Christmas charges...
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  1. #1
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    Default Christmas charges...

    I'm interested to know who works what over the festive period and what days you charge for - for example : Christmas Day and Boxing Day are bank holidays which fall on week days - would you charge for these days if stated in your contract that you charge for all BH but are closed?
    Interested to hear all views

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    I've been wondering this too....although I only have one family just now which are tto so I'm hoping I will get two weeks off over Xmas and new year. I won't be charging for the bank holiday days though as my fees policy states I don't work them so don't charge for them. Which days are actually bank holidays - is it just Xmas day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day?

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    Unless you are prepared to work Xmas day and Boxing day then you can't charge for them. Would you honestly work on those days? I know lots of people work Boxing day but then it would be double time.
    It's up to you, we make our own rules
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  4. #4
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    My contracts state I charge for bank holidays even though I am closed - my parents have signed these contracts - so surely you would expect that on Xmas day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day to be charged?

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    I get paid fr all bank holidays but I've told them I don't work them never had a problem

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    I will be closing on the 20th December and reopening the 6th January at no charge because I don't want any mindees here its family time
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  10. #7
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    Supermumy will you be charging for Xmas and Boxing Day but be closed then?

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    Yes and all bank holiday Monday I have off too

    Only time I don't charge is if I'm sick or my 4 weeks holiday

    I've never had a parent argue about it and even had a few say we get paid why shouldn't you I do get lovely parents

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    I am working up to and including Xmas eve and then open again 6th jan. I've never taken such a long time off at the same time but I take 20 days unpaid annual leave plus unpaid bank holidays a year. Normally I work it literally 4 weeks and if a bank holiday falls in that time then I have less over the year. This year I decided to take full 20 days and so am taking the days in between as adds up to correct amount over the year for me. I don't charge bank holidays but I would imagine that if you say your charge for bank holiday and are closed then yes you should charge and be closed.

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    It depends what it says in your contracts.

    Some people charge for all bank holidays, but don't work them. Others only charge if they're prepared to work them. That's what I do. My contracts say that if I'm available to work a bank holiday I charge for it - full fee if the child doesn't attend, double fee if they do. I'm not prepared to work Christmas, New year or Easter bank hols, so never charge for those.

    If it says in your contracts that you charge for all bank holidays you're within your rights to charge in full for christmas day, boxing day and New Year. But what if you're taking the rest of the week off? Do you charge if a bank holiday falls within your annual holiday?

    I'm finishing work on 19th Dec & starting back again on 6th Jan. I don't charge for any of that time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by supermumy View Post
    Yes and all bank holiday Monday I have off too

    Only time I don't charge is if I'm sick or my 4 weeks holiday

    I've never had a parent argue about it and even had a few say we get paid why shouldn't you I do get lovely parents
    Out of interest, what if a bank holiday falls withing your 4 weeks holiday? That's why I don't charge for christmas, new year and easter bank holidays - because I always take those times as holiday.

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    I dont charge bank hols as i dont work them but my contract says with prior arrangement i may work at time and a half except for xmas day, boxing day and new years day which i will not work at all. Over xmas my OH has set days off with his company so i take the same days. This year it falls i have xmas eve off right through to the 2nd jan but works out im only actually using 3 days annual leave and i only have my mindee 2 days out of the whole 2 weeks holiday (dont have him fridays) Its all unpaid but id prefer the family time.

  16. #13
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    Mouse - your question was also what I was wondering which is why I was going to be open Xmas eve and start my hol on the 27th - I don't work but charge for BH - so unofficially would finish on Xmas eve.

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    Years ago, I used to play chicken with the parents when Christmas was coming up and see who booked off first - obviously if they booked off first, I got paid for it. It got too stressful and I now book off the week of Christmas and go back on January 2nd. I used to hate working right up to 6.30 on Christmas Eve so parents could finish their shopping and wrapping. I don't charge for the BH because I don't want to work them

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    I am prepared to work BH with notice and for a higher fee.

    If the parents don't want to use a BH and it falls on a contracted day they pay normal fee and that is for all 8 BH.

    If they want me to work they have to book the day in writing 4 weeks before.

    Then Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day are charged at 3 x normal fee. All other BH are charged at 2 x fee.

    This is all clearly written into my Contract and in my Fees Policy.

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  20. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post

    Out of interest, what if a bank holiday falls withing your 4 weeks holiday? That's why I don't charge for christmas, new year and easter bank holidays - because I always take those times as holiday.
    To be honest I've never took the whole 4weeks I take 2 weeks August for my holiday and don't really bother with rest unless something comes up and can give plenty of notice
    My school kid is term time only and I only ever only take 1 full time child at a time and even than his only 3 days anyway so with my 4 kids it makes no difference to me when I'm working
    My contacts states I don't charge if ill or on my holiday full pay for thier holiday sickness bank holidays

  21. #17
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    [QUOTE="Ripeberry;1303592"]Unless you are prepared to work Xmas day and Boxing day then you can't charge for them. Would you honestly work on those days? I know lots of people work Boxing day but then it would be double time. It's up to you, we make our own rules [/QUOTE
    My daughter works at next she loved to be paid double time on the Boxing Day sales!

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  22. #18
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    I charge for normal bank holidays but not xmas day, boxing day or new years day, all my parents are fine with this I also don't charge
    for when I'm away or sick but full pay if they are.
    Cath

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    I normally take a couple of weeks off over the xmas hols xx

  24. #20
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    I normally give my parents a booking form at the end of October and ask them to fill it in and return it by the end of November with their Christmas requirements and holidays. I put all the dates and days on the form. If there are any days I definitely want off then I mark them as holiday. I actually find that most Christmas holidays are booked off by families and so it is counted as their holiday and I get paid time off. I haven't worked between Christmas and New Year for 5 or 6 years now.

 

 
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