Emplpyer. A little advice

Nannytone

I have commited the cardinal sin and become friends with an employee.
Until a month ago she worked 6 hours a week ( so it didnt affect her UC claim).
She is now working 8 hours.
Her son is the same age as my granddaughter so i booked, and paid in full for, a weeks caravan holiday for the 4 of us.

Her main role at work is free running my guide dog with me.  No personal care at all.

After talking to her friend, she thinks i shpuld be minimally paying her 40 hours for the time i am paying for a holiday she is bringing her child on.
I am happy to pay all the expenses but refuse to pay another £320 on yop of the £550  i am paying for the monday to friday break.  
I dont think  i am being unreasonable because i thought we were going as friends

elsien

Crossed wires, obviously. You need to have a proper talk with her. 

Is she being expected to do any of her usual work while away? What is she expecting to be doing  the other 32 hours she doesn’t normally work or get paid for? Is there any other support you would normally have that you won’t  get while away that she will need to provide? 

Plus it is not usual to be taking a child along on a working trip. 

Are you still expecting her to do her 8 hours? If you say that it’s a holiday as friends then if she decides not to come can you still go? 

And the big question - you view her as a friend, what does she see herself primarily as, friend or employee? 

Marcon

Nannytone said:

I have commited the cardinal sin and become friends with an employee.
Until a month ago she worked 6 hours a week ( so it didnt affect her UC claim).
She is now working 8 hours.
Her son is the same age as my granddaughter so i booked, and paid in full for, a weeks caravan holiday for the 4 of us.

Her main role at work is free running my guide dog with me.  No personal care at all.

After talking to her friend, she thinks i shpuld be minimally paying her 40 hours for the time i am paying for a holiday she is bringing her child on.
I am happy to pay all the expenses but refuse to pay another £320 on yop of the £550  i am paying for the monday to friday break.  
I dont think  i am being unreasonable because i thought we were going as friends

You booked a holiday for 4 because two children are the same age? Really? I'm not surprised she's confused. 

What exactly are you expecting her to do during this holiday?

Is this the same person you had issues with over holiday pay last year: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6106543/overpaid-holiday-pay#latest and is the 'friend' actually her daughter who runs an HR consultancy?

Nannytone

No it's a different person. that was resolved satisfactorily.

It the new situation is different. We regularly socialise outside of work.

We talked about the holiday, and she offered to pay half.
I said no, it was my idea and I can afford it so I will pay.
I mentioned her son and my granddaughter because when he isn't at school, she brings him to work with her and so the kids spend quite a bit of time together and get on well.

Was only after that she decided it should be a work thing and that she needed to be paid full-time hours.
I would still be paying her her normal hours as she wouldn't be expected to do any more for me then she does when we're at home. I've made the mistake of trying to do something nice

elsien

Tell her it’s your understanding that it’s not a work thing, that you were going as friends (which she must have understood if she offered to pay half), you’re not paying her any extra because she’s not doing any extra work; then it’s up to her if she still comes or not. 

Or if you still want her to, if there might be a bit if an atmosphere. But if you are genuinely friends, you should be able to talk about it. 

comeandgo

Nannytone said:

Was only after that she decided it should be a work thing and that she needed to be paid full-time hours.
I would still be paying her her normal hours as she wouldn't be expected to do any more for me then she does when we're at home. I've made the mistake of trying to do something nice.

What I find is that no good deed goes unpunished.