To think this is unprofessional?

[Florabritannica]

My housekeeper left me a brochure for some beauty products with a note saying how brilliant they were and that she could get me a great discount. I looked it up and it is an MLM.
Am I being unreasonable to think that as my employee she shouldn’t be trying to flog me stuff?

It might not be her personally, could be fot a friend or a family member she's trying to help out. I don't see why you're offended, and you only employ her part time, though I don't think your relationship comes into this at all - from a beauty products perspective, you're just a female who may be interested.

Except you're a little too entitled to be interested in such crap and she should only ever earn as much as you are paying her as she's your employee.....

Would there be this hostility if I’d described her as my PA?

Probably yes but she isn’t and you didn’t so what difference does it make?

Gets right on my tits when posters start posting hypotheticals because they don’t like the answers they’re getting. It’s irrelevant, why would different answers to a different situation mean anything to you fgs.

dont be so snobby about it op
colleagues offer up avon or others. it is up to you to say No
people often have a side line to their jobs.

It's all awful, manipulative and harms women

Yes, and she's one of those women. That's why people are taking exception to the OP wanting to kick her whilst she's down.

I’m really not sure why the OP is interpreted as being snobby or entitled. Jealousy perhaps? She’s perfectly entitled to expect people she has invited into her home to work not to be trying to flog her things, no matter what those things are.

Don't know why OP is getting quizzed about tax pension etc that has nothing to do with her question. I'd just tell her your not interested & move on. Bet your sorry you posted OP.

Jealousy? I don’t detect much of that personally.

I think it’s more the blustering hand wringing over a catalogue when all she has to do is hand it back and say ‘no thank you’. It’s really easy and would probably solve the problem completely.

Yes it's very unprofessional.

If she only works for you three days a week, I'd expect her to have other jobs.

MLMs aren't what I'd choose, but they're not illegal. Simply decline and say you don't want any more brochures as you're not interested.

From what you say, it's not as though she's been standing round trying to sell you things while she should be working - she's simply left a catalogue - you can't control what she does in her free time.

Don't think I'd put Avon in the same league as Forever Living and such like. Avon is an OK sideline for some people and not a scam.

I think this is a bit unprofessional but would just decline as it's not a big deal.

Which MLM is it?

OK I'm signing off now. It's good to know that my mild discomfort is shared by a number of other posters. I shall, as others have suggested, tell her I'm not interested and move on.
I'm not going to engage with the snobby/entitled comments, other than to say that I personally don't have a problem with using my (earned) income to employ someone on a decent wage to do the work that enables me to pursue my career.

Bloody Hell Op, this is all a bit brutal.
Maybe people would be happier if you sacked her and quit your job to do your own cleaning!
In your position I wouldn’t mind too much if she showed me a brochure and said that there were some good products in if you wanted anything BUT if she kept trying to push it then I would have to ask her to stop. It is a bit unprofessional but that’s how these MLMs work, they are basically a cult and people who get sucked in are encouraged to ignore any usual social norms like professionalism, manners etc in order to sell. Be prepared for her to quit in order to become a mumpreneur and boss babe. If she tries to tap into your network at all to flog stuff I would take a very dim view of that

I don’t think there is a professional code of conduct for housekeepers and cleaners.

Also, why is Avon scorned so much?

I did Avon for a while - purely because I like their products. I took the books into work and a few people ordered stuff. I didn't spend any money on it - except for products I bought for myself and did use. I asked friends and family if they wanted anything - a couple said yes, some said no. No problem either way. I only stopped because it was a ball-ache keeping track of what everyone ordered and sorting out orders when they were delivered. Unlike Younique, Forever living etc I didn't pay out for any brochures or materials - these were all given for free (unless that has now changed). And with Avon you can also order direct off their website without going through a rep - unlike other MLM's I know

Sorry this looks like I'm promoting Avon, I'm really not, just a bit confused

I am not saying you are snobby for having a cleaner/housekeeper
you have taken the wrong end of the stick, but you are wholly snobby towards her -

Avon has changed and is now most certainly an MLM. As is the body shop.

So why shouldn't she try to sell her employer stuff? Are you better than her done how, you seem to be indicating you're superior somehow? You really are not.

Why do some MNers have such a chip on their shoulders about people actually hiring someone to perform a service? It’s as if this is only allowed if you can prove you pay double the going rate, invite them to eat with you to demonstrate they are your absolute equal and have set up a charitable foundation in their name. It’s so pathetic and comes off as way more patronising than simply factually stating ‘Yes, I have a cleaner/gardener etc. who performs a service in exchange for money’.

The OP has said nothing to suggest she thinks she’s a better person than her housekeeper - but it’s a simple fact that they do not have an equals relationship. Neither do I with my boss; neither does anyone. My manager isn’t more valuable as a human than I am, but in our working relationship, she is the one who gives the instructions, not vice versa. And I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t want me using our office to flog tat.

As for the poster who thinks £15ph will leave the housekeeper in penury, I’d suggest a big bite of a reality sandwich.

Just say no thank you. I don’t think it’s a case of she shouldn’t, but it’s annoying that she is and also worrying that she’s been drawn into a MLM.

As long as it doesn’t impact on her cleaning job, I’d just say it’s not for you but, good luck.

Don’t overthink.

Also, I’d probably have the odd eye pencil or Lippie off her. She’s doing it to make a little extra cash. Times are hard.

@Florabritannica I'm a cleaner and had a client give me brochures for some beauty products and asking ME to pass them around my other clients...wow! I must have seemed really desperate.
And, unless you are paying your 'housekeeper' her NI, sick pay and holiday pay, you DO NOT employ her. You are HER client.
I'd sack you for being a shit client.
@Unshriven, £15 is an amazing amount!
Our self employed rate as per a 'website' should only be £6 an hour, but most clients know that £10 an hour is fair.
I'm only cleaning because I love it and it fits in with my DDs school and college hours.

The people I know who do this Never pressurize me

OP if you are a professional earning enough to employ a housekeeper I would expect you to have the communication skills to say a simple "no".

I would be more concerned about the housekeeper being exploited by an MLM scheme than about taking offence at my employee not knowing their place.

I genuinely don’t have an issue with people employing a house keeper. I have a cleaner who does two hours a day , so total 10 hours a week.

I will try to explain why I think the OP sounds superior, unpleasant and lacking in empathy:

1. She describes this lady as “my employee”. This conveys to me a sense that this woman as “the employer” regards herself as superior to “her” employee and expects the employee to treat her as such.

1. Anyone who thinks a woman working three days a week for £15 an hour is wealthy needs to give their head a wobble. Of course she is earning more than minimum wage - but she isn’t earning enough to have much disposable income , and it is hardly surprising she might want to try to earn a bit more.

1. There is no need to adopt a tone of “I can’t believe the staff would try to sell to ME”. If you don’t want to buy the products , just say no thank you. Politely. Like you are one normal human being talking to another human being , who is just like you. Not more or less a person , so no need to treat her like “your” employee.

The reason I find this so irritating is because there are an army of (almost always) women working as cleaners , housekeepers , nannies etc. And this support enables their “employers” to go off and do jobs that allow them to feel this sense of superiority that permeates the OP’s posts.

That sense of superiority feeds through into how these “employees” are treated. Many work for low wages, no holiday or sick pay and no pension. But that is probably a whole other debate !