Occasional care by a childminder: pay and the week across two months
Occasional care (a few days of emergency care, a one-off replacement) or a very short CDD is not smoothed monthly: the childminder is paid for the hours actually worked. A frequent question: which month does a week starting at the end of January and ending in early February belong to? Here are the rules and the convention GardeZen applies.
Care paid as worked
- The month's salary = hourly rate × hours actually worked.
- The hourly rate cannot be lower than the collective-agreement minimum or the legal minimum.
- The maintenance allowance is due for each day of care, pro rata to its length, never below the daily floor.
- Paid leave earned is paid on top, at the end of the care or as provided in the contract.
Why the week matters
Increased hours (beyond 45 hours, at least +10%) are assessed week by week, Monday to Sunday. A week cut in two by a change of month cannot be split for this calculation: it must first be counted as a whole.
The week straddling two months
For occasional care and short CDDs paid as worked, GardeZen attaches a week straddling two months to the month in which it ends: all its hours, including any increased hours, are paid and declared that month. The weekly count stays exact and no hour is counted twice or forgotten.
It is a calculation convention, consistent from month to month. If your contract provides another rule, the contract applies: tell the childminder and keep the same rule throughout the care.
Declaring on Pajemploi
Every month, declare the hours, days of activity, net salary and allowances of the month on Pajemploi — one declaration per child.
Frequently asked questions
Is occasional childminder care paid monthly?
No. It is paid as worked, for the hours actually done in the month, at the contract's hourly rate.
Which month do I pay for a week across two months?
GardeZen attaches it to the month in which it ends, so increased hours are calculated on the whole week. Another written rule in the contract takes precedence.
Are hours beyond 45 increased in occasional care?
Yes. The increase of at least 10% applies to hours beyond 45 in the week, whatever the type of care.