Mumsnet Talk

I'm interested in a local childminder, but on the website it says she takes 6 weeks holiday every year and that parents are expected to pay 50% of the daily costs throughout this. Is this normal? Seems a bit cheeky to me...

It's cheeky.
CM's are self employed and in my opinion should not get holiday pay from paremts, although some ask for it and get it.

Just work out what the real hourly rate is and take it from there
Yes, is cheeky as self-employed, but if she sets it out in t + c, shrug
What happens if you leave before the hols?

Just work out what the real hourly rate is and take it from there
Yes, is cheeky as self-employed, but if she sets it out in t + c, shrug
What happens if you leave before the hols?

It's not cheeky if she gets business, it's business
And it's up to the parent if they sign her contract.

Personally I don't charge for my hols or sickness and take 4 weeks a year( hols).

My CM charges half for when she's on holiday and half for when DS is on holiday. Don't think she has 6 weeks though.

It doesn't bother me, but our CM is worth her weight in gold.

I don't charge for my holidays, I take 5 weeks a year. If the parent takes the same holiday as me then there's no charge, but if I'm open and working when they choose to take their holiday then I expect full payment.
However, I'm flexible enough to book my holiday around my parents if they have something booked way in advance.

I take 23 days a yr off and charge half fees to parents, its normal practice near me

I take 4 weeks eac year and I don't charge for my holidays. I was planning to charge for 2 weeks but when it came down to it I personally felt like it was the wrong thing to do.

I pay my childminder half pay for holidays which includes Christmas and the 6 weeks school summer holiday.

I think it's very cheeky but my friend pays her CM when she is on holiday ( 4 weeks)

My childminder only takes Christmas and has no pay. But if we take hols we pay her half fees.
I wouldn't pay for her hols. Actually in her case I probably would as we love her to bits but I wouldn't normally think this is fair.

My CM didn't but charged half for our hols.
She was ace

well if she doesn't do it that way she will increase her hourly to "cover" it IYKWIM so if the hourly is a good rate and you work it out and it's comparable, then fine

My holiday pay isn't paid when I take holiday its included in my hourly so its up to me to save a little as I go for holidays

mine took no pay during the holidays, but suspect that was all factored into her hourly rate for the rest of the time

It's not cheeky and is very common. My CM takes 4 weeks at half pay and we are allowed to take an additional 4 weeks at half pay. Some childminders won't charge for their holiday but will charge for yours so it ends up the same in the end.

Don't get the 'she's being cheeky' thing.

If it was the market rate for her area and parents paid it then how is that cheeky? That's good business .

House prices in London are higher than in Wales. That's not a cheek that's life and market rates!

Some people have a strange attitude to small businesses and market rates!

Well that was my question, really - is it cheeky?

Thank you everyone for helping to clarify things. I need to find out what's normal for my area.

The 'cheeky' thing comes from being self employed. Typically, employees get holiday pay from employers, self employed or those not directly emploed by client factor it in to their fees but tend not to ask eg I've never paid my milkman for his holidays and would be a bit hmm about it
But up to her what she sets out in her t and c
I still wonder how it works though eg someone leaves just before her hols, you take their place then immediately have to pay for the holiday - why don't the other people have to pay anything towards it?

House prices in London are higher than in Wales. That's not a cheek that's life and market rates!

That's not a good analogy. Childminders charging when they are not working is not like the difference between house prices in London and Wales, its like buying a house and not being able to live in it for 6 weeks of the year.

You see, for me, that's six weeks in which I'd not only have to pay 50% of her fees, but also 100% of someone else's. Which seems a bit of a raw deal. I'd expect the costs to be built in.

With respect... The house price comparison wasn't an analagy but rather an anomaly ... If she can run her businesslike this and parents pay for this then good on her, this isn't about what is morally right or wrong !

I would if I could and to say otherwise would b a lie.its. It isnt a crime yet is it to make as much money as possible out of offering brilliant child care.??

Or is it just bankers who can shaft people?

The house price analogy is bad as pointed out above. However do you expect to get paid paid holidays as part of your employment Ts&Cs? If so why would you expect an employee of yours to settle for less?

I work with my DH and we have 5 weeks off a year. We don't charge for holidays, ours or the clients.

You see 'justredbin's point is why it is cheeky!
It's the comparison with an employee. They don't work 'for' you - they are self employed. I am self employed. I don't get paid holiday - I have to factor it in to fees. Maybe I will specify a 'holiday pay' element on the bill for a laugh