Holiday and Sick Pay: Who Charges?

**LisaCat80** · 13-01-2014, 09:01 PM

Hi
Just wondering if anyone out there charges for time they have off for holiday or sickness?
If so do you charge full, half or a percentage?
I don't charge atm but considering charging (maybe not full charge) for time off for holiday.
What are peoples thought please
Many Thanks
Lisa xx

**hectors house** · 13-01-2014, 09:10 PM

I charge in full if the child doesn't come at short notice ie: sick or granny fancied taking them out for the day!
I charge half fee if they give me 4 weeks notice of a day off or holiday up to a maximum of 4 weeks a year - but I am seriously thinking that this will have to stop - I have one child who only comes on a Monday, last year what with my 3 weeks holiday, his 4 weeks holiday and all the bank holidays, I only got paid in full for 41 weeks!

**appleblossom** · 13-01-2014, 09:11 PM

I don't charge for my own time off, for any reason. Never have.

**shortstuff** · 13-01-2014, 10:58 PM

I use a simple rule if im open I charge. If im closed I discount the fees I have received in advance from the next invoice. Hth

**dawn100** · 14-01-2014, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Gail Tracey

I use a simple rule if im open I charge. If im closed I discount the fees I have received in advance from the next invoice. Hth

I do the same

**EmmaReed84** · 14-01-2014, 06:21 AM

My rule is, if I am open, I charge, if I am closed I do not.

All my payments go in to one account, and they stay there until the end of the month where I then pay myself a wage, leaving the rest in my childminding account.

If I close or whatever reason and obviously lose money, it is not such a big issue, as I always have a buffer in the account to use so I am 'usually' always paid the same.

Also with some of my parents, their fee has been annualised, with 4 weeks deducted for my unpaid holiday, this also helps a lot as I do not need to deduct all my parents fees, just a few of them.

Simona · 14-01-2014, 07:02 AM

It may be worth pausing for a second and thinking about holiday pay....some get paid full, some half and some not at all....totally our choice I believe

As you are aware agencies are been promoted as basically giving parents guarantee of cover at all times....during the holidays they promise that when their cms is on holiday parents will have another come in and cover

Has anyone thought about how to address this which could be a selling point for parents??

**donnam** · 14-01-2014, 08:14 AM

I charge full fee for 52 weeks a year only time I don't charge is if I am sick never had any complaints about my charges and always been full same rule for 15 years,and all cms in my area do the same x

**ja-lula-belli** · 14-01-2014, 08:20 AM

I do not charge if I am on holidays or I am sick. However I do charge full fee for their holidays and sickness as I am still open and they are choosing not to use me.
Saying that tho it also makes me not book any holidays as it's a radical difference in income if I do.

Ja-Lula-Bell*****minding

**ziggy** · 14-01-2014, 09:15 AM

I dont charge for my holidays or sickness. Parents pay 50% if they give me 4 weeks notice of time off, otherwise all days off are paid in full.

**tulip0803** · 14-01-2014, 01:05 PM

I don't charge if I am not available to work for any reason. I charge full if the child is off and I am open

**LisaCat80** · 14-01-2014, 01:11 PM

Thanks everyone
I think I will remain as I am doing then

Seems majority of cms don't charge for there own time off, it just plays on my mind that if I wasn't self employed I would get some holiday/sick pay. Not bothered about losing money to sickness though as that's putting parents out at short notice and it is a rare occurrence anyway, mostly earnings are lost through having holiday time off.
EmmaReed84 excellent idea about giving yourself a wage! Gonna consider this

Thanks again all
xx

**pinkellifun** · 14-01-2014, 01:40 PM

I charge full fee if I am available (i.e. child is ill) and no fee if I am not available (i.e. MY holiday or MY sickenss or MY SON's sickness)

**JCrakers** · 14-01-2014, 01:52 PM

I charge if I'm available and no charge if I'm not. So child's sickness and holidays are paid

**AdeleMarie88** · 14-01-2014, 02:34 PM

I don't charge for my sickness, and only charge for 15 holiday days a year. These days are coordinated with my parents at the beginning of the year. I also charge for all BH. You have to find what works. For you,but I suggest you find out what normal practice. Is for your area so that you don't loose any parents to other CMs.

**Blueeyedminder** · 14-01-2014, 03:11 PM

I charge full pay for everything! The only time a parent doesn't get charged is if I'm ill and unable to produce a service

**Tealady** · 15-01-2014, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by hectors house

I charge in full if the child doesn't come at short notice ie: sick or granny fancied taking them out for the day!
I charge half fee if they give me 4 weeks notice of a day off or holiday up to a maximum of 4 weeks a year - but I am seriously thinking that this will have to stop - I have one child who only comes on a Monday, last year what with my 3 weeks holiday, his 4 weeks holiday and all the bank holidays, I only got paid in full for 41 weeks!

I used to do this but they now only get the 4 weeks at half fees if they are with me 3 full days or more.

**hectors house** · 15-01-2014, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Tealady

I used to do this but they now only get the 4 weeks at half fees if they are with me 3 full days or more.

Thank you I was thinking of introducing this rule for children who only come one day a week back last year but chickened out - I may start charging half fee for bank holidays and if they want me to work them it will be triple fee. That's the rate I used to get when I worked in Sainsbury's - double time and a day off in lieu.

I didn't do this before as one mum worked in a pub and so still had to work bank holidays and get her mum to have child, but now everyone who comes on a Monday is in normal employment and get paid for bank holidays, so why should I miss out - I know this is controversial as we are self employed.

**Mummits** · 15-01-2014, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by AdeleMarie88

I don't charge for my sickness, and only charge for 15 holiday days a year. These days are coordinated with my parents at the beginning of the year. I also charge for all BH. You have to find what works. For you,but I suggest you find out what normal practice. Is for your area so that you don't loose any parents to other CMs.

Most CMs around here seem to charge for four weeks leave and bank holidays. I have recently changed to (practically) term time only. I charge for term time plus four weeks inclusive of bank holidays, with all holiday taken in school holidays. The other nine and a bit weeks are not charged for unless used. I think that's about fair, but I always say exactly how the charge is worked out is irrelevant really, it's whether the total cost works out reasonable for the service offered, and whether that service suits the family's needs. There still seem to be a lot of people fixated on hourly rates, and a few others obsessed with holiday pay. If anyone was adamant that they wouldn't pay holidays, I would be fine with charging them another 50 pence an hour.