Change to contract

[thesmarts]

Hi - not sure if this is the right area for this...Im a newbie finding my way around!

One of my parents has a contract that runs from 7:30am to 7:30pm. On Tuesday I was asked in I could change it from 8am to 7pm.
I dont mind changing the morning slot because they never drop the child off on time anyway (although never as late as 8am it has to be said!) but dont want to change the PM time because they never get there EVER before 7pm. The mother catches a train after work to get to me. I dont see how she can catch an earlier one without changing HER contract, but since they want to make this change to reduce fees it doesnt make sense to lose working hours for themselves?)

Two questions - firstly, can I do that? (say no to the pick up time that they want) and secondly should I make the change immediately or does the 4 weeks notice thing apply? I personally dont want to start it till at least December because I have already planned my monthly budgets and I cant afford to give a refund.

Thanks for reading - I'll be interested to see what your views are.

[ajs]

hi
i don't do a half hour charge so if the parent wanted to change the morning the eve would have to change too. i don't know how you can question it though if she's willing to leave work early it isn't really your place to question her hours at work if you know what i mean.
i do think you can ask her to wait the 4 weeks though and she may even accomodate waiting until after xmas if she's quite flexible
wait and see what others say as i haven't come across a reduction in hours before

[thesmarts]

Sorry, I dont think I made another point - I think they want to keep things as they are. They havent said that they will be leaving work early (I was just saying thats the only way she would get to me ealier - not what she was actually going to do. Sorry that wasnt very clear was it???) - of course if that was the case I wouldnt mind!! Im just concerned that they want to cut costs but are going to be arriving 10 mins over which is why I dont want to change it to 7pm.

[angeldelight]

Your business your rules

If you think she is still going to collect later than 7pm I would make it very very clear in your new contract that you have rules about late fees and you will enforce them if you have too

I would explain that you will maybe try it for a week to see how it goes - keeping the old conditions first

Then if it goes ok then you will do the new contract

Seems like you say she wants to cut costs but then what happens if she is 10 min late every evening and you are not contracted for that

I would issue her with an invoice at the end of every week for the lates

Angel xx

[buildingblocks]

If the parent wants to change her hours then she is changing her original contract. As has been said already you cannot query why she wants to change them.

By changing her hours you will need to redo your contracts so she has to give you x amount of weeks notice (whatever is in your original contract mine is 2 yours may be 4). If you don't agree to the change in hours she wants then you will be renegotiating contracts (that makes no sense to me never mind you lol)

If you agree to the new hours then make sure in your new contrtacts that you have every little detail covered e.g. whgat you are going to charge overtime wise if she is late and by how many minutes you are going to chareg this. Some people charge by 15 mins ro 30 mins. Make sure it is stated in the contract also that going over the new times will not be acceptable on a regular basis (not very well worded that sorry) e.g. one night every so often is acceptable but every night is taking the p**s

I'm sorry not explaining very well.

lov eKate

love Kate

[tasha]

buildingblocks said:

If the parent wants to change her hours then she is changing her original contract. As has been said already you cannot query why she wants to change them.

By changing her hours you will need to redo your contracts so she has to give you x amount of weeks notice (whatever is in your original contract mine is 2 yours may be 4). If you don't agree to the change in hours she wants then you will be renegotiating contracts (that makes no sense to me never mind you lol)

If you agree to the new hours then make sure in your new contrtacts that you have every little detail covered e.g. whgat you are going to charge overtime wise if she is late and by how many minutes you are going to chareg this. Some people charge by 15 mins ro 30 mins. Make sure it is stated in the contract also that going over the new times will not be acceptable on a regular basis (not very well worded that sorry) e.g. one night every so often is acceptable but every night is taking the p**s

I'm sorry not explaining very well.

love Kate

I'd do the same...good luck...hope it works out!
Tasha

[thesmarts]

Thank you for all your answers - they have given me some food for thought. Since I have joined these boards I have been really reconsidering a lot of my policies. So thank you for that as well!!!

I think that I will say to the parents that if they want to have new hours Iwill re-negotiate their contract so that its tighter, if that makes sense? As I know this lady has to catch a train Ive always been quite flexible wrt lateness. (For example this week although she is supposed to be here at 7:30 (and as Ive asid, shes usually early, which is WHY Im flexible) two nights shes been as late as 8pm and I havent charged). But if they want to reduce their hours to a stricter timeframe, its then up to then to keep those hours? The onus is on them, and not me? I think thats what AJS is getting at? (Too many questions??!!!)

Anyway - thanks again.

[tasha]

No problem...that's what we're here for!
Tasha