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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Fee Schedule Question
Nickel 06:02 PM 07-08-2012
I've looked over tons of posts where providers charge for their vacation. I'm not arguing that point here.

But for myself I was thinking of charging everyone the same amount for holidays and sick days. But I was going to take two weeks unpaid vacation per year. Basically five sick days and a one week vacation.

Because I'll be working primarily with military that get paid on the 1st and 15th I was going to offer the following options (because military only gets 24 pay checks per year where someone that gets biweekly gets 26)

Say for example my rate is $125/week.

Parents can pay the weekly amount of $125/week OR
biweekly payments of $250 OR
Two monthly payments on the first and the fifteenth
Or a monthly payment.

Now, for the weekly and biweekly I would Just have them pay the amount and when I took a vacation they would not pay me for that week. but how would I do the second week if my days are scattered here and there?

For the other two payments I was thinking of take the $125 x 50 weeks divided by 24 or 12 payments respectively. This way they pay me the same amount every single month and I and they don't have to worry about it. In this way I would also sort of be forced to take time off or give them two weeks of free care!

or would it be less confusing to just divide the payments up into 23 or 11.5 so that they would essentially not pay me for two weeks. But I could see how this would get confusing if they termed...

I was just going to take paid holiday in accordance with the base schedule (bank holidays) not the school schedule, but then take 10 days unpaid. Again, I don't want to argue paid or unpaid, it's just the way I want to do it.

Suggestions appreciated!!!
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cheerfuldom 06:13 PM 07-08-2012
I think that you should have everyone on one payment plan. No matter how people get paid by their employer, they can plan accordingly. I just know that trying to keep track of multiple rates and payment schedules is very overwhelming. As for the unexpected days off for sick days, just credit it to the next weeks payment and parents can short their next weeks check by that amount. Never refund. Then take your one week unpaid vacation, give notice and no one pays for that week.
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Truly Scrumptious 06:41 PM 07-08-2012
I agree with cheer...it does get very overwhelming when everyone's pay schedule is different.

As far as vacation time goes, I know a provider that would get paid for her own vacation time, but allow her day care parents 1 week of vacation per year that no payment was due. But, they had to give her a 2 weeks notice in writing as to when they were taking their vacation and no 2 families could take the same week. That way she would only miss the income from one family at a time instead of all of them at once.
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Nickel 08:14 PM 07-08-2012
hmmm. I was thinking of charging them full amount if they take a vacation, or at the very least 50% to hold the spot.

I know when my oldest was in daycare and when I was looking to put my youngest in (while I went to school) I had to pay each and every day if we were there or not or the center was closed, which wasn't often. Only federal holidays which I would have had off anyway.

I personally just feel funny taking someones money while I'm on vacation. Holidays i get, but not when they have to find back up care because I couldn't watch them. When I was working at my previous job I got 12 days per year, or one per month. But I almost always used them for sick days for myself or the kids, so I've never taken a vacation. But I know working at home I'm going to need time to recoup at some point. And honestly if I follow the base schedule, I should be getting fri before a holiday and monday after a holiday off and I would still require them to pay.

I just feel bad because I know as a mom i've been in a tight spot when my provider takes a day off. And when I was going to school, five unexcused absences meant my grade dropped a full letter. And being military I understand not knowing many people in the community. Another lady and I were planning on subbing for each other so if I was sick I could refer them to her and then I guess I could just pay her if they decided to use her, but I think she might end up taking the max amount of kids she can have, so that wouldn't work if she was full. I personally only one to have two preschoolers.

It's just hard because I can see both sides of the coin and I've been in those tough positions. So I don't mind them not paying me for time off, but I'd also rather they stick to the same schedule every month. So $125 x 50 weeks (2 unpaid) and divide that by 24 to get about $260 on the 1st and $260 on the 15th. But then I see people getting confused when I tell them they still owe me the same because I did their computations according to 50 weeks vice 52. I guess basically I should tell them $125 x 52 weeks divided by 24 is $270 per payday but then just lower their rate when I do take a day off at $25/day... I guess that would work better since then if I don't take that time off I would essentially make more money...

Yes, I think that would probably work out. Sorry I rambled, but that helped me figure out what is probably the best choice. But I open to hear what others do in this situation...
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AnneCordelia 03:05 AM 07-09-2012
My clients all are on different pay schedules with their employers...monthly, contract, biweekly, etc. It matters not to me: I get paid weekly and they budget their monies accordingly to pay me in full and on time.
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Truly Scrumptious 09:15 AM 07-09-2012
For myself....all of my families pays the same fee....due every Friday by closing for the upcoming week. I get paid 52 weeks a year. I have personal, sick and training days that I take and I get 10 paid vacation days per year. My families have to pay for their vacation time. I used to feel guilty when I first started providing care too, but not any more.
When explaining why I do this, I tell parents that it's like I have a slot for "sale" and I ask if they want to "buy" it. If they say yes, then I tell them how much it cost. They can decide if they want it or not. If they dont', someone else will

I also do not offer a sibling discount...I don't feel that I should lose income because parents decided to have more than one child that has to be in child care. Also, everyone pays the same amount, no matter the age of the child. (I know some providers that charge more for infants and drop rates as the child gets older). Tom Copeland teaches that you should be getting raises as the years go by, not taking a cut in pay.

When I used to offer discounts to families that I thought needed a break....these were the very ones who would drive up in a new car (better than what I was driving), or hand me my check with their newly manicured nails or tell me about their trip to the Bahamas.
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