How do you cater for shift workers?

[jadavi]

Mum of 2 wants me to be available to cover her changing shifts and she only knows a week or 2 in advance what they will be...How do other people deal with this? I cant keep one or two places available the whole time can I and if so what would i charge extra? (The shifts are either 7-5 or 12-9)

Kids are 2 and 7

[miffy]

It depends how much you need the work and whether you think you'll be able to fill those places anyway if you turn this down.

Is there a minimum number of hours/days she needs each week? If you want the work I'd agree a minimum number of days you charge in full for and a retainer for the others.

Miffy xx

[jadavi]

thanks....How would this work? She wants 2 days a week. Would i charge full charge for 2 days and half price retainer for 5? That would cost her so much.....

[jane5]

I would charge her 10 hours a day for 2 days and a 50% retainer for the other 3 days. I also charge time and a half for early or late starts so if you felt that the money was adding up you could offer to waiver the out of hours charge.

I would not hold these other days for nothing because even with 50% retainer you will still lose money on these hours.

It does seem like you are taking money for nothing but they are paying to hold the space not for hours used.

[funemnx]

I take it this is 2 different days of the week each time? It would use up a full time under 5 space.

Maybe you could charge 7 - 9 for 2 days or a set amount for the week? Only you can decide if you would be happy with that amount every week or if you might resent it if you got an enquiry for another under 5.

I have a child on a 3 week rota and only charge for those hours, but that's because I knew a sibling baby would be starting a few months after I took this one on and would be able to get a variation to go to 4 for continuity of care....

[karensmart4]

I had a long discussion with one of my parents over holding hours/days for them.

In the end I had to explain it as... they are buying the hours/days so no one else will take them, they are theirs and they can slide in and out of them (with a bit of notice).

I have another parent who's husband works shifts so she needs 4 days most weeks but 5 days other weeks, she readilly agreed to full pay for 4 days plus half pay for the 5th and any hours she uses on the 5th day she will pay the difference in cash...she pays monthly by standing order for the other hours...... The perfect parent :thumbsup:

[ChocolateChip]

Assuming that those hours are their actual arrival and departure times, and that the 7yr old will be at school, my fees would work out at £138 per week-
91 for the lo, (2 full days plus out of hours charge for before 8 and after 6)
47 for the 7yr old, (based on 2 b/school, 1 after, and out of hours charge)

My fees for a f/timer would be £150, so if you don't mind working those hours, it's not far off full time money as it is, and if those hours are her actual start times, it would go up slightly to cover her travelling time to get to you, iyswim.
So if you want the business I would offer a token retainer for the other days for the lo (£10 a day?) and take advantage of the quieter days when they're not there.

And if the older one comes in the hols or she needs more hours that would be extra :D

[marleymoo]

I had a long discussion with one of my parents over holding hours/days for them.

In the end I had to explain it as... they are buying the hours/days so no one else will take them, they are theirs and they can slide in and out of them (with a bit of notice).

I have another parent who's husband works shifts so she needs 4 days most weeks but 5 days other weeks, she readilly agreed to full pay for 4 days plus half pay for the 5th and any hours she uses on the 5th day she will pay the difference in cash...she pays monthly by standing order for the other hours...... The perfect parent :thumbsup:

i do this too for 2 sets of parents (3 mindees in all) but one of those sets needs any 3 out of 5 days