I am so angry with nursery............

[happy1]

My ds goes to nursery on a monday and tuesday. When I picked him up today the manager approached me and told me I owed them money, which surprised me as I always pay every monday morning. But she said I had to pay for bank holidays, even though they're closed on bank holidays! As one of his days is a monday, thats alot of bank holidays. I'm so mad, why should I pay for a day when they're closed and enjoying themselves? And they've left it until now to tell me when we've had 3 or 4 bank holidays in the last 3 months. Does anyone else have to pay for bank holidays when the nursey is shut? Do you think I should pay? I can't begin to describe how angry and upset I am, I'm seriously considering removing him from the nursery.

Hmm...I pay my ch/minder half fee for Bhols, full fee if we're on hol or I don't send the children for some other reason, nothing when she's on hol. We worked this out between us but it's not a unusual arrangement. Not surprised that you have to pay happy1; your dp not getting paid is presumably because he's self-employed? But most employees get paid hols including bank hols and I agree with others that that is a good thing.

We always paid on bankholidays for nursery and then childminder. We got paid and they had to be paid as well.

When looking for a nursery for DD (a few years ago) I checked this and a number of other points with over a dozen of our local nurseries (SW London). They all charge for bank holidays. As we only wanted DD to be in nursery for four days a week we chose not to send her on Mondays.

We pay for Bank Holidays, plus when we're on holiday and if kids are off sick. I think this is fairly standard practice - it certainly is in all of the private nurseries where I live.

I agree with the others that the staff should be paid for Bank Holidays - after all I get paid & I get the day off! I also understand why I get charged when we're away on hoiday - they still have to pay the staff.
My nursery shut for a week over Christmas, so charge us for 51 weeks a year, which is then divided by 12 to give our monthly payment (hope this makes sense). This is the only time that we don't have to pay for.

I pay my childminder for bank holidays, and half rate when she's away - if I'm away at other times I pay her the usual full rate. And I think this is absolutely right.

She has mentioned once or twice that as I am freelance too we could negotiate about bank holidays, but I think she's entitled to a decent wage.

Oh, and I'm an embarrassingly mean git, it's just that I do feel quite strongly about this!

I also pay for BH. Perhaps you could ask the nursery if your ds could attend another day when you have paid for so many BH recently? Our nursery does allow this if there is a space especially if the child is part-time. Also for training days which we also pay for.

Happy1, do you think the staff should be penalised because there is a bank holiday? Or alternatively be forced to work on a bank holiday because otherwise they'll lose the money?

I think it depends on the basis the nursery use for charging. It seems that some nurseries work on a 'pay per session' basis - so you don't pay if they don't go (for holidays, sickness etc). In these cases I imagine the sessional rate would need to be set at a rate high enough to cover the overheads for closures for bank holidays, staff training days, unexpected absences etc, otherwise it doesn't work and people like happy1 have to pay for bank holidays when they don't use them (and I can see that users of the nursery on Mondays might feel unfairly done by). Our nursery charges quite differently - a fixed monthly rate, depending on the number of sessions per week - exactly the same regardless of holidays or other absences. The charges don't change as the child gets older either, but this is ok as virtually all the kids start in baby room and go all the way through to preschool. Our nursery is a staff/parent co-operative and I think this fee structure works because it gives the nursery and parents certainty for planning budgets, and overall allows a better deal (the fees are very competitive). Personally I prefer it as it is simple and transparent and I can see that everyone benefits. And it removes the problem that happy1 had of being landed with an unexpected bill...

Our nursery charges for every day except Christmas and New Years Day. But they are open every Bank Holiday. I think nursery workers should definitely get paid holidays, and if the nursery didn't charge for those days which are bank holidays, then the overall rate would just have to be slightly higher.

we pay for bank hols too. my dd used to go to nursery on mondays but now we're tues/weds/thu.

I work full time at the moment and enjoy having bank holidays off as I get to spend the time with DS instead of him going to nursery.

Don't mind paying the nursery for bank hols as I earn more that day than his nursery fees. So I get to spend the day with him and am still earning money for it!!!

However, I do object to the fact that, if I tell the nursery that DS is on holiday, and they fill DS's place on those days, they still charge me. So in effect, they're getting paid twice. Once by me for a place which we're not using 'cos DS is on holiday, and again by whomever is taking his place.

BR

our nursery charges for bank holidays, illnesses, holidays (even if advised in advance), just about everything. they never close for training or any other reason though.

It was all well explained in the contract agreement I sigend at the beginning...

As far as I know they're all very similar.

I think you ahve a point if you were told of this in advance and if it's not in your agreement. Otherwise I don't think you can complain really

Isn't happy's problem that she ends up paying for days not used more than a parent who pays for nursery on, say, Tue and Wed? I agree with the solution that Sofia Ames offers below - and am surprised that nurseries have not incorporated that into the plan.

Of course nursery workers need to be paid for BH's just like anyone else, but that should come out of the combined income pool of the nursery, and be borne 'pro rata' by all parents, shouldn't it?

I alays pay my childminder for Bank Holidays - we are all getting paid day off really and I think she should have it as a perk as I do - if I had to come to work though I would make her have DD!!

When ds first started, I signed a contract. On the contract it stated that when they were closed you did not have to pay. this was immediately followed by the statement 'we are closed on bank holidays and a week over christmas'. Then apparently at the beginning of March they sent a letter out saying that bank holidays are to be paid for. I did not get a copy of this letter, and was not told about it.
I am not saying that staff should not get paid on a bank holiday, but as my dp does not get paid for bank holidays and does not have the option to work the bank holiday I feel it is unfair to have to pay. The nursery should have made it more clear. On a high note, I have only had to pay half the bill because of the misunderstanding. However, I have now given them a months notice to remove him, not just because of what has just happened, for several other reasons too. I had no idea mumsnetters would get so rahhed up about this and I apologise if I have upset anyone, but thanks to those who have agreed with me

Glad you sorted it out happy1 even if the compromise was not ideal for you. Sounds as if they should have made it clearer when the policy changed and hopefully they will now ensure that all the other parents are also fully aware of the implications. Sounds like this was just the final straw