CM Holiday Pay! I'm in a muddle

[BobbleBum]

Hello! I've got myself in a right state about my CM's holiday pay. Can anyone help?

I've just signed a contract that says that my CM will get four weeks a year at full pay, with four weeks' notice. I also have to pay full pay when I take holiday, which is fair enough. But I've realised that that means that I could end up paying double for extra cover for four weeks of the year, if our holiday's don't coincide.

I just wondered if this was a typical arrangement? We're in London if that makes any difference at all. I don't want to be a real scrooge and think that she should definitely get some holiday pay but am having a panic attack about how this will work for a full four weeks ... and if I can afford it! I'm useless at talking about money!

Thanks in advance.

You could ask yor cm if she has any holiday dates already booked so that you can plan ahead and co-ordinate some of your holiday with hers.

Hi nbee. Thanks for this, I think I will do that. Is it quite normal then to have four weeks paid holiday?

I am a CM and I dont charge a fee when I am away as my service isnt available but do charge if parents are away (we do try to plan holidays to suit all) BUT I now only have term time children and dont charge at all for holidays. HTH

It is very normal to have 4 weeks paid holiday. All my CM friends have 4 weeks holiday at full fees.
However, I only charge half fees for my holiday.
Their argument is that almost all people get a minimum of 4 weeks paid holiday. My argument is, yes if you're 'Employed' We, however are 'Self Employed' all my parents are more than happy to pay half fees. Although I haven't actually taken a holiday since starting CMing 2 years ago as I cannot afford to take the pay cut for those four weeks Makes me wonder if I should put my fees up to full like the other CMs

I think most of the parents coincide their holidays so they are not paying so much paid leave.

Thanks everybody, you're setting my mind at rest. I'm really happy for my CM to get paid holiday, she deserves it, I just wondered if it was standard. Just one other question, what kind of notice period is standard? Would it be fair to ask for slightly mnore than four weeks to help me plan?

I am in SW London and have about 2 paid days a year on average. I get paid when parents are on holiday, so don't feel it right to charge for all the time when I am too. But I am aware other CMs do charge for their full holidays, and this is up to them. If prospective parents don't like this, they will go elsewhere. Re notice period.. I give my parents at least 8 weeks.. but this is also up to the CM... there are no hard and fast rules.

With childminding, something you will quickly learn is that there is little that is standard, when it comes to Contracting for the service. Each childminder is an individual and will do things however they like.
So some will want paying for holidays, some will want part-fee and others won't charge anything.
The key thing I feel is to agree everything upfront and confirm anything you are unsure about, PRIOR to signing the contract. You are therefore quite right to come on here and ask the question, and to go back to your to-be childminder with queries such as can you be told the dates they are taking off.
Thinking of which... does the contract say how much advance notice you will be given of when your childminder takes their holiday? If that info isn't in the contract, ask the childminder, as you will not want them to take holiday at only a few days notice.
Also check what happens about Bank Holidays.

I charge full fee when I am available, no fee if I am not available, and I give parents my holiday dates in January for the year, meaning if a parent wants they can take the same dates to save money.

Nannynick, our contracts state public hols, notice period etc too. (NMCA contracts). They cover everything.

I too find many of my parents coincide their hols with mine.

Thanks everybody. I think that I will just have to do my absolute best to make sure that our holidays coincide with hers, at least for say two weeks if not the whole four.

I like her and can't imagine going elsewhere just because of this. And I also believe that she deserves to have paid holiday. Trouble is, I'm self-employed too so if I don't work, I don't get paid so it could turn out very expensive!

Hi Bobblebum
I was in the exact situation this year, my CM got Full-pay for her holidays & my holidays, & bank holidays & 8 days sick pay at full rate as well. Was very hard financially cos I'm a temp so also didn't get paid when I was on holiday or sick. When she was on holiday it was either a) me stay at home & not get paid while she still got paid or b) find another CM, so paying for 2 CM's while she was on hols. VERY TOUGH!

Any way, I'm now registered as a CM & will only charge half-rate for when I'm on holiday, charging full-rate just doesn't feel right or fair to me.

I pay my CM full pay when she's on holiday but she takes her 4 weeks at the same time every year so I plan my hols around hers.

It is slightly annoying in that it's a cost I didn't have at nursery but then she's better than nursery, cheaper and more flexible so better in the long run.

I'm in NW London

If the contract states 4 weeks notice then she could just give you that. However, if she's got plans to go away it's quite likely that she would need to sort arrangements further in advance so as to book accommodation, travel etc. My CM has had two days off at her request since ds started with her in March, but wants 3 weeks paid in August which she asked for 11 months in advance. Not ideal for us (kids well under school age) but at least we know to plan around.

I don't see why you shouldn't ask her what she plans/hopes to do for holiday this year, and find out whether or not it's going to be possible to plan some or all of your holidays at the same time.

Thanks so much for all your responses! We had a chat about it again today and she said that she would give me as much notice as possible, and that she takes very little holiday in any case. So I think we will just see how it goes, hopefully we'll be able to coincide as far as possible. We're totally credit crunched anyway so can probably just wait until she takes time off and just slope around at home!