Notice for Holiday Only Care

**helenlc** · 08-03-2009, 09:28 AM

If you only have children in the holidays, how does this work with the 4 week notice period?

I am confused as I have had a Holiday Only contract cancelled and Mum gave me 4 weeks notice from end of February. There is more than 4 weeks to the next holidays (Easter).

I am a bit miffed as I have purchased crafts and made plans already to incorporate the 2 girls that were due to come.

I cant really ask for 4 weeks money as the 4th week of holiday time would be the summer hoidays, so I agree that seems silly as its so far away.

But I feel like I want to be compensated in some way for her letting me down. I know poeple's circumstances change but it just seems unfair that others would pay a 4 week notice period but Holiday ones dont (or have something similar either).

amirose · 08-03-2009, 11:17 AM

This is a good point and not something I had really thought about so thank you for raising it.
I think it should be 4 weeks notice in the holidays - next time - but it sounds like the mum is expecting 4 weeks notice from the date she told you - I imagine the reason she thinks this is because neither of you were clear about it when signing as like me you just didn't think of it. Therefore I think this time let it go and next time have an action plan for notice and discuss it upon signing contracts

Only thing I have just thought off is I'm sure someone has said previously the notice can't be given in holidays not sure if this includes non attending days

Not much help am I sorry

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 08-03-2009, 11:22 AM

If you read the information on the back of the NCMA contracts I think it will become clear. Notice period to me is paid time so if she is not doing it in holiday time I would expect 4 weeks pay, whether I got it or not is a different matter!!

**helenlc** · 08-03-2009, 01:36 PM

4 weeks pay equates to £1348!!! So I dont think its going to come my way - nice as it would be!!

This has been a lesson learnt and I cannot really chase it as I am not clear either.

The only solution I thought of was if the notice period covers any holiday, then I expect to be paid for those weeks that the children would be contracted to come.

If the notice period does not include any holiday times (as in this instance I have had) then a weeks full pay is expected in lieu of the whole 4.

Do you think this sounds fair?

I do not use NCMA contracts so their wording is not relevant to me, but if someone wouldnt mind looking on theirs and seeing if there is something there, I would be very grateful!!

**littletreasures** · 08-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Right, found a paragraph in the NCMA book.

It says
" If you have a term-time only contract or a school-holiday only contract, and the parent gives notice during the period that you are not contracted to childmind, you will not be able to ask for payment in lieu of notice, as you would not be caring for the children during the time of the notice period. So, if you are offering a four week notice period, and a parent gives notice during the first week of August, you could not claim payment in lieu becuase you would not normally be caring for that child during the holidays.

Where it states on NCMA's childminding contract that "notice of termination of the contract must be given in writing and should not include a period of holiday or paid time off", this refers to aholiday or paid time off within the childminder's contracted hours."

OK, are you really confused now, because I am. I understand that if it was term time only, but they haven't really clarified about holiday only contracts.

Are you a member of NCMA (although you don't use their contracts). If so, I would give them a ring and see what they say.

**Rubybubbles** · 08-03-2009, 01:48 PM

I would ask for a deposit next time, so if this happens you have been payed some money

**helenlc** · 08-03-2009, 02:11 PM

Thank you littletreasures. As you say, it takes into account TERM time only care but not HOLIDAY only care.

If I was to insist that they paid me 4 weeks of contracted hours, then Mum would be giving me notice now and yet the 4th week of that 4 week period is in July. That seems unfair for them to be paying for holiday that is so far away.

I didnt think to take a deposit as the children were 10 and 13.

In hindsight, I think I will perhaps take a weeks money as a deposit in the future. And then if they give notice that doesnt include any holiday ie contracted time, then the deposit is non-refundable. What do you think?

I am with Morton Michel, so I might call them just out of curiousity. My contract doesnt mention this scenario, like the NCMA one, so not sure exactly where I stand in regards to claiming the notice money.

Strictly speaking, I think these parents should be made accountable in some way. It seems unfair that they get away without paying notice money. I have bought craft materials that I planned to use with their children. No doubt I will use them elsewhere but I ordered 6 of everything so I had enough for everyone including them.

**rickysmiths** · 08-03-2009, 02:31 PM

It is for this reason I take a four weeks fee deposit at the time the Contract is signed and it is not returned until the END of the contract when if all fees have been paid up to date the deposit is used for the last four weeks of the contract The notice period.

If you do this in the future you will not be out of pocket. This time though, she has given you four weeks notice and as you have not requested payment for your notice period I think you have to put it down to experience.