Pinkchick after bit of advice please.x

[PinkChick]

Hi Guys, Happy New Year to you all!

Im trying to sort out new contract with my mindee at minute, mum has just become qualified nurse, we had contract for a set amount of hours while she was finishing training but now mum has started job and hours are obv going to be based of shifts.
Mum has said she will prob want a max of 90 hours per month, but these hours could be 'normal rate' (8.30-6pm) or out of hours (6pm-8.30am) so earlies, lates and overnights.
Mum suggested a set hourly rate but this would be impossible as i couldnt charge £4 for the out of hours and wouldnt want to charge over £1 extra for normal hours.

I dont know how the shift patterns work, how far in advance they give them out etc.

All i can suggest is contracting to a set amount of hours each month to be used ie: 90 and mum can use them (with notice and within reason - so not 5 overnights per week for example)..so could use 30 one week then 20 hours per weekfor the following 3 weeks? and iff mum has 'ran out' of hours by the end of the month, i would just add them onto the following weeks fee????

what does anyone else think?..i can say a set amount based on the normal rate nor can i give the higher rate for a week as it will be so confusing if those specific hours arent used..are you still with me?? lol..please help ease my brain ache.xxx

oh crikey

I think a set amount of hours per month is a good idea, then negotiate the hourly rate for any additional hours that might occur

I'll have a think and come back x

mum wants a fixed hourly rate between normal and out of hours fee and to pay that based on set monthly hours...but that would mean mum paying over the odds on the weeks when shes her 'normal' hours and less when shes early/late/overnight..meaning i woulod be making more when mindee is here through day (which to be honest, wont be a lot as shes at school and mums has fewer short shifts, then less when mindee here ealry/late /overnight?..its hard as i already give a reduction on overnight rate?, so do i take that back into consideration?

can you bill her for 90 'normal hours' each month so that as a minimum you know you will be earning this each month.

The each month add up all of the 'out of hours' hours & work out the extra for these, plus any additional hours used and add these to the 90 'normal'.

E.g. if charging £4ph normal rate, and £5ph out of hours rate......

is she uses 60hrs at normal rate and 30 out of hours....

she pays 90 x £4 = £360

30 x £1 = £30

=total of £390

hmm so bill them for normal at 90 hours so for eg 90 x £4 = £360 like you said, but for any of those hours are out of hours, add of the additional amount to the following months bill/..sounds good in theory, i accept the lower payment at the start of the month and get the 'remainder' the following month?
How would this work with tax credits tho? as i know this is her concern about the amounts changing?..although i dont think there is an easy way round it really, i dont want her to pay for more than she should nor do i want to charge less than i should...theyre a lovely family but i have to keep reminding myself i am running a business, but i will do all i can to accomodate so its fair for us both, but i think a 'new set hourly fee' would be a nightemare and wouldnt work?

sorry other prob...some weeks mum may not need me at all as she may be working weekend and tkaing her LO to stay with family instead, which is why mums asked for 4 weekly instead of weekly hours, but if she pays 90 hours and only uses 75 then id seem like an arse adding on any out of hours if it took it over and above that set price if she hadnt sued it all..or would it?
im talking thru in my own head now lol

does she know what % of her hours per month (or even per year) will fall under being 'out of hours' for you? If she knew this, then you could work out an average amount per month or poss even a new hourly rate, but if she has no clue how many hours likely to be out of hours then would be v.hard to work out.

Don't know about tax credits (or nursing!).

as a Mum who used a CM, if I had 90hrs per month booked & chose not to use them, I would expect to pay for all 90 of them. And if some of those were out of hours and therefore required extra payment that I would be fine with paying even if I hadnt used all of the booked hours.

Is there any way you can do it for 3 months then her phone tax credits people & them take an average or something like that?

Sounds v.complicated!

you're right ojmummy, i dont think she does know what % she would be out of hours as she only finds out shifts in 4 week block afaik..i think your suggestion of (example) £360 per month based on normal hours/rate, then anything over/outside those hours to be charged at the OOH rate as usual..then if they dont need ALL the contracted hours ill have to work out if the OOH hours used (haha are you still here lol)would take it above £360 and if not then mum doesnt have to pay any extra and i am straight too??..see i knew coming on here would clear it

I use my CM for adhoc days as well as a base of 2 days per week for 1 DD. I pay in advance for the 2 days and in arrears for any excess top ups.

As ojmummy said, if i was contracting for 90hrs, but not using them i would expect to pay for them (including any out of hrs premium)

Yes, i get that Pink - sounds right to me!

Oh, and you sound like you are providing a VERY flexible service, outside of what any nursery (or probably nanny would), so please don't see yourself out of pocket on this . I say that as a parent who is EXTREMELY grateful that my CM is v flexible and am more than happy to pay her accordingly

it is ojmummy!!...lol, i think thats a good idea..she could base her payments on the past 3 months so shes not too out of pocket..it will be awkward for her to start off with, but this will blow my brain up if i was to start adjusting rates etc lol and like i say ive already reduced OOH rate for this particular parent so couldnt (i know i could but I couldnt lol) say oh well its actually based on original out of hours rate now then.

like i say i want to help, lovely family but need to make it work for us both..you have been a huge help!.x

Hi Crispythecrisp, yeah this mum know she would be paying what shes contracted too, theyve been with me from the start and we've ironed out all the finer details along the way so we can speak easy now ..which is why i didnt think it was fair to charge her for example £5 ph instead of £4 per hour if she was only using normal hours..but then if all they needed was overnights that wouldnt be fair on me..tricky one, but i think ojmummy cracked it and payments have always been erratic already, this should siplify them a little then if we can get an average example, mum wont be stretched..thankyou.

thanks Crispythecrisp ..yes i am very flexiable with this and all my families, this particular mindee was my first and like family so thats hard too lol, but i AM a business and i cant always take all the headache of spending hours working out figures, even though i know my families are all lovely and do appreciate it

My head was bursting! i couldnt think..so glad i came on here .x

Sorted :-)... We are setting contract for x hours and mum paying y amount each month, which is more than would be at normal rate as we no its likely to be more o.o.h theyll need, well just have to carefully word in on cintract as we were getting more confysed lol poor mum was worried i thought she was trying to get away with paying less :-( but have explained as i would keep a register anyway so know which hours where being used more and i could go to her and change it, i was more concerned she would be paying a lot more than shed need too thru day n would b trucky working new rate out... Maybe shes just a mumsnetter herself :-)... Anyway, really appreciate the advice last night, cant wait to get mindee back, she was my first and like a little cousin to my dd :-) x