To ask my CM to reduce her fees?

[muggglewump]

I've known my CM for 5 years, she's been having DD on and off for that time.

She's great, I trust her completely, she will go out of her way for me and DD is happy there.
Last year she had DD from school till 5.30 three days a week.

I have a different job now, where I only need her in holidays and for overtime, but she only does wraparound and holiday care anyway, as she works in a Crèche termtime.

Now, here is the issue.

I have to work this Sunday, from 7.30am, until I finish, probably around 4. (I'm a cleaner). CM charges time and a half for Saturdays, double time on a Sunday so it'll be £8 an hour.
I've agreed to work this as a favour to my boss.

I do NOT think my CM is being unreasonable to charge this, but I really can't afford to work a weekend day again, after this as I'll be out of pocket as I get paid £5.83 an hour.

Would it be U to approach her and ask if she'd consider charging the weekday rate?

That way, I earn a bit more, get to help out at work when they need weekend cover and she makes a bit, rather than me never working a weekend and no one earns extra?

She can't work for me, she's working anyway, she does every weekend, the guy who also normally does is on AL, hence needing the cover.
This will be a maximum of 22 days a year, split between three of us, so even if I said nothing, it wouldn't happen often.
I will say though.

She knows I can get Childcare as ang when though, because I can, I just need to call CM. She's never not been able to do it yet in 5 years.

I applied for a few jobs in schools, didn't even get an interview, and a few I saw were 15 hours. I need 16. In fact the job I have was 15, she gave me an extra hour so I could take it. The other people she interviewed must have been really bad!

I don't think private is an option, I wouldn't have a clue where to start paying tax, and they really aren't secure, and juggling a few I'm guessing would make things harder than they are now.

I worked in a shop last year, truly the women were awful, it was like being in a witches coven and I had no contract at all so when my hours were cut, I had to leave and it took 5 months to get this.
I think a 16 hour contract is not to be sniffed at. Many low paid jobs have zero hours contracts.

Honestly, I don't think it's a massive issue really, I've been a bit daft, no doubt I will be again but I'll sort this out.
I don't think I'm being used or badly treated, I certainly don't feel that way.

Honestly, a staff meeting that consists mainly of drinking tea and gossiping, followed by a ciggie break at bosses insistence (she's a non smoker and went back to work), the lifts, letting me have time off and juggling the rota for me?
That doesn't count as using in my book.

Good luck with the conversation with her mugglewump x

Yes SM, that's great.
If she gets TC's they will be reduced accordingly. I'd be no better off, worse in fact as there'd be no paid leave for a start, and if you decide you no longer want a cleaner, far more likely than a Care Home doing that, there'd be no job. I'd still need to work 16 hours too, no doubt juggling 4 or 5 houses and sorting out all my own Tax/NI.

That makes no sense, and yes I know, nor does what I agreed to but hey, we've all been a bit stupid before, I'm no different.

Thanks Butterscotch (and everyone else, I know folk are only trying to help), I will report back on Sunday when I finish.

I'm not worried, I know she'll be fine about it. It's just a shame I can't really as I don't mind for a few days a year. It really doesn't make sense though, and I should have thought before opening my mouth and agreeing

if you are good friends with this women you couldput it to her- ive been offered weekend shifts-but could only pay standard rates cos of what i am being paid- are you interested before i turn it down?

would echo others though- by any measure is this really worth it? - many women work weekends either because they can get the kids covered without cost- or more rarely because they can earn a bit more per hour.

even if she reduced her rate, is it worth losing your weekend? also, if you keep doing this as a favour it is a problem that will not be resolved. surely it cant be that hard for the home to find weekend cleaners? if it is, they need to look at the pay.

oh and by the way...good for you for wanting to help out this time- we have experience of nurisng homes and we always mega grateful at the effots made to keep it immaculately clean 7 days a week

oh, and have read on.... totally agree and understand about the 16 hours and school hours contract, can see why it all makes sense to do this and the fact that your boss is the sort where you want to do this favour. totally understand why you do not want to lose this.......almost impossible to find this type of work (in fact makes me want to write rude letters when local authorities and the like advertise 15 hr a week jobs- either do them at 16 or change the benefit rules to 15!)

good luck with it all!

Your boss does sound lovely but the 'chummy' 'matey' situation is what has caused this issue in the first place.
Breaking the boundaries of boss and friend is what is causing you to feel like you 'have' to help as she is so kind to you.

She shouldn't be doing this as she has created a situation where you don't want to 'upset' her.

I'm sure she is lovely, but it is bad management skills to work in this way as it stops you feeling like you can challenge her on things that you need to like the Sunday situation.

She should not make staff meetings mainly consist of gossip as these meetings are necessary for you as a staff team to be able to feedback to her issues and dilemmas that you feel need changing and she is making this difficult.

Also, why is it fair that the other member of staff doesn't have to support on Sunday cos she can't get there by bus. Why can't your boss pick her up and drop her off if that is what she has been offering everybody else.

This fun and friendly team that she has created could go tits up soon.

The thing is muggle if you say yes to your boss, she might think that its ok and the few weekends a year might turn into more and more. Glad that you will talk to her. They are a big company they should get agency staff like everbody else to cover if regular staff cannot do it. Ah but they do not want to pay the higher agency fees i expect, you just have to say no to your boss and say that by working at the weekend it will leave you out of pocket, why should you loose out.

No, she asked me because I work for her, everyone else has done a turn, as far as she knows I can do it no problem.
I see nothing wrong with having a gossip, the work stuff was discussed too.

It's been working well for ages, before I joined the team, it's known that we get on and work well because of it. I have no reason to doubt it will continue to do so.
We all help each other where we can, the issue is I can't really, and should have let that be known.

I've honestly always thought it a bonus if you get on with your boss. I've had a few jobs in my time where the boss has been awful, and it makes the whole job and atmosphere awful.
The best jobs have always been the ones with a friendly, approachable boss.

It won't turn into more and more weekends, as I will tell her, I said that posts and posts ago, but she has done nothing wrong by asking.
She's put herself out for me, so I did for her. Yes, stupid, but not a doormat, and not being used, just making everyone's job easier.
Everyone on the team does the same.
It means we can have our AL when we want, it means we don't worry about the repercussions when we, or one of our kids are ill, and if anything else is wrong, we have a boss to go to who will make sure something is done about it, and she has. (I won't make you feel ill with tales of sick, shit and piss, or bore you talking about hoovers!)
Oh, did I mention the flexible hours too? I can start anytime from 7.30-9.30 so long as I get my work done, and of course, for me I need to do 16 hours.

That really isn't a job to be sniffed at for a single parent, non driver, in a small town during a recession and sometimes it is worth going the extra mile for.

It's why I asked if it was worth approaching my CM because I don't mind giving up the odd weekend day, as I said, 22ish split three ways is not a lot in a year.

its a shame you will be out of pocket

guess no harm in asking cm if would reduce this one time

mugglewump - sorry if I'm getting confused here, but you said you live on a naval estate, are you Forces? if so, then have you tried the various welfare groups for support/advice?

Can I also add in a separate bit about being a lone parent and working?

I've attended interviews where you can see a shift in attitude when you mention it, or they ask what you'll do when your kids are sick? Clearly they know that a single parent is more likely to have time off, and it puts them off hiring.

Something like a school admin which all the Mums, single or not want, they can pick someone with a husband to share the care, and who has recent experience. I have neither, and have to accept I'm unlikely to get a job like that.

A cleaning job in a Care Home is something not many folk are willing to do, but the working conditions are far better than my last job-waitressing.

I have to accept this is probably the best I can get until DD is old enough to be left, and I may not enjoy the work as such, but I enjoy the job, I get on with the other staff, I feel secure because of the contract, and I only need Childcare in the holidays, and I have two days a week to myself.

Stupid or not, it's not always a bad thing to go the extra mile for a job like this.
There's not many jobs around like it. So I have to stick my hand down a few toilets, I have it good really.
Last year I ended up needing 10 hours childcare a week, over four days, for a 16 hour job with no contract, being bullied and ending up in tears daily (anyone remember my bike story from last year?) and I still had to leave when my hours were cut.
In the 5 months it took me to get this, I attended 7 interviews, applied for at least 20 jobs and had rent arrears.

Not a good place to be in.
I am not going to do any more Sundays, but can you perhaps see why I might have wanted to?
And yes, it was me that wanted to help, not the boss who made me feel I had to.

For all it'll cost me tomorrow, my rent is paid, DD's Christmas presents are covered, I have X-Factor tickets, and I bought a coffee machine this week.
No, I'm not loaded, I'm on a tight budget but there is money for treats and life is so much easier than it has been at any time since I had DD 8 years ago.

I'm not Forces Saltire.
I'm on the Clyde, the Navy sold a lot of the houses on this estate 8 years ago so I have a private rental on a Navy estate. My CM is Navy, she works at Hive. I believe that's a Navy thing?
It's pretty good actually as things like Beavers/Cubs are based here, and there's a shop and playgrounds, plus a school.
The police are always about which makes it feel really safe.
The Club has frequent family events, discos and the like and we have a great fete once a year.
They also have a gym which I keep meaning to join. Never quite get past meaning to though!

CM just been on phone, asking if she can take DD to light switch on in town tomorrow. I had forgotten all about it.
Of course I said yes and said I'd send some money for rides/hot chocolate/candy floss, and she said no, it's her treat and can be DD's Christmas present from her this year.

It saves me going too, I hate it, so I reckon it's worth the extra cash this time!

Right, I'm back from work. I got finished at 2 as my boss had hoovered upstairs for me and cleaned both sluices.

I explained to her why I won't be able to work Sundays again, and other than telling me I'm a fecking idiot for doing it in the first place, she was fine, and I won't be expected to.
She apologised for asking me to, which was not necessary as she had no idea, and I knew that.

I've not seen CM yet as she is still out with her DH, DS's and my DD.

Mugglewump, she does indeed sound like a lovely boss, and I'm really glad she understood. Hope dd is having a fantastic time.

Your boss does sound as though she understands your situation now, so will avoid putting you on the rota for days where you would earn less than you pay for childcare. However to keep jobs these days you need to be flexible, so I can understand that when you were asked to do the shift why you said yes... even though it meant making a loss. It sort of gives you a brownie point with your boss, which may come in handy later, if say you needed to finish early to go to DD's school play, take her to the doctors or something like that.

SC Healthcare (link to Financial interim 2009) does not seem to me to be making profit... seems as though they are currently operating at a loss. Anyone good at reading financial statements follow the link and see what you think.
Thus I am not surprised that the company is paying workers just above National Minimum Wage and I doubt they will be offering any more salary.

Of course you can ask a CM if they will reduce their rates but the answer could well be no, as they are running a business and have their own operating costs to pay.

If DD's father is still in touch and quite local then perhaps see if he will take on some of the childcare duties... why should it all fall down to you? If he cares for his DD some of the time, then that childcare does not cost you money... plus DD gets to see her father and he gets to see her.

I've just taken delivery of one red cheeked, stuffed full of junk, happy child!

I invited CM in for a glass of wine, and did mention that I'm not paid more for weekends.
She hasn't actually charged me £4 an hour yet, as she's only recently put her fees up from £3.50, so what she's said, is that she'll keep mine at £3.50 for the remainder of the school year for my overtime, but still do time and a half for Saturdays, double for Sundays.
I said no, she doesn't have to, but she wants to, is happy with it and as she said, I bring in most of her minding business anyway.

I also helped her buy an R4 whilst she was here, as she's clueless about such things.

I think all in all, I gained today so I was right to work.

Of course I'm lucky it turned out this way, I still was a bit stupid, but alls well that ends well.

Now, what to do with a DD bouncing off the walls who has eaten too much candy floss?

I agree with Nannynick, why can't the Father help out more?

He lives in Australia, left me when DD was 6 weeks old and has never wanted anything to do with her.
I'm currently going through the Aus CSA for maintenance. I have posted about this.

I used to ask the same question myself, but in a whiney voice.
'Why can't he heeeeelllp meee'?
'Whhyyyy iss he such a cuuuunnnt'?
Followed by sobbing and berating myself for choosing a shite for DD's father.

I gave up, no point as he's not interested and no point in blaming myself.

It's not going to change anything is it?

Alas no it probably won't change anything. Pity though that Aus CSA haven't sorted anything out yet.

Why did you mention that you weren't paid more for weekends? I wonder if the CM now thinks she had no choice but to keep the fee down.

I didn't mention it Fab, I didn't think I needed to as I hadn't anticipated working weekends.

I have a boss who is using me, I'm a doormat, and I'm using my CM.

I have a more fun life reading about it on here than I actually have.
It sounds good though, can I join in?

I hope Danyl will have shopped in the male department of tops tonight.

I wasn't keen on last night's Primarni woman's top.
Nor was I keen on his shouting.

"and did mention that I'm not paid more for weekends."

??

I have been following this thread and just wanted to post to say that you sound like an amazing person with an incredibly strong and positive personality. The absence of self pity in your posts is incredible. Good Luck will come to you because you deserve it so much. Like my mum laways says, 'cream rises to the top.'