ABA mums hello - I have a couple of questions re: therapists, would appreciate your input

[kitegirl]

All you running ABA programmes can you tell me

1. do you employ your therapists or do they work as freelancers?
   
2. do you pay them if they are sick and take sick leave?
   
3. do you pay them if you cancel a session or go on holiday?
   
4. do you pay them if they cancel a session or go on holiday?
   
5. do you pay travel expenses?
   
   and lastly, what would you do if a therapist that you had trained - as you know, paying for a senior therapist to double up etc - quit after only two months in the job, without notice, leaving a bill behind. Would you a) pay up in full and take it in the chin or b) pay for the sessions she did on her own, but not the sessions where she was being trained (assisted by another therapist, workshops, etc).
   
   thank you for your comments!

[Davros]

I have not run a formal ABA prog for some time, although DS attends ABA school so I am still quite informed. I have been amazed over the last few years at how the therapists have managed to get a lot going their way and parents have become less assertive. My view of your questions:

1. My therapists all worked on self-employed basis when we were funded as that is what our LEA requested. Otherwise a lot was cash-in-hand. We never employed
   
2. Because of above we did not pay sick leave, it is not correct if someone is self-employed. We didn't if they were cash-in-hand either, one of the down sides of not paying tax, no benefits
   
3. We never had holidays in those days so it didn't come up. If we cancelled a session, which was very rare, I would pay or I would find them something else to do if child not available. Tidying therapy room, laminating, making PECs, sorting out files etc
   
4. Never paid if they cancelled or went on hol (see above
   
5. Always my strict policy NEVER to pay travel expenses. No-one ever paid me to get to work. As we live in London they usually had travelcards (now Oyster) and used those all the time to get to all jobs. I think anyone asking for travel expenses in our circumstances is taking the piss. I would often drive them to somewhere or pick them up if necessary (tube strike etc or late mtg elsewhere).
   Lastly, if someone left without notice etc I would NOT pay their bill and I would tell them so in the nicest possible way. One thing to sort out at the beginning is what to do if things "go wrong" like this, although it is not usually legally enforceable, at least the expectations/agreement are known.

[Davros]

I have been thinking about my reply. On the last point, paying the bill left by a therapist who left without notice, I know I would start out in high dudgeon but would then seriously consider paying it. Often its just not worth any bad feeling. I think I would decided depending on what I wanted the others to think as they will prob know about it

• do I want them to know that I WON'T pay under such circumstances and that she has been unreasonable and I am the "victim" OR
  
• do I want them to know that I will pay, although she has been unreasonable, as I am above that and want to move on???????

[kitegirl]

thanks, good to know! two of my tutors insisted that they 'always get paid' even during holidays, no matter how far in advance they were notified. Might have to do some more research on that.

anyone else?

[Homsa]

We have a contract that is based on a sample contract provided by PEACH that sets out that:

1. all the tutors are self-employed
   
2. they don't get paid if they are sick
   
3. we pay them if we have to cancel a session at short notice - but if we go on holiday, we have to give one month's notice and don't pay them in that case
   
4. they don't get paid if they go on holiday
   
5. we don't pay travel expenses
   
   We have a notice period of one month written into the contract, which applies to both parties. I don't know if I would really not pay someone their last month's fees if they just left, seems pretty harsh, I guess it depends on their circumstances. I definitely wouldn't pay for the initial training sessions though!