available to work, then we don't charge. If we are, and if a child attends, we charge time and a half. If they don't attend, then it's normal fees.

The only bank holiday we've been available this year was May Day, as it's nice to have a long weekend, knowing that you're not causing parents problems with having to find alternative childcare.:thumbsup:

[helenlc]

I charge if its a contracted day. Have 2 new ones that only started last month so have had to make sure they realise they are charged.

It says in my contract that I charge normal fee but will charge double if asked to work.

Apart from Xmas and New Year ones, it wouldnt bother me to work them really. We dont do anyting special on those days and if we went out for the day somewhere, I would just take LOs with me, if appropriate.

[RedDragon]

I can't work out how NCMA could say that if we charge for BH then we should be available.

The Contract and it's Terms and Conditions are surely between the CM and parent?

If we are "allowed" to chargehalf for OUR holidays and say go to Spain for 2 weeks we are then obviously unable to offer care so why do the NCMA say we should be available for work if we charge for Bank holidays?


I charge for BH and I explain to the parents that I don't get any bonuses, sick pay, etc etc and that this is the only time I get a day off when it's paid. Every single parent has agreed with this (so far).

[Mollymop]

No I don't charge as I am not available for work - we are self employed so therefore we set our own hours of work, what we charge when we are "open" when we are "closed" then I dont' think it is fair to charge people who are not using our services when they more than likely would if we were "open" as usual.
If I wanted BH pay I would work for an employer.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I incorporate bank holidays into my rate but I have a £25 per hour if asked to work. This is not to stop them using me but was calaculated on double time for 3 under 5's which is what I usually get for a normal working day.

[Tasha M]

I charge normal rate for bank holiday and I state that I am unable to work, in all the time I have been doing this only one parent question it and when I said do you get paid for BH, she said yes, I said do you work it, she said no and I said why should it be any different for me...she couldn't reply to that! I also charge full pay for 4 weeks holiday a year and again no problem, except this one parent who had a problem with the BH...some parents are just hung up on the money side, whereas some others are more interested in the care that you are providing for their precious children.

[twiggy]

I don't charge for bank holidays as I don't want to work them. I don't get enough time off as it is.

[Toothfairy]

I don't work bank holidays so I don't charge.

[Tippy Toes]

Thank you all so much for your replies, you have all been very helpful x

[claireLouise]

No I don't charge as I am not available for work - we are self employed so therefore we set our own hours of work, what we charge when we are "open" when we are "closed" then I dont' think it is fair to charge people who are not using our services when they more than likely would if we were "open" as usual.
If I wanted BH pay I would work for an employer.

At last someone who sharss my views. We are not employed but self employed and this means we should not charge parents if we are not prepared to give a service. If working ( work all except christmas day and new years day) I charge normal fees as it is my choice to be open for business.

Claire

[wendywu]

Although we are self employed we are not quite the same.

I would like to see my parents faces if i decided to to take 10 weeks holiday for example. If you dont get paid holidays you should be able to take as many as you like.
Or if i said ' Oh by the way i will not be working for a week as from tomorrow as i have decided to go away on holiday'

Although self employed we do have a duty of care that other self emploed people do not.

All this my DH could do when he was self employed and finds it hard that i cannot up and off at a drop of a hat.

BH are my only form of paid holiday and i dont feel guilty about it at all.:)

[RedDragon]

At last someone who sharss my views. We are not employed but self employed and this means we should not charge parents if we are not prepared to give a service. If working ( work all except christmas day and new years day) I charge normal fees as it is my choice to be open for business.

Claire


I personally feel though that I give a lot to the children (and therefore the parents) - a lot more than is written down on paper - and to me those Bank Holidays are special to me. Although I suppose it's a bit like giving yourself a gift and then expecting the parent to pay for it I do feel I deserve them and with all the stuff I do and all the extra stuff that the children go home with I would feel sad that a parent would disagree with paying me for them.