Cleaning lady lunch

amother

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:14 pm

caffeine99 wrote:

I don't have a cleaning lady for more than 2-3 hrs. I think that's very fare without a break.

I agree. The problem is the sometimes have a schedule where they work 8-11 by Chani, 11-2 by Bracha, 2-5 by Leah and 5-8 by Miriam. They don’t leave themselves time to get to the next house let alone eat. But IMO that is the responsibility of the lady herself to figure out (meaning she should not schedule herself that many hours straight she should schedule breaks as needed), or on the woman who arranges the whole thing. It should not fall on one random woman who had her for 2.5 hours one day. I’m sure almost anyone would be happy to let her sit in their kitchen for 15 mins after she works and eat something before going to the next person. This particular woman doesn’t have a car and walks from place to place in a development in Lakewood.

Like the lady who arranged could also say “she’s by you from 1230-3, but can she come a little earlier and have lunch?” Sure . But she wanted the last lady to pay til 1230 and me to pay from 1230 so doesn’t work

caffeine99

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:17 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

It's also very different if pre discussed. If not then you shouldn't assume. I also don't just have lunch or meals ready right and left to feed her.

Amarante

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:18 pm

My cleaning lady essentially works a half day. She comes at about 10:30 and leaves maybe at 2 depending on when she is finished with everything. As a frame of reference, I consider myself to be a generous employer as I pay her $80 which works out to about $25 per hour - give or take a few dollars. I also paid her during the pandemic even though she didn't come because I didn't want her t come during that time so I paid her for a year. I am just starting to have her back.

I don't give her a lunch break that is paid for and I have never heard of anyone paying someone who works essentially a half day a lunch break. She is free to snack on anything she wants and I don't watch her like a hawk - she does what is needed in whatever time it takes her to do. The people who have cleaning ladies who work all day do provide a lunch and a lunch break. However, whenever I have asked what they pay it is always a flat rate to clean their house so it is not an issue in terms of whether they are specially being paid during that time - they are paid to clean the house and not by the hour. They leave when the house is clean and so it is up to them whether they want to linger at the table.

I have had her come for a full day to help me on special organizational projects and I do give her a lunch and just pay her the agreed upon rate for the day. I will do takeout because it is just easier for both of us to eat something delivered rather than deal with cooking and food prep.

Even if you work for a company full time you actually are not given a paid lunch. People who are hourly work 9 to 6 with an hour break and are paid for 40 hours. There are 15 minute paid breaks by law every 4 hours.

Frankly I think the woman who had her in the morning is snookering you by sending her over to have lunch on your dime. If she wants to pay the woman to eat lunch, then she should have sent her over after feeding her and paying her. I think you have been put in an awkward position. Think about it this way - wouldn't it be weird to have a cleaning lady come to your house at noon and immediately have lunch and expect to be paid for that period of time? That is essentially what was foisted upon you by your neighbor.

Last edited by Amarante on Fri, Mar 12 2021, 11:10 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Puce

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:29 pm

Am I the only crazy one here who thinks you should give her lunch and pay for it?
My lady comes 8 am and stays till whenever needed usually between 4 and 7 and I always give her lunch which incldies a sandwich a fruit and a yogurt or granola bar.sometimes dinner too depending how late she stays.
The part time I understand like ur getting her right by break.
I always feel that if we treat our employees well they'll do good work. Shes human. She needs to eat.
My lady loves working for me because I am nice and generous. like if shes leaving at 430 I pay her till 5.
It's the right thing to do with regards to lunch.

amother

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:30 pm

caffeine99 wrote:

It's also very different if pre discussed. If not then you shouldn't assume. I also don't just have lunch or meals ready right and left to feed her.

Yep, my food stock right now is bare bones because of pesach. I made two dinners this week and my kids each night got either those or Shabbos leftovers. The other choice was like a sandwich or frozen pizza. I offered her what I ate, black bean soup she didn’t want.
If I knew about the lunch ahead of time I would have planned accordingly (had something for her and communicated that it wasn’t on my time unless it was 5 mins or something).

amother

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:33 pm

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

You have a lady for 8-11 hours. You should be giving her two meals or a meal and two snacks. I mean it’s cruel otherwise. Nobody should need a break for 2 hours 20 min job. I have said as have others of course if she was by me al day (I said 5 hours and you’re talking about double that) I’d give her lunch.

In the Us each state has labor laws. Of course the cleaning ladies are rarely on the books but your lady if in néw York is legally entitled to one thirty minute break and two fifteen minute breaks (that’s for eight hours). Now again I know neither side is sticking to those laws but we should be at least as decent as that law requires I believe.

amother

Teal

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:35 pm

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

Of course you should if you have her for a full day like you do! But if it’s only a few hours maybe not. OP is in a scenario where the cleaning lady works a very full day but over a few houses. They should pool together to buy her lunch.

Amarante

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:37 pm

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

I think the differentiation is when someone works a full day versus a half day.

When my cleaning lady comes for the whole day I give her lunch and essentially pay her for that period. I don't pay her by the hour but if I did I would pay her for the entire time she spent in my house and not deduct for the time she is eating.

However OP has a different situation and people don't generally pay their cleaning ladies who are working a half day for lunch period. That is the fact situation that OP is asking about - in those circumstances it is not customary to pay your cleaning lady.

amother

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:43 pm

Amarante wrote:

I’m not even getting half a day! It’s 2.5 hours officially.
I would definitely rather an arrangement where we pay a flat fee to “clean the house “ ie do certain arranged tasks. It’s so hard to find a balance, many ladies either rush and aren’t thorough or take 45 minutes on one bathroom.

Amarante

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:47 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I agree that paying for lunch for your circumstances isn't customary and you are being taken advantage of by the woman who uses her services in the morning.

If she works out, is it possible to just agree on a flat rate to clean your place?

amother

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 10:54 pm

Amarante wrote:

I already told the lady who arranges it I am not going to use her anymore and explained why. My husband and I have the strong philosophy that for our situation (I am a SAHM) it’s a luxury not a necessity, so if it’s causing more aggravation than it’s not worth it. I am happy to do regular cleaning myself and get a service one a month to be more thorough. I was just surprised by what happened and wondering if I was totally out of the loop.

tichellady

Thu, Mar 11 2021, 11:29 pm

Amarante wrote:

My cleaning lady essentially works a half day. She comes at about 10:30 and leaves maybe at 2 depending on when she is finished with everything. As a frame of reference, I consider myself to be a generous employer as I pay her $80 which works out to about $25 per hour - give or take a few dollars. I also paid her during the pandemic even though she didn't come because I didn't want her t come during that time so I paid her for a year. I am just starting to have her back.

I don't give her a lunch break that is paid for and I have never heard of anyone paying someone who works essentially a half day a lunch break. She is free to snack on anything she wants and I don't watch her like a hawk - she does what is needed in whatever time it takes her to do. The people who have cleaning ladies who work all day do provide a lunch and a lunch break. However, whenever I have asked what they pay it is always a flat rate to clean their house so it is not an issue in terms of whether they are specially being paid during that time - they are paid to clean the house and not by the hour. They leave when the house is clean and so it is up to them whether they want to linger at the table.

I have had her come to help me on special organizational projects and I do give her a lunch and just pay her the agreed upon rate for the day. I will do takeout because it is just easier for both of us to eat something delivered rather than deal with cooking and food prep.

Even if you work for a company full time you actually are not given a paid lunch. People who are hourly work 9 to 6 with an hour break and are paid for 40 hours. There are 15 minute paid breaks by law every 4 hours.

Frankly I think the woman who had her in the morning is snookering you by sending her over to have lunch on your dime. If she wants to pay the woman to eat lunch, then she should have sent her over after feeding her and paying her. I think you have been put in an awkward position. Think about it this way - wouldn't it be weird to have a cleaning lady come to your house at noon and immediately have lunch and expect to be paid for that period of time? That is essentially what was foisted upon you by your neighbor.

Agree with this but maybe it depends on here you live and the going rate. I pay $30/hr and she comes for four hours and doesn’t eat while she is here. I think she goes home after. I don’t think she works more than one house a day so it’s not weird for her to eat lunch after she is done.

imaima

Fri, Mar 12 2021, 3:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Today I had a new cleaning lady from 1230-3 (ended up coming five mins late and leaving 5 mins early ), so she was here for 2 hours 20 mins).
As soon as she got there the lady who had connected us texted me and said “just a reminder to give her lunch! Thanks!”
She ended up sitting down for about 20 mins and eating schnitzel.
It seemed a little crazy to me that it was a “paid lunch break” and was almost 20% of the total time she was by me (and she was very slow so those 20 mins would’ve been valuable ...)
I thought providing lunch is more understood to be a sit down lunch if they are by you all day or let’s say 10-3 sort of thing, of course they need a break. But given she was only there 2.33 hours it seemed funny to me. Is this the norm?
I had in mind to offer her a snack while she was there (yogurt? Granola bar? Fruit ? That sort of thing), and of course give her water and send her home with a snack too.

I’m hearing now that she did three houses, and mine was in the middle l, so I guess if not for me she would get no break all day. And while that sounds like no good, I would definitely prefer she come to my house at 1230 and sit and relax and eat lunch and whatever, and then go on the clock at 1.

Just want to see what the norm is

I’m in Lakewood fwiw and she charged $15/hr

I think the lunch time should not be counted into her hours. I would have her clean for 2.5 hours and give her lunch then and she is free to take her time to eat it in your house. I have never had cleaners expect lunch. Sometimes I give lunch, sometimes I offer food and they don't want. They plan their day and may plan lunch time or decide to forego in order to earn some more and not lose time. I don't get why you should pay for your eating. I would text beforehand and say: There ia a lot of work today, I am going to need all of 2.5 hours.

amother

Smokey

Fri, Mar 12 2021, 3:43 am

I've also never heard of giving a cleaning lady lunch unless they work a full day. Mine comes for 3-4 hours, when she comes I always offer her a hot or cold drink, she always declines. Occasionally I've had a cleaning lady who will say yes. And I have no idea what she does the rest of her day, I find it odd that people arrange the day for their cleaning ladies down to their lunchtime. Most workers plan their own schedules.
I'd find it very difficult to give lunch, most times I'm not home, and when I am I have hard enough time preparing my own food, usually I just grab some crackers and a fruit or yoghurt, to start to have to make a meal for someone else would defeat the whole purpose of having help. If I have someone on shabbos or yt lunch time then I prepare a plate for them because we are all eating anyway.

imaima

Fri, Mar 12 2021, 3:54 am

amother [ Smokey ] wrote:

This. I wondered if I was the only one.
I don't have a cleaner because I am too much of a queen to clean. I have a cleaner because I don't have 4 arms and 6 legs. Either I am dealing with a baby or I work or I am busy with kids.. I don't have food ready for myself let alone the cleaner.