Eventually, a maternity leave situation will arise in your daycare, whether you become pregnant or one of your clients becomes pregnant. It is so important to have policies in place in the event that you or your client needs to take maternity leave. What are your payment requirements? How long will you be out if you are pregnant? Do you provide backup care resources?
A daycare provider asks: “What are everyone’s policies on maternity leave? I need to put something in my daycare handbook about it. Answers for both provider and families are appreciated.” We asked the fans of OwnADaycare on Facebook who are daycare owners for their opinions on this matter. Here are some of the best answers about maternity leave policies in daycare.
- Amy’s family may not be complete yet, so in the event Amy becomes pregnant she may take 6-8 weeks UNPAID maternity leave. This means Amy will not be available for child care while on maternity leave. Amy will do her best to find alternate care or set up appointments as late in the day as possible or on days no children are contracted to be present for any Doctor’s appointments needed throughout the pregnancy.
- I’m having a baby in November and taking about a week and a half off (I want a full week out of the hospital) and I’m not requiring they pay me. My contract states I don’t get paid for my time off except certain holidays.
- I require full payment if the family has an older child that they are choosing to keep at home. I will hold a spot for a newborn only if they currently have another child enrolled. When I have had my kids, I took between 6-8 weeks of UNPAID leave. I did require a deposit (non-refundable) of the first week back’s payment be made in order to ensure spots where still there when I came back….otherwise I told all the families that during my maternity leave I would do everything I could to fill spots of they wouldn’t commit to coming back to daycare. I’ve always given plenty of notice to families and have helped them find temporary backup care when I was closed for maternity leave.
- If I have a current pregnant family pregnancy, they sign contract stating they pay full tuition for already enrolled child. 50.00 a month on first Mon of each month until week baby begin care!
- I just had a baby in June. I took 2 weeks unpaid vacation as I had a C-section. This time counted as my yearly vacation. During the pregnancy my doctors appointment were late in the day, so parents only had to pick up 30 min early and I did not refund any money (it worked out only one family had to pick up early because everyone else was already gone by then).
- For parents on maternity leave I have them pay 100% for the spot and they can still send the child of course, or if I have a part time position available then they could drop down to part time, but if they want full time again I can only offer it to them if I have a spot, it’s a chance they take I guess.
- For my maternity, I hired an assistant to come in while I went to appointments. Then I gave my parents a two week window (around my due date) that I would be closed. This was my “vacation time” I have I’m my handbook but usually never take. I required all full payments for the month and no one complained about it because it was fair. I had given my parents enough heads up to work their schedule into this plan and take their vacation time if they had to.
- I am having a baby in Dec. I plan on working until I go into labor. Then I am taking 2 or 3 Weeks off. Depend on how bad labor is. For my first it took me a couple Weeks to feel up to pair to do anything. I am not charging my families for the time I am closed. I don’t charge for days I am closed normally.
- When the time arises that I will need maternity leave, I am fortunate to have an assistant and a substitute that will fill in for me. As for daycare parents maternity leave, I’ve never had a family keep the older child at home.
- I’m expecting Mid-Oct and was recently licensed in June of this year. I’ve clearly stated on all my materials (website/contract) that I was due soon and that I would evaluate bringing a helper on board to stay open. Though I’ve only had few families so now I’ve decided to take maternity leave for the month. But I’ve been up-front and honest with parents from the get go. I also worked with a provider network in my area to provide parents with backup options for care. If a parent takes Maternity leave, I would give them one of two options: 1. If they want their space reserved charge them some % of tuition to hold space or 2. Let them give 2 weeks’ notice and hope they come back & that I have room for them.
- My policy is that they pay 100% tuition for the time they are off.
- I ask that my clients come 3 days a week to keep their spot.
- I have a minimum of $50 a week and they must pay that every week to hold their child’s spot.
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