Anyone Else Give Families A Free Vacation Week?

[Crazy8]

I give my families a free week - they can either use it to not pay for a week I am closed for vacation or they can use it when they are going away for a week.
I have NO issues with having the policy - in my 10 years running my daycare I have "tweaked it" a bit here and there due to wording issues, a family thinking they'd get more time than they do, etc. but I do not mind giving them the time off.

That said, does anyone else do this? If you do, what are your stipulations, etc?? Are there any?? I have mine as during calendar year, # of contracted days only, can be split and used as individual days and must be here 3 months first, etc.

Well this year I had a handful of new kids start in September, so technically by beginning of Dec. they are here the 3 months - so they could all use their vac week before the end of the year and then come Jan. get a new week to use next year. In all these years its never been an issue but I'm thinking maybe I should make my policy more than 3 months - going to either 4 months (weird number???) or even make it 6 months??? Just wondering what other's do if they offer a vacation week to families.

[MyAngels]

I do basically the same thing you do, but I give two weeks to full time families. I would prorate the time if they started in the middle of the year, but I've never actually had to do that.

[Pammie]

I've never given "free" days - but found that I needed to change my policy to stay competitive in my area.

Effective Jan 1 - all of my families will get the equivalent of 2 weeks of regularly scheduled care that they can use for vacations/sicktime, etc. I'm calling these "No Charge for Absence" Days (I didn't like the term "Free Days)

Here's how mine works.

Each family is entitled to No-Charge-for-Absence (NCA) days each year equivalent to two regularly scheduled weeks.
*5-days/week schedule * 10 free days/year*
*3-days/week schedule * 6 free days/year
*2-days/week schedule * 4 days/year*

Guidelines to using your family*s NCA days:
*NCA days are only for credit for absence and may not be used or exchanged for free days of care.
*NCA days must be used within each calendar year. Any NCA days not used by December 31 are forfeited and do not roll-over into the next calendar year.
*Your NCA days for your first year of enrollment will be pro-rated based on your start date.
*NCA days in your account at the time of termination of daycare services are forfeited.
*NCA days may be used for an entire week absence from daycare or for individual days. No prior arrangement or notification is required to use your NCA days.
*NCA days can be used only as full days, no pro-rated credit for partial days.
*NCA days are not transferable between families.
*Families with multiple children enrolled, receive NCA days for each child & may be transferred between siblings.
*Your days off from daycare that may run concurrent to any days that daycare is closed will not be charged against your NCA days.
*No additional reimbursement or credit will be given in the event of a child*s absence after using all of your NCA days for that calendar year.

[wdmmom]

I used to offer 2 weeks at 50% off as long as 2 weeks notice was provided. Starting 2012. No free days. No vacation. Parents will pay the same rate all 52 weeks of the year regardless of attendance.

[AnneCordelia]

I only offer free vacation time to full-time families.
I do not offer free vacation time to part-time families. I do not offer free vacation time to teacher's families who do not attend during the summer months.

I offer 5 days of free vacation time to my full-time families provided that they give me a minimum of two weeks notice in advance. They may not use these days as part of their two weeks notice of termination. Any other time off comes at full price.

[Crazy8]

I've never given "free" days - but found that I needed to change my policy to stay competitive in my area.

Effective Jan 1 - all of my families will get the equivalent of 2 weeks of regularly scheduled care that they can use for vacations/sicktime, etc. I'm calling these "No Charge for Absence" Days (I didn't like the term "Free Days)

Here's how mine works.

Each family is entitled to No-Charge-for-Absence (NCA) days each year equivalent to two regularly scheduled weeks.
*5-days/week schedule * 10 free days/year*
*3-days/week schedule * 6 free days/year
*2-days/week schedule * 4 days/year*

Guidelines to using your family*s NCA days:
*NCA days are only for credit for absence and may not be used or exchanged for free days of care.
*NCA days must be used within each calendar year. Any NCA days not used by December 31 are forfeited and do not roll-over into the next calendar year.
*Your NCA days for your first year of enrollment will be pro-rated based on your start date.
*NCA days in your account at the time of termination of daycare services are forfeited.
*NCA days may be used for an entire week absence from daycare or for individual days. No prior arrangement or notification is required to use your NCA days.
*NCA days can be used only as full days, no pro-rated credit for partial days.
*NCA days are not transferable between families.
*Families with multiple children enrolled, receive NCA days for each child & may be transferred between siblings.
*Your days off from daycare that may run concurrent to any days that daycare is closed will not be charged against your NCA days.
*No additional reimbursement or credit will be given in the event of a child*s absence after using all of your NCA days for that calendar year.

Wow, that is great - thanks! I may change mine to something similar but I'm still only giving them one week, LOL!!!

one question for you though... are clients allowed to start using these days as soon as they enroll?? I trust all my families who have been with me for years, but I might be leary of new ones - like in my case they started in Sept and they can use 10 days before Dec. 31st. That is a lot of unpaid time for me.

[DCMom]

I used to give them the # of days equal to the # of days they attended, but I never found a good way to keep track of it when they would use them one at a time. Then a couple of years ago, I had a family completely abuse it taking one of my vacation weeks, plus their own week. When I confronted them with the proof and the contract, they refused to pay. I had no choice but to terminate them.

In the heat of that moment, I changed the policy to both my vacation weeks are at 1/2 the regular weekly rate. They in effect are getting a week unpaid, but they are using it on weeks when I am closed. No days to keep track of and I have $$ coming in on my vacation weeks and no way to for them to take advantage.

[mismatchedsocks]

I call it leave time. Here is part of my contract.

Leave Time: All parents are given leave time equal to the number of days contracted for in a week. For example, a family that is enrolled for 5 days each week is allowed to take up to 5 days, per year, off without financial responsibility to the daycare. Leave time is given primarily to encourage parents to tend the needs of their sick child at home. In addition, we ask for a phone call letting me know if your child will not be attending. However after the days are taken or we do not get notice you will be responsible for 100% of the weekly pay. You must let me know if you are using your leave time for this day when you call. If you have no more leave time then you will be responsible for 100% of this time.

[nannyde]

No vacation. Parents will pay the same rate all 52 weeks of the year regardless of attendance.

That's how I do it.

[Abigail]

I removed all my free days. I did have it equal to the number of days enrolled after attending for 6 months and a notice was required, but they could use them separately or together. I really do like the example of the NCA, but would add when they are allowed to use them, ie. after six months of enrollment.

NOW, I am open for enrollment, so I never had to explain my old theory on free days to anyone besides friends. I am happy I got rid of it because I have so many other things about pay in my contract it would become overwhelming for the parent. I have 5 paid personal days and 10 paid holidays all of which I'm closed. I also have any additional days beyond those 5 personal days will be unpaid. I added that because I don't have a provider maternity leave section as I'm not sure what I would do whenever we decide to have kids of our own. At least I'm covered with that wording that I'm closed, but unpaid for additional days.

[Country Kids]

I do not charge for time I take off so my parents that aren't teachers schedule their vacations when I take mine. So they aren't looking for backup care and know when their vacations are several months ahead of time. I guess in a way I schedule their vacations for them!

[Meyou]

Two weeks free per year. They have to be taken in weekly amounts with 2 weeks notice.

[Cat Herder]

I give 2 weeks vacation a year unpaid, per family. 30 day notice.

My two weeks vacation per year are also unpaid.

Most Federal Holidays that fall during the week, are paid.

[Christian Mother]

I don't charge for days the kids aren't in care and I am finding that that policy will need to change Jan. 1st. I need to know what I am making each week and it is driving me nutz that my income is all over the place. I think the parents will take it ok. I am not expecting for all of them to live it overly much bc they like having care that is flexible. But for me to stay open I have to charge now whether kids are here or not. Most all my kids are here full time. I have one that is 4 days a wk and grandma takes them once a wk but that day isn't given to me til sometime that week. So I've got to get them on board to pick the same day each week. They can continue there contracted rate we both agreed to our full time rate that will still allow them to pick what ever days they'd like. Same with my part time family. Which will be hard for them I am thinking bc mom works part time and her hrs are mostly the same for the week but could change sporadically. They can play full time price to have the flexibility or only pay there part time rate but have to stick to those days. My family of 2 is full time and are reliable. There here and hardly miss days. I just dread making the change....

[sahm2three]

I give 2 weeks vacation a year unpaid, per family. 30 day notice.

My two weeks vacation per year are also unpaid.

Most Federal Holidays that fall during the week, are paid.

This is how I do it also.