Holiday Pay
 

So finally I'm on vacation next week yea! On my info sheet that parents sign I have in it that they pay for 5 holidays if it falls on their normally scheduled day. All of my paperwork from last year is in storage and something tells me I didn't charge for 4th of July last year because it fell during my week off. So that poses the question, shouldn't I still charge for the 4th even though I'm off for the whole week or should I consider that part of my vacation? I don't charge for days I have off as vacation.

I would not. You are already on vacation for the entire week. Maybe consider taking your vacation the week before or after next year?

I get Christmas Eve and Day off - paid. However, I frequently take off Christmas week for one of my 2 vacation weeks. My vacation weeks aren't paid. I do not charge for Christmas Eve and Day if I'm already closed for my vacation anyway. It's just there in case I'm not closed that week so that I still have it off with my family.

I wouldn't charge for the 4th in your situation. Enjoy the vacation!

I wanted to add that you are not wrong in thinking it would be fair to be paid. It would be.

The problem is that it is summer and everybody and their sister has openings right now. New providers gladly take your clients when you close for a week and then undercut you in an attempt to keep them. This is simply a bad time to poke the bear if you like stability in pay. KWIM?

I don't bend a lot, but I also don't pick small battles during the summer. :hug:

That's kinda how I was thinking but then I thought I do charge for Christmas Day and I usually take unpaid at least for Christmas Eve and a day a 2 after, so I wasn't sure.

I'm not going to switch weeks just to get it paid. I mean if I really want to I could charge for it since it is in the information sheet that they sign, but thought since I was off all week maybe I wouldn't. My husband's family all goes at the same time and we all stay at the same place so it should be fun. Minus family drama lol.

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I wanted to add that you are not wrong in thinking it would be fair to be paid. It would be.

The problem is that it is summer and everybody and their sister has openings right now. New providers gladly take your clients when you close for a week and then undercut you in an attempt to keep them. This is simply a bad time to poke the bear if you like stability in pay. KWIM?

I don't bend a lot, but I also don't pick small battles during the summer. :hug:

Yes I totally get what you're saying. That's kinda why I'm thinking leave it be. Most of my people take the same week. I give them my vacation in January so they have plenty of time to arrange their vaca around mine. One kiddo is going to grandmas.

Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
I mean if I really want to I could charge for it since it is in the information sheet that they sign, but thought since I was off all week maybe I wouldn't.

I am running into this looking ahead to December of this year. I take off December 24th (paid) December 25th (paid) and December 26th (unpaid) every year. This year because they fall on a Tu/W/Th I am thinking about just taking the whole week off and waiving the paid holidays. I haven’t decided yet, I have no reason to be off that Monday or Friday but if I only have 1-2 kids each of those days that really isn’t worth it to me.

For me, Federal Holidays are paid days off, so if they fell during a vacation, which I don't charge for, I would expect payment for my Federal Holiday.

Personally, I wouldn't charge if a holiday fell in the middle of my unpaid vacation week. (I take the first full week after the 4th as my vacation week for that very reason.)

Before I started my own day care business, my son was in a day care. If a holiday fell during the provider's vacation week, she'd take a different day off during the year and count it as the paid holiday. At the time, looking at it from a parent's perspective, I didn't like her policy much. As a provider, I get it but... I think Cat Herder made a good point about poking the bear.

I looked back at last years Christmas. I took off Christmas Eve (unpaid) of course had Christmas off. Then I took 2 days after Christmas off unpaid and worked that Friday. They paid for Christmas day. Make this any different? I would add that other than a day or two after Christmas, I literally only take this one week off a year. I may have 1 day here and there but not much at all.

I'm just going to give you an example of what I do in regards to holidays and unpaid vacation days.

In my handbook, I state that 2 days are paid for the Thanksgiving holiday and it's posted on the annual calendar that is handed out every January.
I am taking off the whole week (3 days unpaid, 2 days paid). I typically always schedule my unpaid vacation days around paid holidays so that it doesn't hurt my wallet too badly.

The week before, I remind families:
I will be closed November 25th-29th. Please remember your contract states that November 28th and 29th are paid holidays. Please adjust your weekly payment accordingly and make sure all payments are made before November 25th to avoid late fees.

We charge regardless of when a holiday falls unless it falls on a weekend because then we take the day before or after just like the federal government would

Well I'm back from vaca and this Friday is a pay day. I get paid every other. I'm still deliberating on what to do about the 4th of July pay. I looked and last year 2 out of 3 people paid me for the 4th. Christmas everyone that normally was scheduled that day paid me and I had 2 days off after Christmas. What to do, what to do

Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
Well I'm back from vaca and this Friday is a pay day. I get paid every other. I'm still deliberating on what to do about the 4th of July pay. I looked and last year 2 out of 3 people paid me for the 4th. Christmas everyone that normally was scheduled that day paid me and I had 2 days off after Christmas. What to do, what to do

Yay for vacations! Hope it was a good one happyface

As far as payment goes if you don’t take a ton of time off and are considered a reliable provider I’d charge.

IMHO, it’s more or less the “norm” for most providers now days so I don’t think parents are surprised anymore about paying by enrollment verses use.

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Yay for vacations! Hope it was a good one happyface

As far as payment goes if you don’t take a ton of time off and are considered a reliable provider I’d charge.

IMHO, it’s more or less the “norm” for most providers now days so I don’t think parents are surprised anymore about paying by enrollment verses use.

I take very little time off. I wouldnt charge them for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Just Thursday which is the holiday.

In your case, don't think I'd charge. Even though you could, it's just seems too complicated.

How I do my time off is I get paid monthly and factor in my 2 weeks unpaid vacation (wkly tuition x 50 wks divided by 12 months=monthly tuition).

I also take 10-12 holidays (Thanksgiving/day after, Christmas Eve/Day etc) and 5 personal days, every year. Unused personal days are used between Christmas and New Years.

My tuition stays the same every month regardless of vacations or holidays. It's nice knowing how much you are making every month.

I would also charge for the holiday.

I added paid vacation to my contract a few years ago. Prior to that, I would charge for the holiday if it fell during my vacation week. Parents didn't question it and expected it because my contract stated holidays were paid. Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by Kimskiddos:
In your case, don't think I'd charge. Even though you could, it's just seems too complicated.

How I do my time off is I get paid monthly and factor in my 2 weeks unpaid vacation (wkly tuition x 50 wks divided by 12 months=monthly tuition).

I also take 10-12 holidays (Thanksgiving/day after, Christmas Eve/Day etc) and 5 personal days, every year. Unused personal days are used between Christmas and New Years.

My tuition stays the same every month regardless of vacations or holidays. It's nice knowing how much you are making every month.

So do you charge for your time off? Personal days, vacation days, holidays?

If someone leaves mid year then aren't you getting less than you normally would if someone stayed all year?

Originally Posted by sammie:
I would also charge for the holiday.

I added paid vacation to my contract a few years ago. Prior to that, I would charge for the holiday if it fell during my vacation week. Parents didn't question it and expected it because my contract stated holidays were paid. Hope that helps!

Mine is in there too, so I really don't know why I'm wondering. I add unpaid vacation days to Christmas and it's fine. My info sheet that they sign says: "The following days are paid holidays if it falls on your normally scheduled day: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day."

I take many days throughout the year (professional, personal, vacation, holidays, etc.) but charge 52 weeks a year. So much easier for me that way! :)