Asking employer to cover childcare costs

[Totupthenumberspls]

I’ve been asked to go on a business trip for a week, is it unreasonable to ask the company to pay the incremental childcare costs?

God these employers ... bastards eh? You work somewhere for almost a decade, never asked to do more than your 9 to 5 despite having a contract that says international travel may be part of the job, have maternity leave, sickness absence, all kinds of give and take that allow you to do all the child pickups - and the fuckers actually expect you to suck something up that's in your contract. Bastards.

Not really. Just that you work different hours.
You've not explained why he can't be flexible for the very short time you're away.

Honestly, it sounds like you're just pissed off that you've been asked to go on this trip and are determined to be as awkward as possible.

That's not what they are asking.

They are asking you to do your job. They'll cover directly incurred expenses.

They won't pay for your invented extra childcare cost, same as they wouldn't pay for a carer to come to your elderly mother who lives with you, or a pet sitter to mind Fido, or your cleaner because you're not there to clean.

Dear God. 🤦🏻‍♀️

@anythinginapinch lol

If I heard that another employee got their childcare paid for, I'd be asking for travel related family expenses myself (which wouldn't be childcare because my DH would step up). This is why employers probably wouldn't consider it. Too many other people will ask for stuff like kennels or catteries or house sitters for pets, respite care for elderly parents, any other life expenses. These costs are no less real or less important than childcare costs to people. Unaffordable for an employer.

Travel means working away from your designated place of work (specified in your contract). Your office is in London, they ask you to go to Manchester at 10am and come back at 5pm, that's travel. It doesn't mean they can send you away for days and you have to comply.

Nonsense. Travel means whatever your company stipulates. No you don't 'have to comply' usually, you can say no or at least discuss it (except OP, who can only whinge, despite having no valid point).

If they ask me to go away for a year, is that ok?

Yes.

Do you have to do it?

No.

Exactly

I think the difference between your situation and a lot of other who 'have to travel regularly for work and I never ask for childcare costs' is that you state you have worked there for 8 years and have never had to travel for work.
Personally, I would be saying no to a ten day trip regardless of costs. That is a long time to be away from young children and I would not be interested in that alone! Say no. It will cover days you are not normally in, so use any excuse that you are busy

@EarringsandLipstick why am I whinging with no valid point? It was purely a question. Yes, I can say no.

For me the question is you work 9-5 but do pick up and drop off so clearly you are doing this within works time rather than using before/after school club.

So why does your partner need help whilst you are away? If you had the appropriate childcare in place it wouldn't matter

If I was your manager and you asked ne to cover your childcare in this instance, I would decline it for several reasons:

1. Your contract says travel
2. Your contract says additional hours
3. It really has been a bonus to you that the travel to date has been so little
4. Childcare isn't an allowance expense

Now, if you reframed it and asked of you could claim once off additional overtime due to the nature & lenght, as it woud help you cover additional costs by being away, I'm sure that we could compromise on something.

I'm fair but demanding childcare costs when you have a contract that requires travel which just has been limited to date wouldn't work.

I should also mention I'm a single parent of 3 young children - i used to work away regularly when I was married but now refuse all projects that would necessitate that. My boss is understanding as there are lots of other people who can attend at no personal cost to them (like overnight childcare which is impossible to get anyway)

Posters are missing the bigger picture here imo. What if the OP was a single mother (or father)? Should society/business not support family life? Men continue to build their careers because most don't even consider this.

There have been numerous threads about women not having children and the declining population. This thread is an example of why women are stopping and I don't blame them.

When I was made redundant back in the 90's the employees from Germany who had children were more protected and I was higher up the list than them as a single person. At the time I thought this was a bit off however now I'm older I can see that supporting working parents, esp women, is important to community, society and well-being. Back in the real world it's capitalism all the way 🙁. Why do people think the rich are getting richer!

It's also quite a significant investment on the company's part, to have to find someone being in a different continent for a fortnight.
Your food and drink will all be paid for, and by all accounts there need be no £300 for childcare as your husband is on hand.

So the only party here losing out financially ain't you.

@makeanddo but that is the massive irony of the ops position - she doesn’t think her parenters employee should pay for it

there are big issues about supporting the costs of childcare and not penalising women

the ops particular stance on this is unhelpful short sighted and entitled

@ElaineMBenes his job just isn’t that flexible?
im not pissed off at all about it, im fine with going. However I disagree that I should have to accept it will cost me money.
It has been said I can be awkward at times !

No, people shouldn't sign work contracts that they cannot fulfill.

If you have limitations of your ability to travel for whatever reason, childcare, caring responsibilities, fear of flying etc - then you should look for a role that matches your availability.

OP you have already said in your contract it covers any situation like this, why your complaining and thinking the childcare for YOUR child is of the employer is beyond me? You must have looked through this contract before taking on the job no? If you didn’t, that’s a silly move on your part..

if you wasn’t happy with potentially travelling long distances you shouldn’t have accepted a job where it covers all basis.. meaning one day this situation could crop up and leave you in this situation in the first place.

you can hardly blame your company for the expense of childcare to cover your time away when you were happy to take the job on in the first place 🤷‍♀️.

they have requested you to go, I don’t see what your actual problem is? You can just say “sorry I can’t come to that as I don’t have any childcare to cover the full time needing to be there”.. what exactly is it you’re getting at? Just say no and let someone else go instead.. first thing I’d have done if I couldn’t get the situation sorted with childcare/afford to!

@WhenWereYouUnderMe thats their choice though….are they losing financially or making an investment

@ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees so I should have thought about this 8 years ago?

It's the same net effect isn't it?

I'm a university lecturer and I've had childcare covered for a Saturday open day which is theoretically part of my role but I can't do it without extra cost.
I can also apply for funding for overseas collaborations that will include childcare costs.
I think it's reasonable to ask.

@CrazyHedgehogLover well my situation when I signed the contract 8 years ago wasn’t quite the same….

@WhenWereYouUnderMe how?