extending maternity leave

**anneriddington** · 30-09-2009, 02:24 PM

Have spoken to mindees mum today who is currently on maternity leave we agreed not to have a retainer period as I did have another child to take on who only needs care until Christmas mindee and new lo due to return in Feb, asked her to confirm exact date today and she said 10th May

Annoyed as I have saved her a retained fee already now she is pushing her luck!!! My own fault really I know but sometimes

**Zoomie** · 30-09-2009, 03:56 PM

Can you not send mum a letter stating that due to the fact that she is extending her ML you can no longer hold then place without a retainer fee and therefore if she want to keep the place the retainer will be xxx, and if not, here is your notice.

Or can you not afford to loose the mindee ?

**mum2two** · 30-09-2009, 04:30 PM

I agree with Zoomie. She's pushing her luck...

x

**The Juggler** · 01-10-2009, 08:52 AM

I agree with above but you need to keep her sweet if you want to keep her. I know I would have liked to extend mat leave if I could have. Its likely she just hasn't thought of the impact on you (as they so often dont).

Explain to her that you would normally have charged a retainer during mat leave but you filled her place with a temp contract. they leave at Christmas and you were prepared to let her have the 2 months to feb payment free. However as it is now going to be May you cannot be expected to make ends meet with no pay from January to May so you would need at least a 50% retainer from February (personally I would want at least 80% if Jan and Feb were free!). She might want to let you have them part-time before she returns anyhow to phase them in??

If she doesn't want to do this, explain to her there is no way you can afford to keep the space for free and pay your bills and say you are sorry you won't be able to afford to keep the space open for her. I would also start advertising immediately - you might get a temp contract from Jan to cover you or a more permanent one.

Don't forget, even if you fill her retainer period with a child, you can still charge a retainer for her eldest child as you have 2 spaces to fill.

**anneriddington** · 01-10-2009, 01:16 PM

thanks all for letting me rant, Im sure she hasnt given it another thought my loss of earnings, she will still be recieving maternity allowance after all. Have mentioned that I will have a space from Christmas to someone who has already asked for a place and think I may well go with that one, then when lo does eventually come will apply for variation for one day which will only be needed term time up to July so dont think it will be a problem for such a short time, I have had a similar one granted previously, just made me cross as she wouldnt be happy if her work said they wouldnt be paying her for 4 months.