Do you pay your housekeeper when you go away?

amother

Copper

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 9:58 am

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

I'm still paying my cleaning lady and we haven't had her come since March.

(She did come two times when we were away for a couple of days)

Why do you assume that she didn't seek employment else where?

amother

Tangerine

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 9:59 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I'm sure many people are in this situation. We just got home last night after being out of town for a week. I told my housekeeper not to come on her usual 2 days. What do you all do about paying in this situation?

Yes because I want her to hold my spot and not look for work while I'm away.
This week dd is sick with covid and I told her not to come. I would like to pay her while she is away. Dh would like us to pay her half.

flowerpower

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 10:03 am

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

I'm still paying my cleaning lady and we haven't had her come since March.

(She did come two times when we were away for a couple of days)

That sounds unnecessary. Why the heck would you do that for?!?!!

amother

Violet

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 10:39 am

We don’t pay if she’s off a day here or there, but she gets paid on the books, so in our country she has to get paid 2 weeks vacation twice a year. She only comes twice a week, so it’s not a big deal. What is a big deal though, is we paid her for 7-9 months when everything was on lockdown. I told my dh enough is enough, she comes or we don’t pay. She’s been here since. Smile

amother

Goldenrod

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 10:42 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

You can assume that she's working elsewhere and probably won't be coming back to you when you decide to take her again. She's getting double salary.

I know she isn't. She's keeping our days open.

amother

Goldenrod

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:04 am

flowerpower wrote:

How long are planning on her having a double salary? Five more years?

She's not getting a double salary. Why would you assume the worse of someone and not the best?

Once we, and she, are vaccinated, we'll have her back.

amother

Brunette

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:07 am

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

She's not getting a double salary. Why would you assume the worse of someone and not the best?

Once we, and she, are vaccinated, we'll have her back.

It's not assuming bad or the worst. It's just a fact. No cleaning lady likes to have free time. They like to earn as much as they can. You should really assume that she's working elsewhere and getting double salary.

amother

Silver

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:08 am

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

I'm still paying my cleaning lady and we haven't had her come since March.

(She did come two times when we were away for a couple of days)

I am also paying my cleaning lady since March but I haven't used her services. I just sent her money for January and February. I am due for my second dose of vaccine in mid-February so I am optimistic that I will be able to have her come to me in March when full immunity kicks in.

For those who questioned Goldenrod (and presumably me by extension) I pay her because the money is in my budget whether she cleans or doesn't clean. It was my choice to not use her services since she was willing to come. She and her family need the money far more than I do - for them it buys food and pays the rent and for me it is disposable income. I am lucky in that the pandemic didn't negatively impact my finances and if anything I have more disposable income since there is nothing I can spend it on except basics - I don't need clothing; don't travel; don't eat out etc.

She is a wonderful woman and I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't help her through what is a terrible time for cleaning women.

And I doubt she is making "double" money during the pandemic since people are generally not using cleaning ladies and housekeepers - at least in my circle. If I didn't pay her, she wouldn't earn the money.

tichellady

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:10 am

If I have set days then I would pay or have her come while I was gone or make up the day another time that month. Right now I don’t have a cleaning person. When the pandemic started I paid for six weeks and told her not to come and then helped her find a new job.

tichellady

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:13 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

What a horrible thing to say. Why assume every person in the same profession is the same? Every person is an individual with her own situation and needs.

number

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:20 am

If you’re away then why not have her deep clean. Get into the corners, the walls, do the stuff that many people consider to be Pesach cleaning or spring cleaning. Everything needs deep cleaning and preferably more than once a year.

amother

Goldenrod

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:29 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

Even if that were true (which I know it isn't - she keeps asking when she can come back). Why would that bother me? Should I be upset at all the people who got stimulus money while they still had their jobs?

I say, gezuntahei.

She is a kind, hard working, honest (legal, if it matters), person.

I only want the best for her.

ETA- amother Silver said it perfectly!

amother

Jetblack

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 11:40 am

number wrote:

This is what I’m doing, but I can understand that there are those who don’t want someone in their house when they aren’t home. And getting in might be an issue too.

dankbar

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 12:16 pm

In March when you want her back she is busy Pesach cleaning for someone else & might not drop that job if she is making more money per hour on Pesach cleaning than regular housework especially if she committed to the work full time there, as you are not taking her for 9 months so she is officially available as you don't need her.

Why do you think that she will pick up the phone, when you need her, once she has your money already?

amother

Papaya

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 12:23 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

All cleaning ladies are the same?

amother

Goldenrod

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 12:46 pm

dankbar wrote:

Why would you think she wouldn't?

She has shown herself to be an honest person. Huge hakaras hatov.

And even if she doesn't. I don't want to be the type of person that thinks the worst of people, that doesn't do the best I can.

flowerpower

Fri, Jan 29 2021, 12:49 pm

dankbar wrote:

Nah. The cleaning lady will have another year vacation probably. By the time they both get the vaccine.... she’s one lucky lady! I know that I never got paid when families cancelled on me. That’s how it usually works being an independent contractor.