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AIBU?

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Original poster

To sack cleaner for this?

383 replies

Katrinawaves · 21/10/2022 20:33

My husband and I had a mix up today and both left cash out to pay the cleaner. She has taken both lots of cash so double her normal payment for the day. Would I be unreasonable to sack her for this? My husband is saying we should just not pay her next week but I am concerned now about her honesty. What would you do?

OP posts:
puddingandsun · 21/10/2022 21:29

Oh dear. Does she only come once a week and is not due back until next Friday?

You are hiring via agency and paying a higher rate precisely to avoid issues like that yet I understand you don't want to risk her her job.

If you decide to let her go, I'd do it after getting one more clean or my money back. It's hard to trust someone after something like that, although it is possible she was too distracted and didn't herself notice she took two lots of the money... I guess she has your number though and she would've been in touch as soon as she realised...

Also, is it possible your husband thought he left the money but he didn't?! We all have our moments.

Augend23 · 21/10/2022 21:30

FirewomanSam · 21/10/2022 21:21

I was going to say exactly this. If it was the same amount of money, in the same place, at two different moments, she could easily have picked it up by mistake.

Imagine you took some money off a table and then when you went to the table again an hour later the money was still there. You’d probably think ‘oh whoops, I thought I picked that up earlier’ and pocket it again.

Just speak to her about it and I’m sure the mix-up will be cleared right up.

Show quote history

This is a good point actually -. Can imagine doing that. If she doesn't have your number she wouldn't be able to contact you when she got home and found the other £50 in a pocket/whatever?

GloriousGlory · 21/10/2022 21:31

Martinisarebetterdirty · 21/10/2022 21:27

To those saying it could be a mistake, it’s a pile of cash not in an envelope, where would you put it, oh your pocket or wallet where the other cash already is. Depending on rates in the area that’s 3-5 hours work, so even if you’re her second job of the day that’s still half a day’s pay extra, who wouldn’t notice that?

For those with any nouse, why would you pay a cleaner employed via an agency, cash in hand....

dudsville · 21/10/2022 21:32

I'm surprised by the responses on here. You need to be able to trust the people coming into your home. She should not have made any assumptions and you should be able to leave any belongings out without worry they'd take anything outside of what's been contracted. I have little wriggle room for this so i doubt I'd even discuss it.

AllyCatTown · 21/10/2022 21:33

it could be dishonesty but also it could just be autopilot and not thinking about it. Or maybe some of her clients pay in advance and she just took it thinking that. I guess it depends how you feel about her generally and if there’s been other issues.

BadNomad · 21/10/2022 21:35

If she works for an agency, are you not supposed to pay the agency then they pay their cleaners?

CarefreeMe · 21/10/2022 21:37

To those saying it could be a mistake, it’s a pile of cash not in an envelope, where would you put it, oh your pocket or wallet where the other cash already is. Depending on rates in the area that’s 3-5 hours work, so even if you’re her second job of the day that’s still half a day’s pay extra, who wouldn’t notice that?

I run on autopilot all of the time.

She could have also been paid her weeks wages from her other jobs so had cash on her anyway.

Or she may have known what she was doing and just thought it was a bonus.

OP just needs to ask the agency for her number and have a chat to her.

dudsville · 21/10/2022 21:37

I used to do home care for the very elderly. I worked with quite a frail old couple and the wife died and I provided the husband with a lot of emotional supportin addition to my duties. When i was leaving my post he gave me a card with a large amount of cash. He was a little frail, so i wasn't sure he was in his right mind, and i never wanted his family to be suspicious, so i went to them straight away. It was the most awkward thing ever, because it turned out he was fully aware of his gift, as were his family, but it was still the right thing for me to do. She should have checked it out with you.

Martinisarebetterdirty · 21/10/2022 21:37

Some agency arrangements you pay the cleaner and they pay the agency, others you pay the cleaner and the agency separate amounts. It depends how the agency has structured their business model.

ign0re · 21/10/2022 21:39

She could have mistakenly taken the money twice in a bit of a daze/routine… it’s no doubt not the absolutely only thing on her mind. You can check with her and if dishonest in her response then maybe grounds for sacking her but this alone isn’t grounds alone.
is she otherwise a good cleaner etc? They’re hard to come by.

whatkatydid2013 · 21/10/2022 21:39

She could have picked up the second lot at end thinking she forgot to get earlier or just losing track. If she is through an agency and doesn’t have your number then by time she realised today she may only be able to tell them tomorrow or even Monday. I’d at least give it till then and see if she gets in touch.

GloriousGlory · 21/10/2022 21:42

Martinisarebetterdirty · 21/10/2022 21:37

Some agency arrangements you pay the cleaner and they pay the agency, others you pay the cleaner and the agency separate amounts. It depends how the agency has structured their business model.

Never in my experience, the fact that you pay a higher rate is to protect you from such shit.

luckylavender · 21/10/2022 21:46

Just have a conversation with her. Not her fault you don't communicate.

Martinisarebetterdirty · 21/10/2022 21:46

Ah well we have different experiences then Glorious, because when I used to use an agency I paid them and the cleaner separately. I didn’t say it was usual, I said some. It is a while ago however so it could be that no one anywhere does this now.

Original poster
Katrinawaves · 21/10/2022 21:47

The agency charges a monthly fee and finds new cleaners if one leaves or to cover holidays. The cleaner is paid direct. Most of them want to be paid in cash though it would be easier for me to pay by standing order.

OP posts:
iwantmyownicecreamvan · 21/10/2022 21:48

GloriousGlory · 21/10/2022 21:31

For those with any nouse, why would you pay a cleaner employed via an agency, cash in hand....

Show quote history

My mother employed an agency cleaner and had to pay her cash every fortnight - I know because she used to give her a bit extra to keep for herself.

MrsPicklesonSmythe · 21/10/2022 21:48

I do the odd cleaning job and would always, always check that money left out was actually for me first. I'd have asked if you were paying me for next week in advance before taking it.
Speak to her first she may have just assumed it was for next week and not thought to say

GloriousGlory · 21/10/2022 21:49

Katrinawaves · 21/10/2022 21:47

The agency charges a monthly fee and finds new cleaners if one leaves or to cover holidays. The cleaner is paid direct. Most of them want to be paid in cash though it would be easier for me to pay by standing order.

How many have you had?

Original poster
Katrinawaves · 21/10/2022 21:50

GloriousGlory · 21/10/2022 21:49

How many have you had?

Show quote history

Over the last 14 years? Not sure exactly. 7 or 8 perhaps.

OP posts:
HyggeandTea · 21/10/2022 21:51

Being charitable, she may have seen it in the same place, assumed she'd forgotten to pick it up earlier and popped it in her bag.
Perhaps not the case though, and the point remains, you need to have a chat with her. I can understand why you might be worried. Cleaners have access to your personal items, and intimate parts of your life (oerrr!) it is a responsible job that requires professionalism and trust.
As for all those 'she is the oppressed and you with your filthy bourgeoisie habits should cheerfully give away the entirety of your possessions and first born, and wear a hair shirt for eternity' mumsnet replies, are part of the usual madness of this platform, which tbf is part of the entertainment.

Anon778833 · 21/10/2022 21:53

Difficult one. If the trust is gone then you’ll have to sack her really won’t you? I think on balance YANBU because it was two separate piles of cash.

Cactusprick · 21/10/2022 21:58

Katrinawaves · 21/10/2022 20:46

I work from home so I was in the house at the time so she could have checked with me if she was unsure!

my husband had left the money out when he went to work and she picked it up first thing. I left the same amount out towards the end of the shift so she did not lift them both together without counting.

I’m not sure why some think not wanting to pay someone twice makes me tight or cheap!

Nahhh this is not on. She’s taken two lots of pay at different times of her shift. That’s not on! Like you said OP, she could have spoken to you. Anyone decent would just say “oh btw the cash was here when I arrived, I already grabbed it, so I’ll just leave why you’ve put out here, there must’ve been a misunderstanding”.
I would let her go OP x

Wishfulthinking1977 · 21/10/2022 21:59

I am a cleaner and I would never take any money that wasn't given to me or the agreed amount in the agreed place unless left separately in an named card/envelope! Some clients leave cash all over the place and I would never touch it! Including small change! If they have picked it up by mistake then they should realise and immediately contact you to return it!

ReneBumsWombats · 21/10/2022 22:00

Can't you talk to her about it? She might well have thought it was a bonus. She must realise that you know she took both.

Iguanainanigloo · 21/10/2022 22:01

I think it's very likely she forgot she picked up her money at the beginning of her shift, then saw the new money as she finished and picked it up as usual, on autopilot. The amount of shit I accidentally do twice at work, forgetting I've already done it is unreal. I'll quite often print some paperwork at the start of my shift, and forget and reprint it a few hours later, as just going through the motions of my day to day list of things to do, and its easy to do things twice without realising. Maybe just ask her? Maybe say, "hi XXX did you accidentally pick up two lots of money today?" And if she denies it, and you know she 100% did, then that's the point to get annoyed. Not when it could have just been a simple mistake, or lapse of concentration.