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?

This is very clear. You are being asked to travel as required. What don’t you get about what’s written here? You can ask for childcare costs and they should say no.

Ps just saw you have a dp. Personally I’d think that’s absolutely not for your job to have to do

I agree Op, you shouldn’t be out of pocket. If they want you to go, they should pay your expenses. I’m a teacher and keep getting asked to go on a residential for 5 days. The way the school rules work when it comes to how many days off curriculum you can have for a trip, I would need to work on my day off (and not get paid for it) and on a weekend day. I would need to pay extra wraparound on one of the days for one child and a full nursery day for 2. I don’t “need” to go on a trip but would consider it. I’m just not prepared to be a couple of hundred out of pocket. Plus my husband would need to arrange his work to ensure he wasn’t asked to go into the office on any of those days as he just wouldn’t make it back in time for pick ups.

Pets aren't human beings. They aren't legal classed the same.

My DP's organisation changed it's policies in the last couple of years as they realised lots of staff were carers not only for children but adult relatives who have disabilities.

@Alcyoneus my contract also says I have to work as many hours as the company requires…..not an enforceable statement

What?! Ridiculous comment

At my work we would cover this, given it's not regular and a rare trip. An overnight stay is one thing but a ten day trip is another.

To be fair we would probably ask you to choose to go given you have young children and consider alternatives if you would rather not go.

But given you are willing and they presumably think you're the best person to deliver the training, then it's not unreasonable for them to cover this expense.

(yes we have covered expensive pet minder/kennel fees for a similar one off trip to Africa)

H&S legislation plus case law shows this isn't true, but have you found any for reclaiming childcare costs?

Will you even be able to get any? It's difficult enough to get regular wrap around care, never mind for a random week.

Personally, I'd say no. But, then I can walk into another job very easily.

@Reugny what do you mean this isn’t true? My point is my contract has many unenforceable clauses

Depends where you live and who you use.

I don’t understand all the negative responses you are getting - why wouldn’t you at least explain the situation and ask?

£300 is probably quite a small addition compared to the flights and accommodation costs. If the trip is important enough for them to pay those and do without you in the office for all that time, then they might be fine - especially considering you will be giving up a lot of your free time to go.

I’d absolutely ask, can’t hurt.

But it’s interesting how you’ve framed this to yourself. That this inconvenience is not you and your partner’s responsibility to resolve, but rather your employer’s. Your employer has a contract with you that includes some travel, but you still regard additional childcare as the cost of running a business and not the cost of being a parent, if you see what I mean? A non-parent could work your role so there would be no childcare cost to sending you on this trip, whereas you think additional childcare costs should be the responsibility of the business not the parents, and you think the other parent shouldn’t be “inconvenienced” but your employer should. If you were declined for a job/promotion because you had children that would be discrimination, but being hired when you have kids doesn’t mean the business accept childcare costs. It’s like you think you’re doing them a favour going on this trip, which may be the case.

Not convinced by the logic, but you miss every shot you don’t take!

• And there's your answer Please don't make it harder than it already is for women to work and have children.*

Absolutely ludicrous. This attitude is the issue actually, not OP.

But having children is your choice. Why should they pay for something they have no control over?

By that same argument, are they asking you to travel every week? Sounds like not. It’s occasional. So they are entirely reasonable. And hopefully give you a stern answer and explain their expectations so you are more reasonable next time.

But the point is you're only asking your DP to cover drop off and pick up. Not actually super unreasonable! If the DC are in nursery which you've said they are then that's presumably covering 9-5. So why is it such a problem for DP to be able to cover either end of the day?

The point is though it shouldn't cost you any money to go to work.

Companies need to be making it easier for women to remain in work and not penalise for expensive and difficult to access childcare.

If you were a man, it would be less considered because there is an inherent belief that a woman is around somewhere to manage the kids. Unpaid work.

But here. The work needs to be paid for, and the company should bare that bill if they want you to travel.

No contract will ever stipulate this detail. But you won't change policy if you don't challenge and ask.

Any one here saying it shouldn't be paid, try to imagine how helpful it could be for you if your work offered similar.

Alternatively organisations can pay more in the first place, especially to to women, the gender pay gap, to alleviate the issue at all.

This isn't on you. It's on them. Challenge them.

Not sure which of my comments you are replying to as you haven't quoted it.

@BitchImLoco i can’t call it a favour because obviously I’m paid to do my role. A non parent of course could do the role but they’ve asked me, and yes, why should I be out of pocket on their behalf?

Yes you are. I'm staggered. I'm a single parent, and have had to pay always for additional childcare / cover that someone in a relationship may not have to.

It's a PITA of course. But not my organisation's responsibility.

Of course if I have a particular challenge around travel (which in my case wouldn't be anything like as significant as a trip to Africa), we discuss the need or otherwise for me to go, and what we can do.

That's the conversation you need to have, not having an expectation of childcare costs being met. 🤦🏻‍♀️

This.

I can't believe the attitude some people so openly have to this. Expecting people to put up and shut up is how we've got where we are with women having to give up careers to cover childcare because it's not worth them working.

why should I be out of pocket on their behalf?

Because it's your child 🙄

It does cost people to go to work.

There was a news article the other day about young people not taking on apprenticeships as they could not afford the costs of travel to work, appropriate clothing and other work related costs.

@lifeispainauchocolat correct, I chose to have children. Quite a lot of the population have done the same.