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DaycareMom 10:01 AM 01-15-2014
when it comes to payment if you are sick but still willing to work?

If you give DCPs a heads up when you are sick, but are still open and DCP decided NOT to brink DCK (because you are sick) - would you still charge since you are willing to work?
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melilley 10:03 AM 01-15-2014
I would. I haven't had that happen yet, but my parents prepay anyways so they would have to pay. Plus, you gave them a choice, they could have come!
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childcaremom 10:03 AM 01-15-2014
Yes. My policy is to let parents know if there is an illness within my household and it is their discretion to attend or not. My kids are not 'enrolled' in the daycare and not around the kids. Payment is still required as I am open.

I also have the disclaimer that I may need to close. if I close due to illness, then no, payment is not required.
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Brooksie 10:07 AM 01-15-2014
Its in my policy: If there is a household illness I notify parents. If they choose not to bring their kids its on them. I still charge for the day. I also remind them that if their child were to get sick from said household illness, they are still to follow the sick policy and JUST because they got it here doesn't mean they get to be sick here.
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daycarediva 10:34 AM 01-15-2014
Originally Posted by childcaremom:
Yes. My policy is to let parents know if there is an illness within my household and it is their discretion to attend or not. My kids are not 'enrolled' in the daycare and not around the kids. Payment is still required as I am open.

I also have the disclaimer that I may need to close. if I close due to illness, then no, payment is not required.
Originally Posted by Brooksie:
Its in my policy: If there is a household illness I notify parents. If they choose not to bring their kids its on them. I still charge for the day. I also remind them that if their child were to get sick from said household illness, they are still to follow the sick policy and JUST because they got it here doesn't mean they get to be sick here.


it's a risk that 90% of my parents are willing to take (and chances are the dck has already been exposed) If I open, you pay. Regardless of if you chose to come or not.
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Laurel 10:41 AM 01-15-2014
Originally Posted by DaycareMom:
when it comes to payment if you are sick but still willing to work?

If you give DCPs a heads up when you are sick, but are still open and DCP decided NOT to brink DCK (because you are sick) - would you still charge since you are willing to work?
No, I don't charge. It has only happened once in 18 years though as I had pink eye. I work thru colds, backaches, etc. Without informing them that I am sick.
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MarinaVanessa 12:49 PM 01-15-2014
I charge. I have it in my handbook though. I let them know that I am feeling under the weather but that I am not closing so they can choose to bring their children or not but there is no discount if they choose to keep their child home.

The way I explain is is like this ... I'm an adult and I'm better at not putting my hands/fingers/other stuff in my mouth and sharing my germs. I'm better at hand washing and coughing/sneezing into the crook of my elbow etc). In other words, if I have a slight cold or minor fever but I otherwise feel fine I'm pretty good at keeping my germs to myself when compared to the LO's. If I feel so bad that I feel that I couldn't keep the germs to myself or take good care of the DCK's then I'd just close.

If I'm open then the day needs to be paid for. Besides, like mentioned before ... at the point when know that I'm sick I have already been contagious for a bit anyway and after that I can be extra careful about universal precautions. I've worked "sick" many times with the warning that if their child gets sick because they came to daycare while I was sick they still have to follow my illness policy and exclude if they have symptoms for exclusion. So far I've been lucky and none of my DCK's have gotten sick from something I had.
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Stepping 01:02 PM 01-15-2014
I would and it's detailed in my policy that parents still have to pay.
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Rachel 05:52 AM 01-16-2014
I don't tell the parent how I am feeling. If I was so sick I couldn't safely care for the kids, yes, I would close and send the kids to backup (on me) or have my sub come and work (if she was around, cheaper for me). If my older kids are sick (almost 6 - almost 10), I tell the supervisor and keep them separate. If the toddler was sick I would have to use my judgement. Last year I closed for 3 days because he had a 101+ fever and was throwing up. Ideally I would get my sub to watch him or the group, but I just couldn't do that to her, he was too sick (and she couldn't stay all day and watch the group, so I was stuck, that was one expensive illness!)
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Crazy8 06:53 AM 01-16-2014
I never really mention how I am feeling with dc parents - if I was sick enough that I'd have to tell them I would probably be closed. I work thru stuffy heads, colds, etc. Have never had the flu or anything serious - that I would close for. Just like parents still parent when they have a little cold (well some of them anyway, LOL), I still care for kids with my own little aches and pains and put on my happy face at the door.
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Blackcat31 07:52 AM 01-16-2014
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
I never really mention how I am feeling with dc parents - if I was sick enough that I'd have to tell them I would probably be closed.


If I am open and available for care, they pay.

I charge a flat weekly rate anyways and it is based on enrollment NOT attendance so even if I did close for a day, they still pay.
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Laurel 09:21 AM 01-16-2014
I think it is unfair to have pink eye, for example, and expect the parent to either bring them or pay anyway. No one should 'have' to expose their child or be financially penalized. It just seems wrong to me personally.

However, like someone else said I work through almost anything but am rarely sick so it hasn't been a big issue. Once I worked through a whole month of a very serious bout with a bronchitis-like illness. I told my doctor and told her what my job was. She said I wasn't contagious so I worked. It was HARD because I coughed almost constantly and couldn't sleep much at night. I took off one day cause the coughing made my whole body sore and I couldn't get out of bed. Next day I worked though. As long as I can hobble out of bed.

Laurel
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Blackcat31 09:22 AM 01-16-2014
Originally Posted by Laurel:
I think it is unfair to have pink eye, for example, and expect the parent to either bring them or pay anyway. No one should 'have' to expose their child or be financially penalized. It just seems wrong to me personally.

Laurel
Our public schools no longer exclude for pink eye.
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Tags:payment issues, sick policy
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