Holiday entitlement

[Helen Dempster]

hi guys

do any of you have paid leave? At the moment, if I'm not working, I don't charge, but then I got to thinking...if I was in a different job, with an employer, I'd get 4 wks paid leave per year, and speaking to another CM recently, that's exactly what she does. Am I selling myself short???! What do you all do? (This question's probably been asked before, so sorry if that's the case).

Enjoy your day all!

Helen xx

[youarewhatyoueat]

No I don't get paid leave, I'm self employed and work when I want to, if i'm not available to work then I don't charge. But I know many cmders do charge, thats the beauty of owning your own business you do what you want and parents won't use you if they don't agree to your fees but there are plenty that will. I try to work term time only as that is what suits me and I charge accordingly.

[jaja]

if i dont work i dont get paid...... i charge for there holidays as i am still keeping there space open but its up to you, i used to charge half and parents were fine with that too, depends on your parents and how much holiday you take, in 6 years i only take a week at christmas and a week in june... parents can take as much as they like, its upto them

hope this helps

xxxxx

[daisyboo1980]

hi
i dont charge for my holidays but i charge for theirs as im still offering a service but everyone is different

[nannymcflea]

If I don't work I don't get paid. If a parent takes a holiday a different time from mine then it's full pay as I am available to work.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I never used to charge and then 1 childminder in my group said that she charged 4 weeks per year paid.

I now take 2 weeks paid per year and the parents 75% of the time take the same time as it is in August and as these terms are set out at the onset there is no problem

If I take more than 2 weeks then I do not get paid

[Pipsqueak]

No charges for my time off.

Every childminder works differently and being S/E we are not 'entitled' to paid leave - its up to you if you negotiate it into your contracts though.

[LisaMcNally09]

Hi,

I have 4 weeks holidays at half fees and also only charge half fees for parents holidays of 4 weeks too!!! Its the same as not charging for my hols and charging for parents but i spread it out. My parents are happy with this but its your business, up to you!!:)

[miffy]

I have two weeks paid holiday although sometimes it's been a struggle to get it. So next year I'm going to do what Debbie does and have set weeks so everyone knows where they are.

Miffy xx

[suzyblue]

I have four weeks paid holiday per year. Its always the same weeks, 1 wk at Easter, 2 in summer hols and 1 wk at xmas. It doesnt affect the schoolers that dont come in the school holidays. I read recently that childminders should be having 5 weeks paid leave now. Its not good for you to have to keep working because you cant afford to lose the money. You need a break and that makes you a better childminder. I always point it out to the parent on the initial visit and it is on the contract so no moaning when it happens :laughing:

[singlewiththree]

I only work term time, I don't charge a retainer and therefore take my holidays in school holiday time and it works for everyone, but it would be nice to be paid :)

[carol cameron]

I charge half fee for 4 weeks holiday . I take 2 weeks in the summer and 2 at Xmas. Most of my parents take the same weeks off as I do let them know dates a year in advance! If I have to be off for an odd day eg I went into hospital earlier this year as a day patient, I don't make any charge as I was not able to provide a service. If the children are off the parents still pay the same weekly fee. I liken it to hiring a holiday cottage for a week-if you choose to go on a day trip you don't expect a refund for the hours you weren't there as no one else could use it!

[Hebs]

i have 4 weeks paid holidays, and also charge full fee for parents

not had any complaints yet :D

[heidi p]

I take 4 weeks paid holiday now because parents were taking their hols the same as mine but if they take hols different to mine then just charge half fee

[mumx3]

I take 4 weeks paid holiday. No problems with parents. I say I will give them 4weeks notice in writing of any holiday I take. I also say I will only take paid holiday during school hols. I also do not limit unpaid leave. The pay me for any absence (through illness or holiday) but I dont charge any retainers in the school hols.

Right now I have all term time only kids and contracts run Sept to August so I charge for my holiday pro rata so as every pays the correct portion of holiday pay.

e.g. if a child starts in November I work out the fees for the contracted days between November and July and then add on the weekly fee x 4 weeks (hol pay) and divide the whole lot between the 10 months between Nov and August.

This means if a child has a weekly fee of £100 I would add on £40 per month to their bill as my holiday pay.

Parents liked this.

[little daisies]

i charge 2 weeks holiday for myself but i only take 4 days think i`m doing myself short. think i`m going to have to start taking it and not feeling guilty about it:blush:

[janminder]

I take 2 weeks paid holiday myself which I normally try and take when either a main mindee (full time rather than part time) or a mindee with no local family/friend back up has their holiday. Then get paid for mindees holidays. So far so good:). During school holidays if I dont have them just get paid the amount a normal school week would have been if I had had them not what I could have got for the extra hours.

[LeeAnn]

I am off on holiday next week (woo hoo!) and I am not charging the parents. I have made sure I have left enough money in my business account so I can still take my weekly wage. So I will still be paid but it is coming out of money already earned rather than charging parents.

[DIPPY DOUGHNUT]

Hi #

I have 4 weeks paid leave a year, but i only chrage half my hourly rate. The parents were happy with this. One even said that she thought i would have asked for full pay, as people that are employed get this so why shouldnt i!!