Am I right to feel a bit miffed?

[FlossALump]

Our CM gave us a little over two weeks notice that she is unavailable for work one day next week. No reason given. Not enough notice for our jobs, and the second time this has happened in a couple of months. However, she 'forgot' to tell SIL whose little boy also attends. As she forgot she is now going to have nephew for the day as normal. Meanwhile we are still going to have to pay for the pleasure of making complicated arrangements so our DS doesn't go! We found out she was planning a long weekend away - I personally feel that the level of notice wasn't sufficient for this reason of absence.

Sorry, i dont see the problem, its only one day, 2 weeks is a bit short notice but is enough time to make other arrangements.

I think 2 weeks notice is more than reasonable.

2 weeks is great!!

More than enough time to sort out childcare.

In fact, in an emergency you would have no notice at all

Really? I'm a nurse. DP is a policeman. We can't just get time off at a drop of a hat. Also there is the fact we are paying her for a day off (holiday) when she is actually working?

Personally I'd get your SIL to double-check that her child is in fact being looked after by the regular child-minder, as it doesn't sound to me as though she is likely to give up her weekend that easily. Also I naively thought that many childminders themselves had someone to call upon in such a situation. If her charges' parents were both teachers, they would NEVER be able to get that sort of time off unless they lied and phoned in sick. I do think that 2 weeks is a little short notice, given that you are both on shifts, I daresay. Aranging your timetables is probably already a feat in itself. This kind of situation is the reason why I did not go back to regular work until my kids were a lot older. I was lucky though that I didn't have to.

DH needs 4 weeks notice for time off

FlossALump - the fact that you find it difficult to arrange leave is your problem not hers - after all, it's only one day. However - there's no way that you should still be expected to pay for that day if that's what you're saying. You are paying for the service she provides and she's not providing it that day - so you need a reduction equivalent to one day's childcare.

I agree it's inconvenient for you but 2 weeks seems reasonable to me. I can understand it's difficult for you and dh to swap shifts or get cover in the jobs you do, and with that in mind, i would be inclined to think about alternative childcare for your ds especially if it has happened before. At least at a day nursery this sort of thing doesnt happen, the downside being they are usually more expensive than childminders. Its whats best for you as a family.

Presumably if your SIL's child also attends then you and she can get together to arrange one carer for both children?

If this is a normal working day, then yes I would be miffed. I and my childminder go on the understanding that I work Monday to Friday and so does she unless there is an emergency. (Same with two previous cms.)

I have arranged short term cover for childminders' out-of-the-blue things like funerals, jury service, medical appointments and that's what I would expect. I wouldn't expect to sort out cover for extra holidays.

So childminders aren't allowed to have holidays? Sorry - but that sounds unreasonable to me.

Your working arrangements should not be the concern of your childminder. If my child went there then she could give me a week's notice and I'd be happy.

Of course they are allowed holidays!

But with all three cms I have had, they tell me right at the outset the holidays they take in a year and we fit in with that. Lots of jobs impose restrictions on holidays.

Dh keeps a certain number of his holidays aside to cover childcare emergencies which are bound to come up in the year. I have very restricted holidays. If the cm took holiday at short notice, it would be a big panic for us.

It is something to sort out right at the beginning, though.

I don't think 2 weeks is very long to give notice of a holiday. I'd have to give more notice than that at work. Why should CMing be any different?

She gets full pay for holiday days. When we first met, she told us she takes 2 weeks a year. Fine. Last year those two weeks actually turned out to be three weeks - she forgot to tell us that and didn't turn up to pick up DS. this year, so far twice she has taken extra 'holiday' days as well as two more days later in the year and the two weeks she has booked off later in the year. From what I have seen on here not many CM's seem to charge full price for their holidays/sick days. It's usually half pay or none. So when I am paying her for her holidays and she is taking more than we originally agreed, AND she is actually working that day, well. I'm miffed!

And we have been looking at the local nurseries with a view to starting DS there soon.

She doesn't sound like a particularly well organised cm to me! I think 2 weeks is actually enough notice tbh, but on the other hand, how much notice does she expect from you? I'd review your contract if I were you. I'm a cm and I basically say 4 weeks notice for big holidays iykwim, but occasional days, as long a possible. You can't factor in emergency days afterall. Bit confused as to why you have to pay her FULL pay, when she is taking a day off. You still have to find childcare, so you're paying twice imho. Somethings not quite right about it, what is she doing that means she can have your nephew because she forgot, but not your lo?

duchesse - all childminders should have emergency cover they can call on, but generally its for emergencies only. I.e. if someone is ill and needs emergency treatment or the cm is suddenly taken ill. As cm's are only allowed to care for a certain amount of children, its unreasonable to expect them to keep a space open, in case someone needs a childminder for a whole day iyswim. You can only go over your numbers if it is an immediate emegency and they then care for the 'extra' until a relitive is available to collect. 2 weeks notice is an emergency.

2 weeks notice is NOT an emergency!!!

I've never heard of anyone giving their CMs paid holidays - I thought you just pay for when the child is there? Is that normal? I've never used a CM myself - was at home when children were little and lucky enough to have doting grandparents less than a mile away.

don't use a childminder but do you have a contract? If she told you two paid holidays per year she is not entitled to her extra days. What is to stop her taking four weeks this year?

Its a personal thing tbh 40+. I don't charge holidays, but I don't have any full timers, so the financial impact isn't that great. Personally I feel thats the price you pay for being self-employed!

have a look at your copy of the contract you have with this childminder.. what does it say about holidays?

if it is an ncma contract, then it will specify (on page 2 and 3)what you have agreed to pay your childminder for her holidays as well as how much notice is required.

if it says 2 weeks holiday at full pay, anything after those two weeks you should not have to pay for. also if contract says (for e.g.) 4 weeks notice will be given of holiday dates you will be within your rights to complain that the contract is not being adhered to.

hope that helps..

well if you have to pay her for 2 weeks holiday per year...

and she has booked 2 weeks holiday this year that you are paying her for

and then she says im not working this day in 2 weeks, and i want you to pay me... and then ends up working anyway then IMO you are quite right to be extreamly cross IMO!

Im sure we would all just loce to take extra holidays at short notice cause we feel like it cause we feel like it AND get paid... but thats not the way the world works!

i think if you have arranged with her so that she has two weeks pay per year thats fine
any extra days should not be paid for by you it is her decision to have the day off

cant quite believe she is having your sil child, if this happened to me (which it wouldnt as i am very organised i would then say to you "i forgot to give enough notice to x so i will be working that day after all"

not really worth her taking a days holiday if she is working

sorry couldn't be bothered to read whole thread so might be repeating here

DO YOU HAVE A CONTRACT if not why not ?

IF YOU DO AND YOU SIGNED IT you should know exactly how much notice of time off is required on both sides - also how much paid holiday you both agreed to

HOW CAN ANYONE USING A CHILDMIDER NOT KNOW what they agreement is ?

BY THE WAY if you have no signed contract your minders insurance is void

there has never been a renewal of the contract after the first 6 months. ds has been there for well over a year now. It says that 4 weeks notice should be given for any holiday days taken on both parts - I have to say we haven't adhered to this, but then, DS not attending still means she has full pay and she is working to look after other mindees. Double standards perhaps on my part. It says on our contract that she is entitled to 4 weeks off, which certainly wasn't what she said at interview! I have to say though, in the first year, one day occurred like this week, a three week holiday in the summer ( one week of which she forgot to mention as I said earlier!!) and then two weeks off at xmas accounts for more than 4 weeks does it not?! But at present this year then I suppose she is within her limits, although as the contract is out of date who knows where that leaves any of us standing really.