Do You Give Your Housekeeper Vacation Pay?

When you say she cleans once per week, does that mean she only works one day a week? If that's the case, I would say the two days is fine (that would mean she takes a two week vacation and you pay her for the two days she would have been there). Also is she asking for more time off with pay or just more time off? Maybe she has extended plans and just wants to confirm she'll still have a job. I would consider what she wants the other days off for, but not pay for them.

Yes, if she has been with you for 8 years and does a good job, then you should at least give her a weeks vacation pay, good housekeepers that are trustworthy are hard to come by I would give mine 2 weeks if she had been with me for 8 years.

Deneye

If she only works for you one day a week, I don't feel she is entitled to any vacation pay. It would be different if she worked for you full time. Absolutely not....no vacation pay.

The best advice I can give you is to keep it the way you have been. She wants additional time and you should let her have it, but just give her the usual 2 days off with pay. I don't think she wants to take advantage of you as many moms have suggested. The woman simply needs more time off, what is so unusual about that? There should be communication between the 2 of you, 8 yrs. is a long time and you seem to be happy with her services. Seldom you come across an honest and good worker and that is worth a litle recognition, wouldn't you say? My sister is a nanny to 3 children and she gets paid if she works, she does not get paid if she goes on vacation or holidays. 2 years ago she went on vacation for 2 weeks and her boss gave her $1,000.....yes, that much in recognition of the great work she does with the children, plus cleaning, cooking and laundry which was not intended for her to do, but since she found the time to do it, she rather do that than just sit and watch the children. Another time they gave her a $500 gift. She did not ask for anything both times, just the time off for a short vacation. She has been their nanny since 2005. So you see? if you appreciate your cleaning lady, just give her what you can and she deserves, she is worth it.
Good luck.

I've never heard of anything like that. Sounds to me like she thinks she can get more $$ out of you so she is going for it. Maybe she is too comfortable with the situation she has.

Part time employees rarely get any vacation pay or benefits.... Much less a service oriented job that is once a week? What is she thinking.

I know my neighbors pay their full time nanny vacation pay but she is FULL time not a once a week person.

Don't be gullible to this tactic for more $$$.

Hi K.,

I have small cleaning business, i would never expect for my client to pay me vacation time. You are to genereous.

M.

An "employee" that comes once per week? She's more a contractor than an employee. I love my housekeeper and would pay her if I cancelled with little/no notice, but wouldn't even think of vacation pay. Not only do I agree with TF but I think you need to find a new cleaner asap.

I'm just as surprised as everyone else. I cant believe she already gets paid when shes not there. She is trying to take advantage of you. She should be happy she gets what you give her. I grew up with a maid and my parents never paid for time off and nor do I or any of my friends.

If shes wanting benefits then she needs to go work for a cleaning company.

This is how I handle my babysitter in the summer. If I dont' need her, then I pay her anyway. But if she takes the day off she didnt' get paid. That was our deal. It has worked great for us. We don't want to lose her in the summer because she is so great in the school year. (I am a teacher)

Wow you are super generous. I would never give a pt employee vacation pay.

Ours comes every two weeks. If we are going on vacation during one of her times here, we pay her as if she was and tell her to enjoy the day off as well. It isn't her fault she couldn't come, and she is counting on that income.

Wow. You're nice! She works one day a week and gets vacation pay too? Hmm. That's a really good deal.

Times are hard, have you asked her why she needs the money/ time off? Can she work another day for the added funds? Or does she want another day off with pay only for what, time off, another job?

I hope this works out for you and you don't have to find a new gal. If you say no, she may be a bit ruffled and be upset with you. Be sure you talk with her and listen too to clear out any hard feelings.

You call her an employee. If you have a home business and she is paid wages with taxes removed and benefits are clearly outlined, then there should be no questions as to what the employer is required to pay. If, however, she is paid from a personal account because she comes and cleans your home every week, then she is her own boss and is responsible for her own everything. If you have paid her in the past for time off, then you have been generous, but you are only resonsible for additional time if it has been outlined in an employment agreement. I have had the same housekeeper for 7 years and have never paid her for any time off. She is not my employee. I hope this helps.

I would think that as a part-timer or as someone else mentioned...really a contractor, no vacation benefit. If she were full-time, then yes. I have housekeepers twice a week but don't pay "vacation" time. I do give them a Christmas bonus each year.

I cleaned houses for a long time, and I've never heard of anyone paying for any days that were not worked. I got a Christmas gift from a couple people; one lady gifted me $50 and another gave me a Christmas wreath. The 1st ladt mentioned and I were pretty close, as we would talk all the time together as I cleaned...The husband called me her 3rd daughter!
If she worked for a cleaning agency fulltime she might get benefits, but her pay would go way down (I'm guessing $8-12 hrly.) My guess is that she is averaging $20-25 per hour, which is alot for cleaning house!
I say absolutely not.
Take Care!

No, no vacation pay. That is for a salaried person, not for a once-a-week pay-per-visit person. I DO give a Christmas bonus/gift. But no vacation, no sick pay, etc. You are generous and if she has been with you 8 years then you are probably close. But don't get taken advantage of!

We have never given our housekeeper a day off with pay, however we do give her a bonus every Christmas. If she was a full time housekeeper, then yes you should give her time off with pay. I've never heard of time off with pay for a housekeeper that works once a week, ours comes once every two weeks. Are you the only one she cleans for? It's up to you what you want to give her, but I've not hear of this before.

Love and Light,
Rev. G. Hudson, Reiki Master.
www.reikigailhudson.com

Wow, your housekeeper is very lucky to work for you. I feel the 2 days paid vacation
when she only cleans 1 day a week, is taking advantage of you. I'm guessing she does a great job, & you trust her, which these days can be hard to find. But I feel she is taking advantage of your generousity. You are a great employer, & if she doesn't appreciate you. Maybe it's time to find someone else. My opinion only!

Dear K.,

Maybe I've missed something, but I've never heard of anyone giving a part time housekeeper paid vacation time. I've had a series of housekeepers for 25 years and have never given anyone paid time off. Over the years, three of them have worked for me for 5 years or more (including the current one). None have ever asked for paid time off, nor have I given it to them.

Deb D

Have had several different once a week housekeepers over the years and have never paid them or been asked to pay them if they took vacation and didn't show that week. I did give her $50 at Christmas though. If she wants paid vacation, she needs to be a full-time employee somewhere.

Wow You are too nice is right!!!
BUT Would you pay your Dr. or Massage Therapist for vacation pay? No of course not. A house keeper is just that, they need to be paid for the service they provide...since you have paid her for 2 vacation days w/out her providing the service, no wonder she is asking for more. (no offense) she is probably thinking "it doesn't hurt to ask, all you can say is no". Personally I feel that if you have had her for 8 yrs you obviously don't want to lose her, therefore I would change that title of "vacation pay" to an "appreciation gift" which would make better sense, and stick to only those 2 days, and maybe an end of the year bonus (Christmas gift).

I cleaned houses for 30 years in Arlington and had 19 clients.If I had to be gone, I rescheduled them and made it up. But I did get 2 weeks with pay each year. More than that is a little unreasonable and not very dependable.I also got one week salary for Christmas and usually a tip on my birthday. I also charged extra if I had to do 1-2 hours more work any one week, like chandeliers, silver cleaning, waxing floors, etc.

K. ,
Do YOU FILL SHE DESERVES IT AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU ARE HAPPY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH ANYONE BECAUSE SOPME PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOOD LUCK.

Wow K., you received a lot of advice. So, I wanted to add me .02... We have a housekeeper that has been with for 10 years. She also cleans once a week. We pay her one day of vacation per year, and give her a days pay for a Christmas bonus. Out housekeeper also takes other time off during the year, but she is not paid for that time off. I think it's important to take care of the people that take care of you!

I would pay the for up to 1 week a year (plus another week for every 5 years of service. So 2 weeks right now, and then 3 weeks after 2 more yrs, and 4 weeks after 15yrs. That is a business standard.

If you value her and the work she does, then I would pay her. If we are all offered a "bonus", extra vacation time, anything of this nature, we all except it.I don't believe any of us would turn it down.It's hard to get dependable,honest people and if you value her, I would pay her no questions asked...

Wow. I think that's presumptuous of your housekeeper to ask for more vaca pay. As a dental hygienist, if I don't work, I don't get paid. There are a lot of jobs like that. You don't produce, you don't get paid. Too many people feel entitled. BTW - I have never paid my housekeeper when she doesn't work, and she has never asked for it,

I pay my housekeeper if I go on vacation and forget to tell her till the last minute, since I feel bad about not giving her enough time to fill that spot. This usually happens 1-2 times per year. I also give an extra day's pay at Christmas as a bonus. She has never asked for or expected paid time off though...she's an independent contractor, not an employee!

Hope this helps,

M.

P.S. I am building a team of 5 financially free champions over the next 2-5 years. Want to be one of them? Email me through Mamasource if you are ready for change!

No, I never paid my housekeeper for vacation, but she only came twice a month. However at Christmas we give her the full price of a days work.

I honestly have never heard of giving your housekeeper vacation pay. I could understand if she lived with you, but for a once a week cleaning I think you are being very generous. Is she asking this of her other clients?

I guess you really have to base it on your personal experience with her and if you are willing to find someone else if she wants more than you are wanting to provide.

Hi, you have a GREAT question! I'm a house cleaner myself. I work alone, because it is difficult to find help I can trust. I've been in the cleaning business for 20 years. I am honest, hard working, do many things for my clients beyond what I need to do. I rarely raise my prices and am taken advantage of on a regular basis by my clients, as in notes left the day I show up to do extra work, a messier house, people being home when they are normally not, last minute cancellations.... All
of those things take money out of my income. And I don't believe most of my clients even consider that. I do not get any vacation pay. And on average I lose approx $3,000 on cancellations/yr. If you think the individual cleaning for you is worth 2 payed days, that's great! If you can't afford 3, don't do it. Just remember how hard some of us work, and a really nice "Thank you" @ the end of the year is always so nice to hear.

I am an independent and I am shocked to read that you pay for vacation days. I make excellent money and I would never dream of having my customers pay for my time off. I had one customer recently who went on vacation for two weeks. She offered to let me clean while she was away (though I just cleaned the day before she left - and I clean her house every two weeks) because she was afraid to lose me. I always have one day of flex time to offer a client who needs an occasional adjustment in schedule. I told her, "No way! When you get home, call me and we will set up an off schedule date or I will just come at the following 2 week mark" (meaning a month of not being in her house and a loss of one pay period). I would never in a million years charge someone for time off regardless of weather it was their vacation or mine.

Now, I do take time off which I know is inconvenient for some people so, I offer to adjust my schedule in the two weeks leading up to my time off in order that I can get people done as close as possible to my vacation but close to their normal cleaning day and then I have to play with my schedule when I get back so nobody misses too much time. I quickly get back to our normal routines. On occasion, due to extreme health issues in a family member member 750 miles away, I have had to take unexpected time off, over the course of 3 years, on several occasions. My clients have respected that due to circumstances. However, I try to schedule it as a long weekend and take care of my Friday clients on a Thursday when I am done with my Thursday house and to take care of my Monday clients after my Tuesday ones, upon my return.

I could NEVER expect my clients to pay for time I take off nor do I expect them to pay me when they are taking time off. That would be taking advantage, big time!