Paid Vacation

[pink]

I'm a little frustrated, people seem to leave conveniently prior to my paid holidays. How can I avoid and now I was thinking adding another paid week in my contract, I presently have one week paid. How many paid week should we have in our contracts. Your feedback is so appreciated.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Do others in your area have paid leave? It is not common in my area (even in my province I would say) We are self employed so IMO, paid leave is rare but if you can get families that agree to it, good for you!

It sounds like paid leave is something that parents don't support in your area. Adding another week of paid leave likely won't help.

Have you considered charging more per day and not charging for your holidays?

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Miss Pink ;

This has not happened to me but you could do you contract like an employee when you earn vacation over time.

Put in your contract that vacation is accrued at x number of days each month. In the event of a parent leaving your care, if untaken vacation days are owed, then payment for those days is owed.

I get paid leave. I get 12 days. I don't do it like this. If they leave before I take my days then that's just how it goes. I don't take time off until Summer normal I have one week August and then odd days when I need. I do not think making more leave will fix this.

[sandylynn]

I get paid for all stat holidays...other than that....no paid days that I am not available to look after their child....never heard of paid "holidays" as in "VACATION"...... MY PARENTS WOULD NEVER PAY FOR MY HOLIDAYS! If they take vacation or any days off that I am available for them....they pay...

[mickyc]

Same as sandylynn and 5lm here. It would not go over well

[Busy ECE mommy]

I have 2 weeks paid and all stats paid. I also have 2 weeks unpaid. I have a 1 month notice period for withdrawals, so usually don't tell my parents about vacation until about 1 month in advance.

[babydom]

I have 3wks paid vacations (Two wks in the summer and one wk at Christmas) and all sat and gov days paid. No paid sick days. The norm here is actually 4wks paid vacation but I felt that to b to much

[superfun]

Haha, 5LM and mickyc, I actually thought the same about this town. I don't charge if i'm not open, I don't feel right about it. But anyways, I had a family start in November after I had officially told everyone about my holidays in march. And recently I realized I hadn't told her yet. So I told her today, and we were chatting a bit about flights, etc. She acted really surprised to find out that she didn't have to pay while I was away! (even though it's in my policy) So it's possible that maybe attitudes are starting to change around here?

[sandylynn]

busy ece mommy...you have 2 WEEKS PAID HOLIDAYS??? AND 2 WEEKS UNPAID....WOW, THAT'S GREAT! I'll remember this....if there is ever a family I don't want coming here anymore....I'll just give them a note letting them know I will be paid for my holidays! Guaranteed...they won't be back!

[bright sparks]

I think for certain areas it is the norm and that is great. While it is a deterrent for some, it isn't for others. If there is a tight knit hdcprovider community like when I was operating in Halton, you can set the standard however you like because then it becomes the norm and parents adapt to it if there is no other option. As for where I live now, majority are casual, no contracts, stay at home moms so I'm already competing with low daily rates to begin with regardless of standard, so paid vacation would not help matters at all. I do not charge for a service that is not available. The only days I get paid off are stat days. As for unpaid time off, I do not cap it so if someone doesn't have back up I'm not the provider for them. I learnt within a couple of years of doing this that burn out is inevitable and I have to take care of myself. Until the last couple of years I have always been full, take babies as young as 3 months, provide a rich program and cook like a crazy woman and that takes its toll. So in order for me to be consistent and do my job well while staying healthy, I need to take off as much time as I need, and that varies. I typically take 4-6 weeks a year. Usually at least 2 weeks over the Xmas and New Year, generally a couple of weeks in the summer and then pretty much every long weekend I tag on a day or two to make it extra long. Sometimes I am off March Break and sometimes I work it. I won't be off that much this year as I am closing at the end of July, but if I wasn't I'd be off for 3 weeks for vacation. In 2013 I had 6 weeks off as I had surgery and required 2 weeks bed rest and I'd already taken time off and had plans for my xmas break. It's very much dependent on your areas norms and also how you want to run your business. Just because some providers thinks its a ridiculous notion that we at large should have paid vaction off, it doesn't make it so. Different strokes for different folks!