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Md Small Claims Dispute Over Hourly Childcare Vs Added Overnight/ Block Charges Not Agreed

Location: Maryland

I’m involved in a small claims dispute over a short-term childcare arrangement (~2 weeks) while I was away for military duties. The child is 6 years old and attends school during the day, with scheduled activities in the evenings.

We agreed on $25/hour (verbal but later confirmed agreement) The caregiver stayed overnight, but we never discussed any separate overnight fee or 24-hour billing. She also maintained other daytime commitments( her other job) during this period.

I paid $4,000 upfront to make sure she was covered as well as any emergencies ( in case she couldn’t use my credit card for food/gas anything else happened) and later an additional $1,950 based on her calculation. I paid the additional amount in good faith at the time, but later reviewed the breakdown and realized it included charges we never agreed to (e.g., $100/night and fixed 8–16 hour days).

She is now arguing:

• she was responsible “24/7” • her calculation reflects the value of the service • references to employment/minimum wage rules

My question is:

In Maryland small claims, do courts typically enforce the agreed hourly rate, or can someone apply a different structure (like overnight or block billing) if it wasn’t explicitly agreed beforehand?

Also, does it matter that these additional charges were only presented after the work was completed?

Thanks for any general insight!!

submitted by /u/amishparadiseSC
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Md Small Claims Dispute Over Hourly Childcare Vs Added Overnight/ Block Charges Not Agreed

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