As a work-from-home entrepreneur and mom my days are pretty crazy and the last thing in the world I want to spend my time doing when I get a few minutes away from my desk is cleaning. So, I have a cleaning lady. I like her. She does my laundry, changes the bedsheets and cleans the house.
This is a choice we make in order to be able to spend the time we have together as a family. It is one less stress in an already kinda coo-coo existence. My cleaning lady does not have a huge zest for cleaning but she does what I ask and seems satisfied with the work and the pay. She lives close by which works for her and, because I work from home, I am pretty flexible about when she comes.
So, she was here cleaning on Monday. Usually I am around most of the time in my office. I don’t pay too much attention to what she is doing because, well, I’m working. I close my office door and see her only when I step out or she comes in to change the garbage and clean up a bit. However, I am around. I have a general sense of what she is doing, when she arrived and when she leaves. But not this week. This week I needed her to stay a little longer because she wasn’t here during the holidays. I had to take the kids to the dentist and then we had an errand to run. I told her to finish what she needed to do and leave a note when she left with the time and I would pay her. Perfect.
The problem is that I forgot something at home in between the dentist and the errand so I stopped back home to pick it up. When I came in the house I saw that the cleaning lady had left. No problem. She had arrived at noon. Then, I saw her note:
So, what’s the problem? What is my moral dilemma? The time on the clock at that moment was 5:35pm and there was no sign of her.
The truth is, I don’t care about the money. But I am concerned about the fact that she was totally trying to screw me. Or was she? My husband – yes, Mr. Nice Guy himself – thinks she made a mistake and thought is was 6:30pm but it was really 5:30pm. She was rushing. I can sort of believe this because if I had just spent over 5hrs cleaning someone else’s house I think it would seem like an eternity to me too but I’m just not sure I buy it.
Well, that is why I have come to you, dear readers. To help me solve this moral dilemma. Do I approach her about it? Do I pay her the extra hour and shut up? Do I pay her less and address it if she says something? I am almost always there when she comes and goes so do a few extra bucks now and then really matter? Please help. What would you do?
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You have to call her on it… And only pay her until 5:30. You can’t have someone dishonest in your home, it’s not fair to your family. I agree with the other commenter, no hourly employee would honestly make a mistake about what time they are done working. Honestly? I would be finding a new cleaner. What would happen in the workplace if an employee was caught lying about hours?
I like how Kath worded it and agree the discussion should be non-accusatory. The hope is that it was an honest mistake and that she didn’t leave right after you did. This is tough – good luck!
I would pay till 630 but for sure mention it to her casually that you were home at 530 and there was no sign of her. I would “drop by” again a few weeks later. No question about it, trust was broken.
WOW. this is tough. I am a big old chicken…so, I’d probably give her the benefit of the doubt, but I would maybe have my husband talk to her (again, chicken!) about maybe setting a SET price for the day. This is what I do with my cleaning ladies. So, I don’t really care how long they stay, as long as they get their stuff done.
or maybe I’d let this one slide and try to catch her in the act again.
When I owned a company and had 14 hourly employees, I thought since I was a nice person and treated people honestly and with respect, that they would treat me the same. After 15 years and numerous instances, I learned that many people will take advantage if given the opportunity. We paid hourly on a time sheet filled out daily by the employee and after everyone began padding 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there, we soon had the time sheets signed off by a manager to verify the time. And this is but one example of the tip of the ice berg of the kinds of things that certain people will do to take advantage of us as employers. With respect to the cleaning lady, I say pay her until 5:30 and fire her. The employer-employee relationship is based on trust and she has broken that trust. If you give her “one more chance” and “the benefit of the doubt”, you will be forever watching and waitng for her to breach your trust again (which I predict she will) in order to justify to yourself that you can then fire her. I say do it now and save yourself the stress. From, Cynical and Distrusting former employer.
I like Kath’s answer.
As much as we would all hate to admit it, I think she was trying to pull one over on you. She probably even thought that it might not even be that bad to do it, becuase it’s only an hour or so. :S
The sucky thing though, is she could have even left earlier than 5:30!
I would pay her until 5:30 and let her know you were home at 5:30 too. I am not a fan of confrontation either but even more so, am not a fan of people trying to pull one over on me. It may be an honest mistake so if it’s done nicely she shouldn’t get offended or angry.
I say you give her the benefit of the doubt, but mention it, too. That is, say something like, “Jane, I noticed you put 6:30 on the note but I think you must have meant 5:30 because when we popped home in between errands at 5:35 you were already gone, so I’ve paid you for 5.5 hours”. Just very nice, non-angry, non-accusing. If she WAS trying to screw you, she will get the message; if your husband is right, she will appreciate that you gave her the benefit of the doubt.
do another “dentist appt.” one more time. i agree with the previous comment but if it’s a mistake, it’s a mistake. another appointment might confirm that she is, in fact, dishonest.
Oh, and no one who gets paid by the hour makes those mistakes….
Pay her for the hours up to 530 indicating that was when you noticed she had left. Don’t ignore it. She is cleaning your house and you trust her in your home. If you ignore it you will never trust her again. Maybe this will make you decide to let her go depending on how she reacts. Another option would be to ask her to call you next time she is leaving…from your house phone. Sounds spy-like but at least you can see the msg and voicemail comng from your house.
I fired my cleaning lady a couple of months ago. I had items stolen nearly a year ago and although I don’t think she did it, I was never sure so I knew I had to stop forcing myself to trust her. It has to just be there all the time. Good luck. Tough situation.
I would call her on it- but in the nicest way possible.
I HATE confrontation- HATE IT! But, in this case I think it’s fair to say that you got home at 5:30 and noticed she was gone and hand her the right amount of money. I wouldn’t even mention the note/time…she should get the message…you hope.
It absolutely could have been an honest mistake but she needs to know that you caught in…just in case.
ICK! Update on what you’re going to do/how it goes!