to be pissed off that I'm being charged for the snow days

[DefinatelyNotAPooTroll]

Children's nursery closed for the 2 snow days a couple of weeks ago and nursery have made the decision to charge for those days.

I feel really pissed off as I had to take unpaid leave + make time back in lieu.

I have two under three so it's not bloody cheap either!!

Apart from this I couldn't be happier with them. It's a wonderful nursery. They're worth every penny we pay them but I'm really naffed off they charged for this!

I'm being unreasonable, aren't I?

I don't think you are being unreasonable, they made the decision to shut, you didn't just not turn up. I understand they may have to pay staff etc but it doesn't seem fair to me.

It's so tricky. I totally understand why you are pissed off but they still have to pay their staff those days (assuming they're on a contract) which is by far the biggest cost. It's a no-win situation.

I completely sympathise but I'm afraid YABU as their costs will almost the same (staff, rent etc). There's probably a clause in the contract about it.

Are they allowed to do this (check the terms of the contract)? At ours, you didn't pay if the setting was unavailable (except for Bank Holidays).

It is annoying but I am afraid it is what it is - they are still paying almost all of their overheads for those two days (such as staff pay, rent, council tax, some of their utilities etc).

I think it is fairly standard, to be honest and I'd be more surprised if they didn't charge. I didn't even check with my nursery as I assumed we would still pay.

It's a no-win situation.

Really? Because it seems everyone but the OP won.

I wouldn't expect to pay in that situation - I would expect the nursery to have the necessary insurance to cover staff wages in such eventuality.

It's worth questioning at least

My nursery did this but when challenged offered to take the money off next month's bill or i could put dc in a different day to make up for it
Have you spoken to them about it yet?

I think that's standard. I didn't even think about it when I got my invoice this month.

It is probably stated in your contract that you would still need to pay, or stipulated in their t&cs.

If you were one of the staff you'd be pretty pissed off to be told you weren't getting paid. The nursery can't have made much actually savings by being closed? A bit of heating cost, maybe.

I don't think you have a leg to stand on re nursery but why would you take unpaid leave AND make the time up?

Whilst I appreciate that the nursery still has to cover its costs and pay its staff, why should the OP be the one that loses out here?

The nursery is a business and should take factors like this into account.

I think it is absolutely disgusting that the OP is expected to pay for nursery care that she was not able to use through no fault of her own.

Just because the OP doesn't pay for days that the nursery is shut, doesn't mean the staff don't/won't/shouldn't get paid. They could run their financial model to allow for a few unexpected closures each year.

Again, the nursery is a business not a charity.

Why should the OP lose out financially as opposed to the owners of the business.

You should either take unpaid leave or make the time up. Not both. Your employer is being very unreasonable.

I think you are right to be annoyed if it was their decision to close the nursery and you weren't being paid from work. They didn't provide the service that they were contracted to do and therefore shouldn't charge IMHO. If OP couldn't make it to the nursery because of the snow and the nursery was open they would charge her. These contracts have to work both ways IMHO. Don't pay and see what happens.

What does your contract with them say on enforced closure

If not covered or in your favour object

Where we were govt said all schools n childcare facilities had to close on one of the days. (ireland) Our after school shut two days. The owner didn't charge us for the day she decided to shut but did for the day they were enforced to shut.

You either take unpaid time off or you work the time back, not both.

If you lose a day's pay I would put in a complaint as you have worked the hours.

I don't think you should be asked to pay. They are a business.

However you would need to check the terms of your contract.

If you don't pay, I can see them just raising their charges in future to cover the shortfall. So your choice is to pay now or even more in the future.

It's standard and will probably be in your contract.

Yes the company is a business but what exactly has the business provided here to the OP by closing? Why is she paying them for their decision to close.

I can see why you are pissed off with it. But I think they probably still need to pay rent, salaries etc. Their outgoings won’t change. Thousands of schools had to close, many of them will have been private ones. They wouldn’t be returning fees presumably.