Late Fees

[DancingQueen]

Do you charge parents late fees if they call and tell you they are running late?

I struggle with this one.

[momofboys]

I've never done it but have wanted to add it. Not sure if I would. The issue I have is if I open early for someone (current client comes somedays at 6:30) I want them to be here when they say they are coming. Occasionally they have come late (like 8:30!!) & not let me know & here I got up early at 5:45 or so just for them so yes I wanted to charge them a fee!

[MarinaVanessa]

Personally I don't charge fees whether they call or not. The way that I see it is they pay weekly for their slot, if they show up late they're "wasting" their money. I'll be here whether their kid arrives late or on-time. They just know that their child will miss out on whatever activity or meals we have if they are not here and there are no "make-ups" and if we go out for a walk or whatnot I may not be here if they don't call ahead of time. They also know that they can't arrive during nap-time and that late arrivals don't mean their kid can stay later to make up for the time they lost.

[DancingQueen]

no - I am referring to when they are late to come and pick up their children.

[AfterSchoolMom]

That depends...when you say they're running late, do you mean they're late arriving or late picking up? If they're late arriving, I'd let it go unless you open early especially for them, in which case I would charge.

If they're late picking up, regardless of whether or not they call, I'd charge. Anytime beyond their scheduled pickup is overtime. Sometimes if a parent calls and says "I'll be late" and you tell them "that's fine, but you're being charged anyway", they are magically able to show up on time after all.

[bgmeyers]

I give my parents a bill every month, and I note on the bottom that I have given them a one time waiver. A call or not, I am still working, but I do give them one freebie (as long as it's not too late!).

[kathiemarie]

No not when they call and as long as its not every day. Once in awhile...a great while. I have one mom that is pushing it. I think because her pick up time is earlier than others and when she pick ups her kid she see others still here so she knows Im open and have kids here. What I told her last night was
*** I see you are having a hard time getting here by 4:30, I do have a new option of a later pick up time of 5 for an extra $10 a week. Would you like to change your pick up time? She said she will think about it. If she doesn't take me up on it the next time she is late the late fee will be enforced. I will help when I can but I will NOT be taken advantage of!

[busymomof2]

I give my parents the first 15 minutes free (they just don't know it, LOL) I don't want them to take advantage of it. After that, I charge $5 every 15 minutes.

[DancingQueen]

by the time he gets here it will be 2 hours late
big storm
power lines down
re-routed him all over my town and he got lost (he lives in another town)

I WANT to charge him but it is clearly NOT his fault
12 hour work days are NOT fun

[Daycare_Mama]

I would charge for being late except in inclement weather, like you described. That he can't necessarily control and it's not like huge storms that knock down power lines are a frequent occurrence.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

by the time he gets here it will be 2 hours late
big storm
power lines down
re-routed him all over my town and he got lost (he lives in another town)

I WANT to charge him but it is clearly NOT his fault
12 hour work days are NOT fun

That would be hard to decide. If it's just a one time thing, and one time only, I'd probably let it go. Or you could divide your weekly rate by how many hours the child is in care per week, then add the new hourly rate to his weekly bill. Example: Say your weekly rate is $100. You'd divide that by say 40 hrs/week), that would be $2.50/hr extra. I think that would be fair to him, and I doubt he'd complain over a $5 charge, after all, you were nice enough to keep his child for 2 hours past closing time and didn't even charge the late fee. Of course it'd be best to explain that normally his late pick-up fee is $x, but due to the circumstances, you understood and chose to just charge the hourly rate instead. That way he'll know that even if he decided to be a little late so he can run past the grocery store first or something, you'd charge him a late fee, which is much higher than the hourly rate for an "excused" late pick-up. If all that makes any sense?

[momofboys]

Regardless of the reason the parent is working late or whatever they still owe you something. You can't tell me this parent wasn;t earning extra $$$ for working overtime, he certainly wasn't working for free & neither should you. I think you should definitely get paid something.

[Rachel]

I give 3 freebies (up to 15 min) per year. So if they are 45 min late one day, they used all their freebies. I feel like I don't want to punish my great parents when something actually happens, but I don't want people thinking they can just stroll in late any time. After the 3 freebies, they pay for every 15 min. or part there of. Three times a year something happens. Every other day you are just coming late and taking advantage.

[Abigail]

If this "storm" happens often, I would put it in your contract that you have late fees and at your own discretion per situation you may choose to waive them. I'm sure their is a better way to state it, but if you have to work an additional 2 hours often for this family or additional time more than a few times a year I would tack on a fee. If the parent works more than their regular hours and requests a few extra hours a week with you, you most certainly should be able to charge double time per hour for that extra time too.

[laundrymom]

I take this back if this is the dad who is using a provider in his city instead of you when moms out of town. Charge him. When he pays next time say your lAte fees are $$$ from wed night.