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I would not pay for sick days and I would get a contract in place ASAP that covers all aspects of care so there is no confusion going forward.

@Truth Bombs: Agree!!

While we don't use an in-home, so I don't have any experience, it doesn't sound fair that you have to pay when she is sick... that doesn't seem right.

I assume you've already paid for the previous week when she was sick, so I wouldn't try to deduct it now, but I would definitely get a contract in place for the future.

Definitely ask for a contract - I had one when my LO was the only child out in home provider had. Ours specified that if she cancelled we didn't pay, but if we chose not to bring him for a day we still pay.

I personally have no experience with in home daycare, but I know that a friend had her provider hit her with a "revised contract" at the beginning of last year where she wanted to be allowed 2 weeks paid vacation and 5 days paid sick time. My friend pushed back on that. It seems to me to be totally reasonable that you have to pay for days when it is your decision to not send your child (if you go on vacation, if your kid is sick) and I guess maybe holidays, but if your provider is sick or goes on vacation that seems like you shouldn't have to pay. I agree with everybody else who has suggested you get a contract with all these things laid out.

@looch: It's totally different, though. If she wanted the perks of being a full time employee she should work at a daycare centre. It's the difference between working for somebody and having your own small business. You get perks (you get all the money) but there are also downsides.

Ours is the same as @runnerd. If don't bring him, we pay. If she closes, we don't. She took a week vacation this fall, but gave us almost 8 months notice.

I agree with all to get a contract in place ASAP.

We had a contract with our in home daycare that specified that we paid for the full weeks even during the provider's vacation and holidays that they were off. Same is true for our center daycare currently. That said, she also had an assistant so if there was a sick day for the provider, we weren't left hanging without a provider. I definitely would get a contract in place.

We pay if DS is absent for any reason but they get Thanksgiving and the week between Xmas and New Year's off and I think every major holiday like Independence Day and Memorial Day and Labor Day, which we don't pay for. They have two adults for 6 kids plus an assistant so I haven't heard of a sick closure from them but I would imagine we wouldn't pay.

I've used 3 different in homes and their pay varies.

Currently we don't pay if LO isn't there regardless, but she does have a 15 hour minimum/week, so last week even though DS was only there 10 hours (she was closed 2 days, didn't need daycare 2 days) we paid for 15 hours.

My backup in-home asks for full-pay anytime LO is scheduled, so if I had him scheduled to be there, and he is sick, I pay anyways.
I would not pay if she was closed.

A prior in-home did have some days that were paid-days off. She asked to be paid for 4th of july, thanksgiving, christmas, etc.

So just have her get you a contract or schedule of what she expects and you'll be set for next time. You can consider what you may have overpaid a Christmas gift?

We use an in home daycare, but it was up front that she gets paid holidays (which ones) and that she gets 2 weeks paid vacation through the year, this is sick days/personal days/vacation (she closes Christmas Eve - NYD.) I would not necessarily ask not to pay but I would for sure ask for (in writing) what the terms are for sick/personal/vacation days as well as which holidays are paid. For me NYE is not a holiday, but NYD is. I would expect that NYE would be a personal day (count against the 2 weeks.)

@renee0106: what!?!? There is no way I would pay for a full day of care while she is at a dr appointment and not watching my child. That is absurd! Glad you are looking for new arrangements