OT: Child care crisis at work.

[ldo]

I have gone to many daycares and NO PLACE closes early on Friday. Plus, if they have to leave early--and I understand that, then they can come in early.

for ex.---I work in metro DC area and I HAVE to leave by 5:20 (vs. 5:30) to get on HOV (fast lanes) to get home by 6:30, when daycare closes. Daycare charges $15 for 5 minutes late--no exceptions.
But, that SAME daycare is open at 6:30 AM---I can drop my kids off as early as I need to to get into work earlier.
A few years ago, I could not use a REALLY great daycare (in home preschool taught by someone who taught at Cornell) b/c the hours would not work for my work schedule--she closed at 5:30--no way I could do this. I was really sad, but found another place.
I would go over the policy at your meeting and give some "alternatives" for them--come early, work thru lunch, alternate later days, etc.
Good luck.

 

[Cruz91]

... I'm the lead chemist so I'm getting all the gripes plus now I'm supposed to hire 2 more employees and I have to say, I would probably not hire any one with small kids if I can avoid it.

Be very, very careful here. I'm sure you've been through all kinds of management training and are aware, but you can not discriminate against prospective new hires because of their family status. You can be sued for simply having asked the question in passing during an interview.

As other posters have said - the rules should be the rules. Late is late - and won't be tolerated.

 

[asmit4]

What about just making it simple and having a policy....for instance....

Your schedule is flex and requires 35 hours a week. You must be in attendance for 25 of those hours btwn the hours of 9 and 5. If your total hours do not meet 25 hours btwn 9 and 5 M/F then you must use vacation time to make up the difference.

This would require them to have 2/3 of their hours btwn normal business hours. You could make it more or less depending on your needs or change the times to 8 and 5 or whatever you would need.

The important thing is to make it THE SAME for everyone. Nobody should be given special treatment so your policy must be exactly that- a policy that is the same for everyone.

 

[Fintastic]

Let them know that if they come in late or leave early, they need to make the time up within 5 working days. Allow this for everyone else, too, for doctor appts., etc. up to whatever time limit requires taking vacation or sick leave (usually absences of under 4 hours.)

I think this is a great solution. When people have to make up their missing hours, I bet you have a lot fewer absentee employees.

 

[bzzymom]

Not every job is accomodating for mom's to take off early. I am a nurse who works 12 hour shifts in ICU and there is no leaving the shift early unless there is an emergency. If I want time off, like for a school program, I have to put in for PTO, but there is no guarentee I will get there. For example, I missed DS's Christmas band concert and Spring band concert because I had to work, and I couldn't get it off. On Christmas, I was supposed to be at work at 6:45 am but I made a deal with the night shift nurse. I worked an extra hour on Christmas Eve so she could come in an hour later, and then work until 8am so I could watch the kids open their Santa gifts.

I love my job, and I have always wanted to be a nurse, but it is hard to work in a hospital setting with small kids. Going to 12 hour shifts to get more days off has been a good way to go.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I completely agree that the rules should be the same for everyone, but let me chime in with this -- my ds attends a parochial school. His afterschool program is run by the teachers. He's in 4th grade, so he's been in this program since preschool, starting year 6 now. We have been called at work to come get him because the program is closing early because the teachers feel the weather is getting too dangerous to drive, and they want to go home. We have had numerous occasions where the after school program just isn't operating -- Thanksgiving Eve, Good Friday, etc. Whenever we have advance notice, we always make arrangements. But in a "bad weather" situation, you probably don't have other options. Our nearest family is over an hour away. Our friends are at work, too.

So, my point is -- a good manager will be flexible when it is obvious there is a real issue -- but that should not happen on a daily basis. I hope the "rules" session goes well. Sometimes everyone needs a little reminder of what is expected.

 

[LynnTH]

Boy, I sure am glad I work for a small, family owned (not my family) Company. I have been here for 14 years and have an 8 and 6 year old. I have great bosses (They are brothers). They are very flexible about appointments, weather, school programs etc. We can pretty much come and go as we wish. If I need to leave early or come in late - I just let someone know and that's that. We all have our jobs to do and they all get done. They really make it a family friendly place to work (their families come first to them also) and I think that is one of the reasons that the people who work here - stay here. They treat people like people who have lives outside of work (if that makes any sense).

My one bosses son was just killed in a car accident a week ago. It has been a tough week and we have all pulled together. At this point we are not sure when he will be back and we are all just covering and getting the work done. It's the same he would do for us if (god forbid) any of us was in that situation.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I have gone to many daycares and NO PLACE closes early on Friday.

Many JCC/Jewish daycare facilities and preschools DO close early on Friday to allow for ample travel time home before sundown.

PP- it sounds like you have the right idea. As you pointed out, this is the first career-oriented job that these women have held. They probably don't know any better. There are many obvious "rules" that my students are completely oblivious of. When they know better, they'll do better.

Working moms unite!!!

 

[Gillian]

My school situation is similar to Worfiedoodles. School/preschool can and does close early. Every Friday is a half day, but they have after school care. However, if the weather is bad and school closes, so does after care.

I can understand needing coverage in a lab, or working as a nurse. If I were currently working as a pharmacist, I wouldn't be able to leave either.

Flex time is both a blessing and a curse. At DH's job they have "Core hours" that have to be covered, but you can't both arrive late and leave early. It's one or the other. Maybe you could talk to the staff about staggering shifts, where some people arrive early and leave early, while others arrive later and leave later. Even if it's not set in stone, it might help balance the workload on normal days.

 

[mom2alix]

Eliza - Check out the Oct 2007 edition of Working Mother. There's an article on page 94 about generational differences in attitudes with working moms that I think you may find interesting. One of the companies they talk about quite a bit is Bristol Meyers Squibb, which I think would be similar to your company?

 

[mom2aredhead]

Any updates?

 

[jcanter426]

It is illegal to not hire someone because they have small kids.....in fact you are not even allowed to ask. I am proud to say that I have a 2 year old, and have only missed 1 day of work unscheduled (Only 2 vacation days scheduled in advance)...left early once 45 minutes my daughter had a temp at daycare, and have never been late, since starting 13 months ago, so you shouldn't judge people with small kids. If I needed to be off for my daughter....I would. I think you have bad employees, and there is some bad management, but having small kids is not the problem.