How would you deal with this?

So I run a daycare and parents have to pay at a front desk before leaving their kids with me.
One of my colleagues said that she doesn't have to pay. I thought she was lying as i haven't been told that colleague is allowed any privileges. It turns out she was lying when I looked into it further.
I let the manager of the front desk know and she said she will be made to pay if she comes in again but once more said colleague came up without paying. I didn't want to ask her as I knew I would be fobbed off, told she will pay later on or that she would get aggressive. What the hell do I do now? This colleague has tried this trick before and constantly takes advantage of me and the daycare. She gets away with it everytime and I am starting to get really angry.

Hello Jenni855,

Please inform the manager, the manager needs to deal with this, that is what managers get paid to do. Manager's deal with the problem issues, it's not fair to put it on you. It's certainly not fair to anyone else that this person is getting away with not paying.

Thank you. I just feel a bit sick as i think the colleague in question will think I have stitched them up and that I should have gone through them first. but i can't as she always lies and fobs me off.

Policies are there to help secure the viability of the daycare. People can't do as they please or it'll run the business into the ground. I agree, the manager needs to enforce the policy. Maybe she can take your colleague aside and meet with her concerning the situation. (Hopefully the daycare has a private office to facilitate this.) If needs be, the manager may have to explain the reasons for the fee and why it's important for the continued running of the daycare.

Yes you are right. I am just annoyed as I think the colleague will play dumb. She has tried this trick before and so I am very angry it has happened again and that she is acting so disresectfully.

I have no idea what "fobs me off" or "stitched me up" means, but it sounds rather negative.

You say you "run a daycare". To me, this means you are the manager. If so, you are the one who should be taking the initiative here, rather than running to someone else. Simply confront this person and let them know that the freebies are over.

I supervise it, not manage it. I am not responsible for the financial side of things. I am not 'running to someone else' as you put it. It just isn' t my area to deal wth.

I had a thought: have you considered offering special discounts to colleagues? Where I'm from, some professions offer special rates to various groups like teachers, police officers, students etc. If you can afford to, you could adopt this practice and use it to win her over into paying for your services. (It may attract more persons to your daycare too.) If she continues to play dumb either way, then you'll have to decide whether or not to keep her as a client.

I am not allowed to Maria. Pricing is out of my control although I could suggest it. I am worried she will get aggressive and think I have gone behind her back but she knows full well she has to pay and has tried*this*trick before it puts me in such a bad position.

Hi Jenni, Yes, I agree with the others. This is something to be taken up with your manager. I understand how you feel...I often take on the stress for circumstances at my workplace that are not for me to fret over.

My advice, in the short term, at least, would be to keep a comprehensive record of all of the times this person is taking advantage of the services; dates & times at least, whatever concrete evidence you can get access to (maybe even record what she's saying). And if your manager/immediate supervisor continues to be negligent, keep looking up the ladder to people you could get in contact with. It sounds like you understand the rules/policies pretty well, and could build a compelling case.

Does she have a right to be hurt or angry with me though (the colleague)?

Sandpiper, that is a good idea. She never signs her kids in but I have been doing so and documenting sign in and out times. Thanks for this important point x

Fear of confrontation is stressful. Is there a chance she could be fired, if this trend continues? Sounds like a tough position, to be placed in. She sounds like she could be a live wire/loose canon? What does your manager suggest about dealing with her, not just the money, but personality? Stinks walking on eggshells at the workplace. x

She is definitely a loose canon and livewire, manipulative as well.
I don't think she will be fired. I am just scared she will make things very difficult for me at work and be even more passive aggressive then she already is. I am very worried about her reaction but at the end of it all, what counts is that she shouldn't be allowed to not pay if other staff have to. That is just ridiculous as she certainly isn't anymore special or important.

Hello Jenni855, I think this colleague is taking advantage of your good nature. I think if this was a random person walking in and not paying, you would see this differently, it is stealing. It's not fair all round so you are perfectly in the right to do something about it. Good luck!

well my grandmother ran her own daycare center for over 45 years, they added more buildings and it was a big daycare center. im sure if that happened to her she would make the person pay or stop bringing her kids.

Thank you. I am still really worried that she will think I am in the wrong for doing this but I do feel I am being taken advantage of and it isn't fair on me or the other parents.

I reported it and now the head manager will be told. I feel like a ***** and worry I should have gone to her first now.

Did I do the wrong thing?

No, you did not do the wrong thing. Remember, SHE created this situation. It is your job to supervise, and as such I am guessing that you have at least a tad bit of responsibility to report certain things to your manager regarding the running of the facility. If you kept this information to yourself and didn't tell your manager, could you possibly be putting your own employment status at risk? I'd say that's a very good possibility! I don't agree in being a snitch, but this is a matter that pertains to the running of the facility and it is not fair that she try to screw the facility out of money. Some may say this is stealing, and as such, can be a reason for being fired. She is essentially stealing from the business. Try to reframe your thinking like this, and you'll be assured that you did in fact do the right thing.

You did the right thing!

Thank you both. Overdid it on the wine this evening as feel so worried and guilty

You did the responsible thing. Sure she may be angry with you, but that's expected from someone who's naturally defiant. The front desk manager doesn't even have to call your name while handling the situation. If she has records of attendance and payments, she can compare the two and make a case based on that alone.

I think she will know it is me. The logical side thinks who cares, I can't control what she does, the other part is sad as I worry I should have gone about it differently and that she will end up really disliking me.