Should I give my cleaner a Christmas bonus when she is having a long holiday ?

oystercatcher

Family and visitors will be helping, we will manage while she is away , it's can't be worse than before she started !

I think she does deserve a little extra just to show my appreciation. I think money will be more welcome than a gift which may not be of use to her. It just seems strange when it is so far before christmas.

Archergirl

If she is going abroad perhaps in the currency she will be using?

AnnieO1234

Does she work for anyone else? Does she have anyone work with her? What do her invoices say?

On the face of it, the fact she isn't supplying cover makes it more likely she is an employee.

Do you pay her in line with the minimum wage or is it more? Does the amount you pay over cover the unpaid holidays? (Not actual figures for the sake of clarity. Say she does 1 hour a week for 48 weeks and minimum wage is £5 do you actually pay £5.41 to cover the 4 weeks zero pay).

How did you find her is also a big clue.

In answer to your question, I wouldn't pay a bonus at Christmas. I would give a gift. I would maybe consider a bonus at another time of year, perhaps the anniversary of her start date or to run with tax years etc.

If she isn't your employee I would expect her to find cover at her expense for the holidays, and think you're being too lenient with her otherwise. Xxx

Proxima_Centauri

I don't think I would give a Christmas Bonus if she won't be around at all in December. Just my opinion!

Mojisola

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

Does she work for anyone else? Does she have anyone work with her? What do her invoices say?

On the face of it, the fact she isn't supplying cover makes it more likely she is an employee.

Our cleaner doesn't have to supply another person for the weeks she can't come. She's self-employed and she is paid for hours she works at our house - we don't have a contract with her to provide a service for 52 weeks a year.

duchy

oystercatcher wrote: »

The problem is she is taking a well deserved break but at a time when I need her most so should I give her anything extra when she isn't there for chistmas.

So he does a great job for you all year but because she is visiting her family and enjoying her own feeding of the five thousand rather than facilitating yours you want to use it as an excuse to not give her a bonus ?

Entirely your right to do so but if she's that good you may find any replacement you get when she gets tired of your pettiness and moves on to more appreciative clients may make you wish you'd treated her better.

duchy

Just a thought but was last Christmas and you insisting on feeding the five thousand an awful lot of extra work and stress for her for her usual fee? Maybe she doesn't want to be taken advantage of again this year as this is clearly an annual event and none of the five thousand want to rotate and invite everyone to theirs alternate years. Sounds very selfish if you are disabled enough to need a cleaner and they are not.

Surely she employed to help you , not facilitate a huge catered event. Perhaps you inadvertently over stepped last year and this is her way of dealing with it without having to tell you something you'd take as criticism or take offence at ?

Spendless

When you gave her bonus last year was that because she worked over the Christmas period? (I don't mean the day itself, but just her usual regular coming in around the days surrounding Christmas/New Year period). I'd let that be your guide, if she was working at Christmas-time for you then you gave her money because of that. As that won't be happening this year as she's away. If last year she had a week off cleaning for you and you still gave her some extra cash anyway, do the same this year.

LadyDee

Well, if you gave her a present last year, then don't give her one this year you might find she'll be rather hurt and not come back. If you value her help, trust her, get on well, want her to come back after Christmas, then give her a bonus this year. Simple. Where's the dilemna?

Marvel1

I thought a Xmas bonus was for the whole year as a way of a thank you, not just working over Xmas.