How much to tip full time cleaning help/babysitter?

amother

Blue

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 1:50 pm

amother wrote:

If I don't get a week salary from my work why does she get a week's salary I think a hundred should be fine

You get to pay someone to clean your house, why doesn't she?

Life doesn't work like that.

You the employer - so long as you are operating within the laws of where you live, you can do what you want.

Amarante

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:00 pm

amother wrote:

If I don't get a week salary from my work why does she get a week's salary I think a hundred should be fine

Because that's not what is customary - you don't get tipped when you complete a project either but a wait person does or a manicurist does.

If you don't follow what is considered to be the norm, then live with the reality that you are out of step with what most other people consider to be appropriate behavior.

Since the OP asked what is appropriate, the response is that it is considered "normal" to gift a week's salary just as it is normal to tip a waitress or your hair stylist and not considered normal to tip your doctor.

Business corporate jobs have all kinds of different ways of providing bonuses to their employees. If you worked on Wall Street, your expectation might be a year's salary.

pesek zman

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:00 pm

I don’t employ household help so take it for what it is but you can’t compare a holiday gift to your employee to one to your kid! Your employee makes minimum wage (or less) and has mouths to feed and rent to pay. If you’re happy with the care and service she provides, it’s appropriate to thank her this time of year.

amother

Taupe

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:01 pm

nchr wrote:

Gardiner, janitor, ups, fedex, Etc. So federal employees (mailmen) are not supposed to accept more than $20, but I give my mailman $100 and he goes out of his way for me throughout the year and $50 for the other mailman (not regular). Garbage guys get $50 each plus tips ($10-20) throughout the year if I have a lot of garbage. Kids bus driver gets $100. Everyone else gets $25 and I have a card and small gift that goes with it or without money for other ppl like grocery clerk, gas station attendant, etc.

So you’re saying that a person needs about 500- 1000 xtra for tips or bonuses? And you think everyone out there has to give this because it is expected? And if you don’t give you’re cheap?
Wow you really think everyone can afford that?

pesek zman

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:04 pm

[quote="amother"]So you’re saying that a person needs about 500- 1000 xtra for tips or bonuses? And you think everyone out there has to give this because it is expected? And if you don’t give you’re cheap?
Wow you really think everyone can afford that?[/quote
Afford or not, it’s what’s appropriate. I live in a full service building and have to tip about 29 staff members this time of year. It’s costs a fortune. But it’s what’s done. Tipping (well) this time of year serves you well the rest of the year in terms of their willingness to go above and beyond

nchr

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:06 pm

amother wrote:

Huh? I never called anyone cheap. I was pointing out that in America, it is standard to tip your cleaning help, mailman, garbageman, etc. Those amounts probably vary by location, so I shared what I think is normal.

amother

Gold

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:17 pm

Don't want to hijack the thread, but what about a f/t housekeeper that isn't that great?

I've only had her two months, she is S-L-O-W, and if I wasn't so lazy to look for another one, I would have fired her, but I don't want to take her away from my baby who likes her.

I don't even think she's worth the money I'm paying her now. I'm mad at myself I didn't negotiate better.

How much would you tip in that scenario?

nchr

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:19 pm

amother wrote:

I'd still tip one week's pay; however, I'd speak to her about my concerns and potentially look into hiring someone else. Ours is pretty slow too, but she is thorough so that is what is important to me.

amother

Red

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:27 pm

pesek zman wrote:

Please find me a cleaner who works for minimum wage or less. They don't exist. They want more than minimum wage plus transportation one way.

No one is tipping a week's salary where I live. Maybe this is area dependent. We paid the cleaning lady when her daughter was sick and she couldn't work. We often give her things. We are flexible with her time. She leaves with a box of food most days and gets first choice of whatever we are getting rid of. Even though we pay the cost of a cab, my cleaning lady's husband drives her.

If she is unhappy, zay gezunt.

simcha2

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:28 pm

amother wrote:

It's not a tip or performance bonus it's a customary holiday gift. This means you should give the expected amount. There is some leeway, one to two weeks salary is normal, so if you don't like her that much, maybe you give one week, and if you love her and want her to stay forever, you give two.

amother

Red

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:29 pm

amother wrote:

I would tip her nothing. It is ridiculous to give an employee a week's salary if she was there 2 months.

amother

Red

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:33 pm

amother wrote:

It's illegal to tip your mailman cash. You can give him a gift up to $20. What extra service do you need from a mailman?

We tip the garbage man high because they take away construction debris which they don't have to.

amother

Plum

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:34 pm

amother wrote:

If I don't get a week salary from my work why does she get a week's salary I think a hundred should be fine

Every job is different. I don’t get anywhere near a week salary or half a week salary... actually get close to nothing. But I get paid more per hour and have benefits and vacation days ...
I don’t base how much I gift or tip drivers, my cleaning lady or anyone else based on what I get. Otherwise I would never be able to give anyone anything. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I want to show appreciation for someone who takes very good care of my kids.

amother

Blue

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:37 pm

amother wrote:

Its illegal for a US mailman to accept cash gifts. The law is on him, not general citizen.

This falls into 'don't put a stumbling block' area - not US law.

nchr

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 2:42 pm

amother wrote:

What do you pay your cleaning lady. Minimum wage is about $10 in NYS and $15 for larger corporations.

amother

Red

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 3:08 pm

nchr wrote:

What do you pay your cleaning lady. Minimum wage is about $10 in NYS and $15 for larger corporations.

Minimum wage is $10.40 outside NYC, Westchester and LI. It is scheduled to go up to $11.10 here at the end of the year. I already pay more.

Where are these cleaning ladies who work for less than minimum wage?

amother

Turquoise

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 3:11 pm

nchr wrote:

What do you pay your cleaning lady. Minimum wage is about $10 in NYS and $15 for larger corporations.

I pay 18$ an hour. Cheapest it gets here is 15$. I consider that good pay.

I give half a weeks pay with a box of chocolate chanuka time for the holidays to someone who has not been workin here long term. If it was long term and more of a nanny I would give a week’s pay.

flowerpower

Thu, Dec 06 2018, 3:11 pm

simcha2 wrote:

It's made up, in the same sense that tipping 15-20% at a restaurant is a made up rule. It is not written down, but it is the general expectation in American society and not adhering to that expectation makes you seem cheap.

You should also be giving holiday gifts to the school bus driver, garbage man and mailman.

Well... my cleaning lady comes once a week for a few hours. I am giving $25 like every year. She thanks me 20 times for it. Sometimes I add a gift to it. She comes 20
Minutes late every week and I ignore it. No way am I raising the bar!!!

I give a gift to the mailman, garbage men, and everyone that is involved with my kids....