Best cleaning lady but she steals

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 9:47 am

amother wrote:

So maybe you shouldn't have her cook anymore?

She is not supposed to ever cook. She waited for me to leave the house then used the toaster and microwave for her own food.
(We ultimately bought her her own toaster because like anyone else she deserves hot food and I could not always be home exactly when she wanted to eat lunch.)

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 10:03 am

octopus wrote:

How did she treif these things up? Just curious.

She is a lovely caring person but obviously when she began the job, she thought kashrus was crazy and her attitude was that what we don't know won't really kill us. We had other housekeepers who were very sweet people behave similarly toward kashrus and I believe it was the same mindset.
Basically:
Heated up her own food in the microwave and toaster.
Put a milchig pot in the fleishig dishwasher because the milchig dishwasher was running and she didn't want to wait for the cycle to end, and the dish was too dirty to wash by hand (like a grill pan).
Make coffee in meat mugs because the meat cabinets are closest to the urn.

mommy3b2c

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 10:07 am

amother wrote:

Why don't you make a rule that she can't bring good in the house? My cleaning lady knows she is welcome to eat anything from my cabinets or fridge , but not to bring her own things.

amother

Orchid

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 10:10 am

I really like my cleaning lady - she is so sweet - and I really believe she is honest.
I know she helps herself to food here and there - but I don't really care. I'm home and around so nothing is becoming treif.
Lately though she has been taking food that was earmarked for specific kids. LIke Friday afternoon my MIL dropped off exactly enough chocolate bars for my kids and I put on the shabbos table. 1 was missing when she left but I didn't think it was her.
I put them away because I didn't have enough. Then I noticed right after she left the next time another bar was missing. She was the only one in the room.
Or my kids will leave a bag of cookies they made in the kitchen and after she cleans the kitchen one cookie is missing from the bag and they are devastated.
I don't want to confront her because I don't think what she is doing is wrong - but is making my kids really upset when they miss out on treats that they know are coming.

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:28 pm

amother wrote:

I would keep a bag of chocolates, cookies and other snacks on a high shelf that are just for her.

amother

Orchid

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:30 pm

amother wrote:

I would keep a bag of chocolates, cookies and other snacks on a high shelf that are just for her.

Whenever I offer her food she always refuses. I offer food and drink whenever she is here (she does take water bottles for herself and keeps them in a closet and replaces as needed)

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:39 pm

amother wrote:

Whenever I offer her food she always refuses. I offer food and drink whenever she is here (she does take water bottles for herself and keeps them in a closet and replaces as needed)

Maybe she's embarrassed to eat in front of you or thinks you'll be less impressed with her (who knows who she worked for before). If it's just in a cabinet for her to take at her leisure I bet she'll feel more comfortable and help herself when she needs.

greenfire

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:51 pm

amother wrote:

Whoa that was harsh! Of course 2 wrongs does not make right but firing either may be easier said than done. How bout telling her u have security cameras around the house? Hm that'll b lying 🤥 ...

harsh ? how so ? for starters definitely fire the cleaning lady if she is indeed stealing [eating would not fall into the same category]

& for seconders although he certainly should not be in charge of the cleaning lady if that is how he treats her belongings - can you really fire the husband ? it's facetious ~ gosharuni

notshanarishona

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:51 pm

Fire her. And keep a better eye on household help. I wouldn't trust someone who steals in my house.
Eating crackers on the job is very different than putting in your purse to take home.

notshanarishona

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 1:53 pm

If you have a strong suspicious that someone steals, you need either (1) fire them or (2) confront them. Better to accuse someone innocent and then apologize then violate their privacy. People carry private things in their purse I.e. medicine , documents, etc. It's none of your business to see it.

33055

Fri, Feb 10 2017, 2:13 pm

amother wrote:

Then you have to have a policy that she can't help herself to food. She can't know which foods are off limits otherwise. She seems fyi be taking nosh.