One-off childcare costs if you have to work late?

[BayeauxT]

This may be a daft question, but I have a meeting coming up where I won't be home till very late (it's on the other side of the country!) Normally childcare is not a problem as DH is a SAHD - BUT this happens to be the one evening that he has something on that's really important to him and I can't shift my meeting.

So is it unreasonable to ask my employer to cover the cost of getting our babysitter in for the night? We don't have any family nearby who can help out. Or is this cost meant to be covered by the overtime that I would normally be paid for working late?

If it's a tax issue, it just seems bizarre that it's OK for my employer to put me up in a naice 4* hotel and pay for a meal if I'm travelling, but not to cover this sort of cost!

Well, you can ask, you never know.

But as the babysitter is required because your DH is going out just as much as it is for you working late, and you are being paid overtime, I'd be surprised if they agree.

In the same way that your childcare costs are your business and come out of your salary during the normal working day, they should also come out of pay during out-of-hours. The fact that it just so happens you personally don't need to pay for childcare during a working day isn't your employer's concern.

If you were working late the previous day, when your DH will be at home as normal, there would be no additional babysitting expenses, so I'd be surprised if your employer considers it their problem that your DH wants to go out and needs a babysitter because you'll be still at work.

I guess if you would not normally be expected to work outside normal hours, then you could ask, but be prepared for a decisive no.

We don't get paid overtime, or time in lieu, even for weekend/bank holiday working away and so being away can have serious financial impact. But its part of the job to travel, so its just something accepted. Though my colleagues and I have all asked on occasions when pressure is applied to travel when we'd previously blocked it out due to out of hours childcare issues - and always been refused

Why would you expect to get paid and get childcare expenses?

Some employers have a policy on this - mine will cover childcare expenses in certain circumstances and this would qualify if it's a non-negotiable event.

I think it's a bit cheeky to ask tbh.

If you were a bloke and your stay at home wife couldn't look after the kids because she was at a mate's 40th birthday celebration you presumably wouldn't think to see if your employer would pay the babysitter?

I don't think you can because it's a personal expense not one from doing the job (so staying in a hotel is necessary sometimes for your job whatever your personal circumstances, hence it's different)

Mine have never paid childcare when I come in for a meeting on the days I don't usually work.

I have asked and they just looked at me

Wow we don't even get paid overtime for that, it's just part of the job. Do not ask them to pay for your babysitter!

Hmm, well I wouldn't get paid overtime for that, and I know what the answer would be if I asked for childcare.

However, I have also told them I WILL NOT be able to go away the last week in April (possible dates atm), as DH's company have already claimed the dates for him to be in the US, and there is no way I we can leave 2 and 4 yr old kids here on their own (grandparents work at least 200 miles away). They were fairly accommodating - we have always said only one of us can travel at any one point in time, and its first come, first served.

No, I wouldn't ask. Be glad to that you are being paid overtime and leave it at that.

At least you are being paid overtime. I get time back in lieu so I often have to pay for extra childcare to work additional hours; I then get time off on days when childcare is already taken care of and paid for. Flexi time is not all it's cracked up to be.