Please reply ASAP NOT SAYING THE TRUTH cleaning lady

amother

Turquoise

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 8:21 am

Tuesday I had cleaning help she was expexting to stay a little longer but I told her I only needed 2 hours just befot she was done I grabbed my cash put ot in the pocket of my hoodie and waited for her to put back her cleaning supplies when she was standing at the door I reached in to pay her and my pocket was empty I probably droed the money I was embaressed and told her 1 minute and started lokking for it I then see she turns away from me and seems to be hiding money in her own pocket! I didnt want to accuse her so I quickly say oh yes I see you have the money I left she quickly says ues and leaves. Wednesday I realized that I had an extra 20 in my pocket that she probably knew about but s l didn't say I overpaid her-she was hiding it in the first place. I felt so confused how I dropping it on the first place I forgot that I had more than her pay. She's coming again today? What do I do and say?

amother

Burlywood

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 8:33 am

She shouldn't have taken the money that you dropped. She should have handed it to you and you should have paid her. Anyways seems like you have to be careful with her. Don't leave money out. I wouldn't say anything I would just be more careful in the future or get a new cleaning women.

Sadie

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 8:44 am

Maybe she took the money because she thought you left it out for her. Most people do leave cash out on a table or counter for the cleaner, maybe she saw it on the floor and thought it must be for her and had fallen, then panicked when she saw you looking for it, realizing her mistake.

amother

Turquoise

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 8:47 am

I cant fire her. I have her awhile and its hard to find a replacement I should have been more careful but is there anything I could say to let her know, or pretend it was a late holiday bonus? I didn't give her one because she was away all through the holiday or should I just keep quiet?

amother

Violet

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 8:49 am

It could be she thought it was for her. I would hide any valuables but leave some cash (less than her payment) somewhere she would see but not in plain sight and check after if it's still there.

imasinger

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 9:08 am

My thoughts:

Don't "pretend it was a holiday bonus." You wouldn't be in this pickle in the first place if you had said to her on the spot, "Did you take that out of my jacket? Next time, please wait for me to hand it to you. Can I please see it to count it out, because that had more than the sum you had earned."

My advice, if you don't want to fire her right now, is to forget about the $20, let it be for a kappora, and just find a spot in your house where you will leave the money for her in the future. Otherwise, it's just each side pointing fingers, and makes for bad feelings. Better strategy is to prevent the situation. Make a box, an envelope, something, and write her name on it, choose a place where it will be left every time.

If you don't trust that she will do an adequate job if she can get the money before a certain time, then please rethink your position about letting her go.

And regardless, given what you describe, I hope you are starting to look for new cleaning help, so that when you have a better option, you can let her go.

tichellady

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 10:50 am

amother wrote:

It could be she thought it was for her. I would hide any valuables but leave some cash (less than her payment) somewhere she would see but not in plain sight and check after if it's still there.

I don't think it's right to do this. To set someone up to possibly steal? This seems morally problematic to me.

I would tell her in the beginning that you will leave money for her in an envelope on the counter ( or wherever you decide) and try to start fresh. It sounds like an awkward situation for both of you that you need to move past.

amother

Violet

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 11:28 am

tichellady wrote:

The issue is not so much the payment but that fact that she may be a thief and stealing things OP doesn't know about. Ignoring what happened and starting fresh means she can steal whatever she wants as long OP doesn't see. My cleaning lady finds cash all the time and leaves it on the dresser for me.

chani8

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 11:56 am

You cannot set her up to check if she is a thief.

You need her, and she needs this job. I think it was an embarrassing mistake on her part.

She cleans your toilets and mops your floors and picks up after you. I think you can overlook this mistake.

tigerwife

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 12:29 pm

I agree with Imasinger that you need to be more open with her.

"Hmm, I seemed to have dropped the cash that was in my pocket, have you seen it while doing the floor?"

"Oh, that, yes, I thought it was my payment."

"Aha- well it was actually cash that I haven't counted out yet. I'd appreciate if you would let me know next time and I pay you when you're done, like usual."