HELP!!!

[shmuck9681]

I recently changed the way i work on bank holidays and issed parents this letter in october

6/10/2010



Parents...Noticification of charges changing from 1/12/10

To bring myself inline with current childminding practice as from 1st december 2010, Bank Holidays will be charged at the following rate

Contracted Days where not minding the children, normal hourly rate will be charged, or if the children attend on a bank holiday 2x hourly rate will be due.

Thank you for your co-operation at this time.

all parents agreed and signed to say they did...
however
next week i am contracted
monday 8-9am 3-4pm
tuesday 8-9am
wednesday 8-9am 3-4pm
saturday 1-6pm

after a quick chat with mindee mum i am sure she is expecting me to have mindees monday and wednesday all day to make up for not attending on saturday....
but i thought the letter i had put out made it clear that as saturday is a bank holiday i will still need paying for this then all day extras would indeed be extras and paid as extras???

am i being wrong here expecting this???
can you please tell me what you think and what yous are all doing? i dont want to sound unreasonable.but i need paying too and presume she will be paid for xmas day???
so why shouldnt i? also i said i was closed on 25,26,27 and do not get paid for my holidays so i am a bit stuck as monday is also a bank holiday i think i may have contradictedmyself
HELP HELP HELP!!!!

[grindal]

To be honest you have confused me a bit too! You are right that you should be entitled to charge for Bank Holidays if parents have agreed to this, but if you are closed, my understanding is that you cannot expect payment.

As for extra days and time in lieu of time off, I do not do anything like this. I think you need to clarify what payment you are expecting from this parent and what hours you are expecting your mindees to come - then check with mum that her understanding is the same.

[rickysmiths]

I charge for Bank Holidays if they fall on a Contracted day as well, double fee except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day which are charged at just over trip;e fee if worked at £15ph.

Looking at the hours you have stated I would be charging an additional 6 hours each for Mon and Wed and if they want Tues that as well.

Sat would be charged at normal fee because it is their choice not to use you. If they had assked to use you and you had said no then maybe you couldn't have charged. Mon/Tues Bank Holiday the same, they pay normal fee if they choose not to use you but if you have said you can't work and you don't charge for your holiday you shouldn't charge them.

I don't take Bank Holidays as holiday for this reason, I wait for the parents to tell me they are not going to use me. I ask for a min of 4 weeks notice if they are going to use me, less than this they can't expect me to work and they are still charged.

I fear you may have to put it down to experience and maybe refine you Bank Holiday Policy at some point next year.

[mama2three]

You need to make it clear that hours cannot be transferred , extra ( non contracted) hours may be available at the rate of ........per hour , payable at the time of booking.
Im afraid as youve taken a holiday day for the monday I dont think you can charge , even though it is a bank holiday. Hope someone comes along to say different though!

[angiemog]

I think if you have said you are closed and you don't charge for holidays then I don't think you can charge either........

[shmuck9681]

hi i gave just double checked my policy and it states

My setting is closed Christmas day, boxing day and New years day these are all public holidays and contracted hours falling on these days will still be due.



but i have just updated my policies on 5/12/2010

this is so complicated i have been a childminder for 5 years but have always just had them term time these are my first mindees non term time too,....didnt think it would be so much more complicated wish i had stayed term time only

do you think im covered then and should be payed for saturday as well as extras???

thanks for your replys so much apprichiated x

[Louise0208]

i didnt think 25th & 26th were officialy bank holidays as the official christmas & boxing day BH are 27th & 28th? .....

its all too confusing

[flowerpots]

if your not available to work then i dont think you can charge imo, otherwise she would be entitled to say ok il send them xmas day and pay the extra iyswim. (obviously this wont happen) :)

[Goatgirl]

Hi,
I think as you are not working the monday you have put yourself in the position where you can't charge for it. Saturday and Sunday I'm confused about regarding their status as public holidays.... but as you are on holiday anyway, I don't think you can charge for them either :(...

Regarding the misunderstanding Mum has about transfering hours between days, I think I would just say to the mum 'I'm confused after our conversation yesterday: what were you thinking the arrangements were for next week?' Then if you're right, 'Ah, I see what you've done there... No, I'm doing these hours on these days for this amount'. and keep smiling.... :D

bws,
Wendy :)

[coffee-time]

if it were me i wouldnt be charging for xmas day if ive stated im closed on that day. christmas day and boxing day arent officially bank holidays, we get the following mon and tues off to make up for this! if you say you are closed on these days i dont see how you can charge really.

[claireLouise]

I am a bit confused too, bank holidays are always on a week day and never land at the weekend, otherwise most employees would not get them.

If I was not working I would not charge; even if thsat was a bank holiday, my area also do not charge extra for bank holidays so less complicated.
Best WIshes

Claire

[Penny1959]

I am also very confused

I think it best to sit down with mum and explain that this is first time that had all year mindees and you are very sorry but you have made a few errors in your wording.

Therefore could you reach an agreement for this holiday - might be a compromise and less than you first thought you would get.

Then review your policies and fees and set out very clearly.

I issue a list at begining of year with all days closed including Bank holidays (and Bank Holidays are always in the week not at weekends)

Most of my parents pay a 'all year fee' so it is the same fee all year - including when I am on holiday and when they do not send child (ill, their holiday, granny having child) They only time they don't pay is when I have to close due to family illness or emergency.

This saves a lot of the confussion about what to pay when.

A few do not have set hours - these pay an enhanced hourl rate but only when actually attend - so that is easy to - don't attend don't pay.

Details of my fees are on my website www.********************* might be worth a look for some ideas when reviewing your fees - just remember fees in my area may well be higher or lower than in your area - so just look at the fees structure not the actual amounts.

Hope you sort things out with this parent

Penny :)

[suzyblue]

I get 4 weeks paid holidays and all paid bank holidays if they fall on a contracted day. I dont work these days. My days off are taken around the bank holidays so that they are extra days off for me. I have done this for years and I realise that parents could dispute the Bank holidays as I dont work them (but thats the same for my holidays) No one has ever complained.
In return I offer a very reliable service. My holiday dates are the same every year so parents tie these in with their holidays and I dont take any other time off.
I dont think you are being unreasonable - I too have written letters to explain that I dont swap days etc but still have to explain again when the need arises. Stick to your guns and enjoy the time off.:thumbsup: