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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Parent Using Vacation Day for My Paid Holiday?
BrynleeJean 11:08 AM 11-05-2018
Would you allow this?

They haven’t even asked yet but they have one more day to use and I’m assuming they think it’s assumed that it’s for thanksgiving. But that’s a day I’m closed and paid.
So I’m expecting to get paid and not have kids
Does it defeat the purpose to let them use one of their vacation (tuition free) days for a day I’m closed with pay?

I do let them use them for my vacation times though.
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Ariana 11:12 AM 11-05-2018
If your contract states that they can use it whenever they want then yes they can use it whenever they want.

Hopefully your contract states that vacation days are to be used outside of statutory holidays.
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boy_mom 11:34 AM 11-05-2018
Agreed, what does you contract say? If you haven't specified, maybe give them a heads up that Thanksgiving is a paid day off, and they cant combine.

If you dont have a clause about unpaid days not being used for provider paid time off and two week notice periods, definitely add one!!!
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DaveA 11:41 AM 11-05-2018
Originally Posted by boy_mom:
Agreed, what does you contract say? If you haven't specified, maybe give them a heads up that Thanksgiving is a paid day off, and they cant combine.

If you dont have a clause about unpaid days not being used for provider paid time off and two week notice periods, definitely add one!!!
This. I had to change my vacation policy after a DCF tried to use vacation to skip out on 2 weeks notice of changing providers.
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NiNi.R. 11:55 AM 11-05-2018
I used to give out rebate forms for things like this. To receive their rebate they must complete the form and their child must be absent from care on a day childcare is being provided. The day's total will be subtracted from the invoice following me receiving the form.

If you however do not have a policy on when vacation days can be used, then I would let them do it.
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rosieteddy 01:17 PM 11-05-2018
I would send a notice home Friday.I would make it the holiday review.Let everybody know what days you're closed for the Holiday season.Remind them about paid days and any other closings you have planned.Are you closed the day after Thanksgiving?What about Christmas week?Explain what days are paid days off for you.Maybe suggest one certain day for everyone to use up their remaining vacation days.I would change the policy in the new year on when they can use the time.I would not give them free days at all I had 3 weeks paid vacation when I retired .They all had paid vacation why not me.I had a full house .Good luck.
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BrynleeJean 02:57 PM 11-05-2018
Thanks all!

No I don’t it written that it should be outside of my paid holidays.

I think I will put this in the policies come the new year as well as hopefully avoid this by stating my paid holidays and the policy for two weeks notice. I’ve just never had this problem

Just when I think childcare can’t get any more meticulous it somehow surprises me and I’ve got to go back in and be even more finicky with my paperwork
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happymom 03:02 PM 11-05-2018
I don't know if it helps, but our daycare has clients use vacation days in 1 week increments.

You pay the week of your vacation and then the following week is "free" -- this keeps people from accidentally sending their kids when they signed up for vacation days, lol.
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sharlan 03:16 PM 11-05-2018
I'm not sure why it would matter.

If they are allowed to take a day off without paying, why would it matter what day they chose? Either way they get a free day that they dont pay for.
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MarinaVanessa 03:44 PM 11-05-2018
It's not too late to change it now. Why wait? Type up a policy change today to hand out tomorrow and you still give them a little more than 2 weeks notice in time for Thanksgiving
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LittleExplorers 05:29 PM 11-05-2018
Originally Posted by sharlan:
I'm not sure why it would matter.

If they are allowed to take a day off without paying, why would it matter what day they chose? Either way they get a free day that they dont pay for.

That is what I was thinking. I guess if they all did it, it would be a big hit at once, but in the end, they same total amount.
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lblanke 06:12 PM 11-05-2018
Maybe it is a big deal to the provider because of having 1 fewer child on the "free day" is a break for the provider, but having no children on a day with no children is not really a mini break. The money is the same, but the workload for the provider is different.
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storybookending 07:40 PM 11-05-2018
I didn’t have anything in my contract about this last year and I had a mom use 5 of her 10 days I allot the week of Christmas. Two days were supposed to be my “paid” days but it was the end of the year and she had only used 1 or 2 of her vacation days. Since my contract didn’t state anything specific I let her use them but I changed it for the contract for the next year.
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lovemykidstoo 05:44 AM 11-06-2018
Originally Posted by sharlan:
I'm not sure why it would matter.

If they are allowed to take a day off without paying, why would it matter what day they chose? Either way they get a free day that they dont pay for.
This is what I was going to post. A free day is a free day, why does it matter when it's used?

I used to give 10 free days a year, but then I was thinking why am I doing that? I stopped it years ago. Holidays are paid, their days off for any reason is paid. When I take vacation days, they don't pay. Works out perfectly.
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Unregistered 06:20 AM 11-06-2018
Originally Posted by sharlan:
I'm not sure why it would matter.

If they are allowed to take a day off without paying, why would it matter what day they chose? Either way they get a free day that they dont pay for.
My guess would be because it's supposed to be a paid holiday. If a family uses one of their vacation days, then their not paying for that holiday she is supposed to get paid for.
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Snowmom 06:27 AM 11-06-2018
Do you have a minimum amount of notice they are required to give you to use these free days?

If not, I would start. That may eliminate the surprises and give you ample time to account for the loss of income.

Personally, I don't give free days. I did when I first started and found that everyone used them at Christmas and my December income was always zilch.
Now, zero free days for them. 12 paid holidays and closed/paid from 12/24-1/1 AND if they are enrolled on 10/1 of the calendar year, they must pay for Christmas break even if they give notice between 10/1-1/1.
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Blackcat31 07:26 AM 11-06-2018
I don't give vacation days any longer either but I would say something like "Parent vacation days can not be used during provider holidays or days in which the child care is closed."

That way you are still getting your holiday pay and parent still has the option of using vacation days other times of the year.

I do have a section in my handbook that says a parents two week notice can't include provider vacation days. This was to prevent parents from giving notice right before the holidays...which used to be common but since going to 52 weeks a yr payments, it isn't an issue any longer.
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BrynleeJean 08:04 AM 11-06-2018
i guess I was wondering because they are using a vacation day for a day their child wasn’t going to even be in care but if I allow them to use them for my vacations I guess it’s all the same. I’d just never had it proposed.
And honestly one less day with the child I a day I’m actually working would have been nice but it is their day.

It’s all just a lot
I did this to make it seem like the parents had the option for not paying for care sometimes , thought it all evens out two weeks for me and two for them minus holidays that are paid either way.

I just thought it would be more unattractive for parents to hear they are paying even if they are on vacation all week. Being that normal practice around here is around 1-2 weeks tuition free after 3 months.
The allusion
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hwichlaz 08:28 AM 11-06-2018
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
This is what I was going to post. A free day is a free day, why does it matter when it's used?

I used to give 10 free days a year, but then I was thinking why am I doing that? I stopped it years ago. Holidays are paid, their days off for any reason is paid. When I take vacation days, they don't pay. Works out perfectly.
This is how I do it
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Tags:paid holidays, parents - changing things
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