I'm going to hand out new contracts on Monday. I did new contracts last year but only added a provider vacation day and everything else stayed the same. This year is my first year raising rates for just 4 families that have been here for 2 years since I opened. I am raising their rates just $5/week per child so one family goes up $10/week and the other 3 go up $5/week each which is a $20 total increase for me but it's going straight to staff wages since I hired new staff and needed to offer more. Anyways, how do you announce that rates go up? It's just for half the families and I announced a few weeks ago in a newsletter that new contracts, information sheets, and updated handbooks would be available in January. I guess I am just nervous about printing the weekly rates for those few families. I also am adding 1 more paid holiday day which I planned to just add the day to the list and not specify the difference in the new contract. Do you outline the differences or just expect them to read it? I have great families and assume they will read it and hold to it, but wonder what others do. So if I hand out everyone's on Monday morning to them and put the effective date on the contract to being January 31st (Friday so the first week of February has the new rates and also covers the newly added President's Day holiday) is 3 weeks enough time? I feel it's fair but I know I could have been more generous for time frames too.
The downfall is recently I had staff turnover and illnesses and I had to close TWO days, one each week with no notice but everyone was reimbursed yet it brought burden to some families because they were already in a bind with Christmas Eve/Day and New Years Day off already. I know not to do too much at once for families or it's overwhelming but those who were burdened the most were recently enrolled so the only thing changing is adding one paid holiday.
Please share your thoughts!
1. Raising rates just by printing it in their contract or talk to them or have a "cover letter explaining changes"?
2. Giving 3 weeks for changes to take effect?
The downfall is recently I had staff turnover and illnesses and I had to close TWO days, one each week with no notice but everyone was reimbursed yet it brought burden to some families because they were already in a bind with Christmas Eve/Day and New Years Day off already. I know not to do too much at once for families or it's overwhelming but those who were burdened the most were recently enrolled so the only thing changing is adding one paid holiday.
Please share your thoughts!
1. Raising rates just by printing it in their contract or talk to them or have a "cover letter explaining changes"?
2. Giving 3 weeks for changes to take effect?
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