Don't know whether to charge a half fee for the Tue bank holiday - nothing in contract as I only mind these siblings on a Tue and Wed?

[CrazyBabies]

I have been looking after 2 sibllings for a year. They pay £80 the day as its a long day and there are 2 of them.
I feel I should refund half the money for the Tue bank hol. Nothing was written in the contract as I don't have them on Mondays and bank holidays are usually Mondays!

The parents have said they don't need me as they are going away over the previous weekend inc the Tue. Back on the Wed.
Because they pay high fees i really feel I should refund half.
Please let me know what you would do. Thanks.

What do you say in your contract... i charge full pay on a Bank Holiday... Most people in employment if they have the day of... get paid... ( Saying that i don't work Mondays at the moment ... but have in the past..

Well Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th December 2012 and Tuesday 1 January 2013 are Bank Holidays so you should sort out something properly.

Personally I believe that in general, if you are unwilling or unable to provide a service on a particular day then you shouldn't charge for that day. Certainly that is the default contractual position unless the contract specifically states otherwise.

In my contract i left the bit about bank holidays blank, as they are usually fall on a Monday. I haven't in 5 years of childmindning had a bank holiday falling on a different day of the week from Mondays. I only mind them on Tue and Wed, so it didn't even cross my mind to fill it in as it didn't seem applicable.
MrAnchovy with regards to christmas, I take 2 weeks holiday, so i wouldn't be working anyway!. I take 4 weeks holiday a year - unpaid!
I am trying to work it out so its fair to this family.
They told me they are going to be on holiday, so in normal circumstances they would still pay.

Also, I am very careful when filling in contracts. I use the ncma ones, and usually cover everything!
I am available to work for other families who need me on bank holidays, and am very flexible. I change my days/hours to suit my families, and am quite happy to work on my day off if it helps them. I think I am actually a very fair person, and want to continue in this way.

I don't charge anything for bank holidays unless I work them, in which case I charge an extra 20%. If you don't normally charge for bank hols (and you say you don't charge for Christmas and new year ones) then you shouldn't charge for this one, I don't think.

Forgetting for a moment that Tuesday is a Public (not 'Bank') Holiday, as you are normally available for work on such days, what is in the contract regarding parental leave? They have told you they don't need you Tuesday as they are away, so effectively taking it as holiday, so you should charge whatever you would normally charge on a day you are available for work and they are on holiday. If this is full fee then this is what you are entitled to charge, however if you are willing to reduce this to half it is a very generous gesture that you need to emphasise (in writing) is a one off. If they normally pay half then issue solved, if normally pay nothing then no fee due.

ChildrenAtHeart thank you for your advice. It really makes sense what you are saying. In my contract it states that if I am available for work, then it's full fee. I don't charge for when I am on holiday, but do for their holiday.
Must say too, that what you wrote was really nicely put - thanks.

Aw shucks! It's nice to be appreciated lol. Hope you sort it amicably
:)

Our contracts all state that we charge full-rate when we are available to work unless 4 weeks holiday notice is given by the parent, then we charge half rate. If our service is unavailable (bank hols, xmas etc) then we don't charge. If you are available to work on that Tues then you are fully entitled to charge full rate. You're being kind in reducing the fee if that's what you want to do but agree with Childrenatheart that you should make it very clear on your timesheet/invoice that this is a one off. You don't want a generous gesture to come back and bite you on the bum!