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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that my boss shouldn’t be asking me to clean her house if we are quiet in work?

114 replies

SallyGee1 · 10/11/2020 14:05

I’m a hairdresser working in a salon run from my bosses house. If we have a cancellation in the day she’ll ask me to do some cleaning jobs in her house, these can range from dishes, hoovering, cleaning her family bathroom, cleaning windows etc. I oblige because I need this job and scared of being replaced but I’m starting to feel taken advantage of as I’m employed as a hairdresser not a cleaner. I’m more than happy to clean the salon in between clients but is being asked to clean her house taking the pee a bit?

OP posts:
SchadenfreudePersonified · 10/11/2020 15:21

Are you furloughed?

Is the govt covering 80% of your pay?

If so, she has no right to ask you to do anything like this - she's using it to get free cleaner. She should pay you in addition - if you agree to do it.

Is she paying you? Or even making up the other 20% - gvesher bit more of a leg to stand on, I suppose, but not much.

Autumnblooms · 10/11/2020 15:22

I’d say no! Are you young? Maybe she is taking advantage.

Mind you, if only say no if I can afford to loose my job, if not I’d be looking for a new one in the meantime

SchadenfreudePersonified · 10/11/2020 15:23

Total CF.... But I fear you've dug a hole already by doing them and if you now say no she'll get arsey.

I agree with this - you've taken the work on.

Tell her you've been told to isolate - you are on an app and someone you know has tested +ve.

Moistmolly · 10/11/2020 15:23

Yanbu to refuse, but equally, she wnbu to make you redundant if there is not enough work for you.

JoeCalFuckingZaghe · 10/11/2020 15:25

DP often does jobs at his bosses house but, the company is a shopfitting company and they do handyman / build type jobs there, so the practice isn't so much of an issue. The fact you are employed as a hairdresser, are leaving the salon to drive to her house to clean is a whole other ballpark. It's definitely exploitative. But like you I'd fear raising the issue would result in repercussions. I'd look for another job which is obviously tricky right now, but certainly something to consider.

Nomorepies · 10/11/2020 15:31

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request

picklemewalnuts · 10/11/2020 15:40

Tell her you feel really uncomfortable going in the private part of her house. That you are happy doing hairdressing and salon related jobs but feel massively anxious about stepping outside your role in that way.

Potentially you could cause damage, use the wrong products, get injured, and wouldn't necessarily be covered by your or her insurance.

LauraBassi · 10/11/2020 15:42

If you were male shouldn’t ask you.

She is being a CF

LauraBassi · 10/11/2020 15:42

She wouldn’t ask you**

EvaporatedHour · 10/11/2020 15:46

I totally agree that she wouldn't ask a male employee to do it! She's taking the piss.

Jaxhog · 10/11/2020 15:49

Wow! she really is taking the p*!

This falls into the same category as being a man's secretary and being asked to buy his wife flowers., collect his dry cleaning, etc. Only much. much worse.

I'm betting NO-ONE would think this was reasonable if your boss was a man.

gavisconismyfriend · 10/11/2020 15:49

I wonder if her insurance would be affected/valid if you were cleaning her house and got injured? I’d have thought that she is covered for things that happen on the business part of the premises, but not in her own house. Wonder if this puts both you and her/her business at risk? It might be an angle to explore if you don’t feel comfortable just saying no?

StillStriving · 10/11/2020 15:54

If you're not happy fair enough but when I worked in a hotel I would sometimes go to the owners house (next door) and do some odd bits and pieces in there. I wasn't at all bothered. As far as I was concerned I was there to facilitate the hotel and its owners. If doing her laundry meant she could be cooking for a guest next door, fine.

When I was a trainee solicitor, well, some of things I was asked to do would make your hair curl. Domestic assistance (dry cleaning, shoes to cobblers, giving lifts in the company car, visiting a partners' grandmother...) were towards to better end of the spectrum! I didn't really mind at all to be honest.

Alez · 10/11/2020 15:54

It's obviously unreasonable. She's basically got a tax deductible cleaner.

StillStriving · 10/11/2020 15:55

Sorry my grammar is all over the place in that post. Long day.

user1471538283 · 10/11/2020 15:55

It is unreasonable BUT if it means keeping your job? You should be furloughed at the moment anyway

NoProblem123 · 10/11/2020 15:56

Normally they can ask you to do anything up to and including your grade, and as cleaning is paid less than a Hairdressors then that’s fine IN THE SALON, so yes, YANBU.
Depends how much you want to keep your job though doesn’t it - Maybe you’ve shot your self in the foot by being such a good cleaner for the salon !
Have you tried doing a shockingly bad job of it ? Or maybe do nothing at all and go for a nice little nap up there ?
She’ll soon have you back down where she can keep her eye on you Grin

MoonJelly · 10/11/2020 15:56

What does your contract say about your responsibilities and your place of work?

Twinkie01 · 10/11/2020 15:59

I thought hairdressing wasn't allowed at the moment anyway?

alexdgr8 · 10/11/2020 16:01

which country are you in.
is it even legal to be running a salon at the moment.

Nottherealslimshady · 10/11/2020 16:01

God it's a tough balancing act. All except for the cleaning the bathroom I think is reasonable in the current situation. The alternative is that you don't work and she doesn't pay you. Teachers are having to do the jobs of cleaners at the moment. You cant expect to sit around doing nothing and get paid for it.

Original poster
SallyGee1 · 10/11/2020 16:03

Yes I am furloughed at the moment. This has been going on for the 2 years I’ve been employed

OP posts:
Original poster
SallyGee1 · 10/11/2020 16:04

Agreed!

OP posts:
EvaporatedHour · 10/11/2020 16:05

@SallyGee1

Yes I am furloughed at the moment. This has been going on for the 2 years I’ve been employed
I'd look for another job if I were you. If she's been getting away with it for two years then nothing is going to change.

Renting a chair in a salon would mean you could earn far more money than she is paying you I'm pretty certain, too. I bet she is a minimum wage kinda boss??

Runnerduck34 · 10/11/2020 16:08

I think she is bu to expect you to clean her house. Cleaning the salon, customer toilets, staff kitchen etc is fine but her private house is separate from the workplace.
She is paying for your time but as a hairdresser so all work should be related to salon.
She may not have really thought it through, she obviously wants to keep you busy when shes paying you but cleaning her house is inappropriate.