Childminder question re annual leave

Abbaesque

Hi,
We have a wonderful half time childminder that comes to our home . She is brilliant with the children. When she started with us, she had a basic contract she had used previously, which said when we took holidays she would be paid and when she took holidays she wouldn’t. We are happy with this, however since Christmas have felt pressured somewhat to pick our holidays/ take weeks together when sometimes it really doesn’t suit as husband is self employed. These conversations normally happen as we are coming in the door after work very casually- and ( it is my fault) I have forgotten about 2 weeks that I had agreed to take off. Now I must take parental leave for one week and ask friends and family for dig outs. I know this is my fault for agreeing but now we find ourselves in July having paid out for 5 weeks annual leave plus one week for the snow. This would be fine over a year- but now what should we do if we want to take the odd day off or long weekend. Also the days between Christmas and new year? We aren’t sure if we have no choice but to possibly give her 7 weeks annual leave? Which would be combining my leave with my husbands. Ps I’m getting less per week than she is, for longer hours, after paying her.. I’d really appreciate advice on what to do/ how to approach this- we were counting on her taking a week or two off so we could get some money together! Thanks for reading

jlm29

I don’t quite understand where the 7 weeks has come from? That seems like an awful lot. And if she’s taking the annual leave, why are you paying out for it?

Moonbeam

As she works in your house the law applies http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/annual_leave_public_holidays.html I would pay her the same amount every month and organise her paid leave around that.

Abbaesque

jlm29 wrote: »

I don’t quite understand where the 7 weeks has come from? That seems like an awful lot. And if she’s taking the annual leave, why are you paying out for it?

Thanks for reply, she has taken 5 weeks, combined from days myself and husband had off but we still have a few days to take.. plus I have saved some for between Christmas and new year. Which would bring it to roughly 7 weeks paid leave plus bh.

mordeith

Abbaesque wrote: »

Ps I’m getting less per week than she is, for longer hours, after paying her.

I can understand the desire to work while being a parent but the above seems a bit illogical.

Abbaesque

mordeith wrote: »

I can understand the desire to work while being a parent but the above seems a bit illogical.

Thanks! Yes- but want to work, also hoping that childcare costs will decrease once they all get to primary school. Also have husbands income too

Watergirl4

If they agreement is that she is not paid when she takes holidays then why have you paid her for all that annual leave. Obviously if she chooses to take time off, your children still need to be taken care of which is the reason that you have had to take leave - in a case like this are you still paying her (because you are now on holidays..even though it has been triggered by her leave?)

I think that you pay her for any weeks that she is available to mind the children (ie if you chose not to send them because you are on holidays or off etc) subject to her legal entitlement to annual leave (4 weeks). If she is not available to mind them, then you don't pay her as presumably you either have to pay someone else or take unpaid parental leave to cover.

shesty

We have a similar arrangement...if we are on holiday, she gets paid, if she's on holiday, she doesn't.That being said, your minder sounds like she's taking a good few holidays.We suit ourselves, and we do pay for the odd day off, long weekend etc, if we decide to.

To be honest, I have paid her for days she hasn't expected to be paid for-we kind of calculate that that money is spent every week and that's it.So the odd time she isn't paid is nice, but we don't count on it.I think you may have to start thinking like that, but also try to get her holiday arrangements from her now for the rest of the year.Even a rough idea of when she might be thinking of going away.That way you have plenty of notice.