Workers and Paying for Child Care

[Britt507]

I work in a center that is based in a school and has a 3-5 year old program that works with the Preschool and then the after school care from Kindergarten up to 6th grade. My co-worker has two boys that go to the daycare when she is working there and my director has 3 kids that go to the daycare when she is working there. The policy always was this:

If you are working in the room as your child, you don't have to pay for your child. But when my co-worker and director aren't there but their kids are, they have to pay.

What is being brought up now, is that it isn't fair that they don't have to pay but I don't think that there's anything wrong with it. You wouldn't charge yourself for your own kid being at an in-home daycare or for watching your own kid.

But, what I would like to know is other people's policies in their daycare centers with staff and their children. HELP!

[Ariana]

When I was in a centre everyone paid, zero discounts given. My director would sometimes tweak the waiting list a bit to make sure staff kids got in but that is it.

[Britt507]

When I was in a centre everyone paid, zero discounts given. My director would sometimes tweak the waiting list a bit to make sure staff kids got in but that is it.

And that's fine. But my co-worker works in the same room as her children. And I know a lot of centers don't allow that, but that's not the case here.

[jenboo]

Well my kids take up spaces at my in home daycare so I'm out the money I could have if I filled the spots with daycare children... So im essentially paying for them.

When I worked in a center, my child was free but I got a slightly lower wage.

I personally would make it one way or the other... either they pay all the time or they don't regardless if they are in the same room as their child or not.

[Cat Herder]

And that's fine. But my co-worker works in the same room as her children. And I know a lot of centers don't allow that, but that's not the case here.

IMO, As long as the children count in the room ratios, they should pay for their slots. If your state says employee kids don't count toward ratio, there is no need other than food cost. The issue then is whether parents want to pay for a higher ratio. Many won't.

One of the centers I worked in gave free childcare as a job perk, but they paid the lowest in the county and offered no benefits. At the time, free care was worth it as that was my family's only need. My DH's job provided insurance.

Personally though, as a parent, I would not enroll my child in a classroom that allows an employee to have their own child in their class (same for home-based care). That policy can cost them clients, it is really risky.

[Britt507]

These are great replies. The problem is, they've lowered the wage so that the workers would be essentially paying their entire paycheck in child care. Hence, one of the perks of the child being free. What I want to know, is if it's okay/acceptable. It is only 2 of the staff. And there are only 3 full time, all the time staff in the center and 2 of the 3 have kids in it.

[Britt507]

These are great replies. The problem is, they've lowered the wage so that the workers would be essentially paying their entire paycheck in child care. Hence, one of the perks of the child being free. What I want to know, is if it's okay/acceptable. It is only 2 of the staff. And there are only 3 full time, all the time staff in the center and 2 of the 3 have kids in it.

And the board forced us to raise the rates and now we are the daycare with the highest rates.

[Cat Herder]

These are great replies. The problem is, they've lowered the wage so that the workers would be essentially paying their entire paycheck in child care. Hence, one of the perks of the child being free. What I want to know, is if it's okay/acceptable. It is only 2 of the staff. And there are only 3 full time, all the time staff in the center and 2 of the 3 have kids in it.

IMO, It is fine as long as those without children are paid more. If the pay is across the board no matter how many children they have, I'd be applying elsewhere.

Daycare center jobs are a dime a dozen. We can shop for a better deal as we need them.

I have three kids, that is why I opened my own and never kept other kids that were my own kids' ages.

[Blackcat31]

These are great replies. The problem is, they've lowered the wage so that the workers would be essentially paying their entire paycheck in child care. Hence, one of the perks of the child being free. What I want to know, is if it's okay/acceptable. It is only 2 of the staff. And there are only 3 full time, all the time staff in the center and 2 of the 3 have kids in it.

Whoever makes the rules and policies for the center would be able to answer that for you.

In my state the only restrictions we have as far as laws or rules is that if a family receives child care assistance the parent can not work at the same facility as their child attends.

Other than that, I think whether it's fair or acceptable is up to the center owner(s).

[Britt507]

So the center is based in a school and has to answer to a school board a lot of the time. And more than half the time, the school board has no clue about daycare staff and ratio or pay.

[Blackcat31]

It seems like it's working okay now unless there is more to the story than what you've said.

What sorts of issues are you seeing or experiencing that you are asking about?

[Britt507]

It seems like it's working okay now unless there is more to the story than what you've said.

What sorts of issues are you seeing or experiencing that you are asking about?

The school board is not happy with the discount. They think it is going beyond the workers who work in the program.

[DaveA]

In my center days I found small, independent centers usually offered a discount to its employees. I've seen everything from 50% off to 1 free kid and 25% off additional children. Larger centers or those affiliated with a business or school did not do discounts. A lot of times affiliated centers won't offer discounts because technically that is a "staff benefit" that they would have to provide everyone if they gave it to child care staff. The only centers I've ever worked in that allowed staff to care for their own child were ones that only had a single room per age group.

Another factor is what state rules are. In IL if you take any state pay kids you cannot offer any discount that the state doesn't get. So if you give staff 50% off you have to give the state that rate. A lot of smaller centers in this area told the state to shove it when they changed the rule.

[flying_babyb]

In my state the only restrictions we have as far as laws or rules is that if a family receives child care assistance the parent can not work at the same facility as their child attends.
.

Really? thats kinda differnent. I think every daycare ive worked at had staff whos kids atteneded on assistance.