To sack cleaner for this?

[Katrinawaves]

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?

That’s what I would assume

@GloriousGlory

Report to the police

Yes. The cleaner took her wages £50. Then she stole a £50 of a separate pile of cash left laying around inside OPs house. She took her wages and then stole £50,

You sound horribly suspicious, I assume you've not heard of benefit of the doubt?
Of it was a mistake and she didn't mean to steal the second £50, The cleaner has had plenty of time to count the money once home and to contact OP via the agency

If you read my post properly, it basically is saying contact her ask her, then if she seems dishonest still (doesn't offer to return the money she "accidentally" (if that's what she's saying) stole, or to say don't worry that's next weeks wages then she is clearly intending to keep the £50 she stole. It's theft. Straight forward theft and yes the police do take a report and give you crime reference for it. Not sure why that's difficult to comprehend - some
MNs don't have a clue!

@girlmom21

I agree. But that doesn't make the cleaner any more trustworthy.

Based on the time it was posted, it is possible that the cleaner hasn't finished for the day and hadn't noticed. Or she could have called the agency and they haven't followed up yet.

My point was more why is the assumption one is theft when it is possible both are a mistake.

Because if it was a mistake the cleaner would've made the effort to explain, in my opinion.

@marcopront it was posted at 8:30pm

I don’t think she should have taken both. My cleaner certainly wouldn’t. But I don’t think I’d sack her if otherwise happy.

If you report to the police the question may be raised why is there no record of the payments.
Surely the reason most people use an agency is do that payments are recorded for tax purposes.
My cleaner signs every time she is paid.

Why is OP tight not to want to pay the cleaner double?

Maybe she didn't count it and took it all together?

OP clearly said hee guan and left £50 out . Cleaner took it. The OP left second lot of £50 out. Loose, on the half table.

I've collected wages in cash, in the past. You count it. I don't know anyone that doesn't. You can tell what £50 of notes looks like. It takes seconds to see that. It is unlikely to be a mistake and certainly not one that the cleaner wouldn't quickly notice once they got home that they'd been "paid" twice and taken money they shouldn't have!

There were many chances to spot they'd already taken her £50 wages from the table, If the cash is loose you put it immediately in your purse/ wallet. You can see in your purse/ wallet that there is already £50 in there of wages!!

Nb If you are collecting multiple amounts of cash from severs customers that day, You keep a record of who's paid who hasn't.

So given that the cleaner didn't contact OP to say "I think there's been a mistake" (ie I accidentally took money from your house that wasn't my wages) , then they are dishonest and attempting to keep it.

Well, quite clearly she hasn’t - which is why she’s posting

OP, are you able to contact the agency and ask for her contact details, or ask the agency to pass on your number to request a call? You don't need to state the reasons, but if they ask you could explain you're planning a holiday and want to check hours and things direct with your existing cleaner. That way, you aren't dobbing her in but it gives you a chance to discuss prior to her arriving next week.

She might have been on autopilot like you say, or she may have considered it a gift, but it would be pretty awful if she showed up, cleans, then is expecting cash and you mention she's already been paid. Might turn sour quickly. Unless you plan to confront her immediately?

Ex cleaner here. If I'd seen two lots of cash and didn't feel I could disturb you WFH, I'd have just taken one knowing that if it was a bonus you'd just tell me next week and give it to me then.

You don't just grab cash lying around in someone else's home!

@marcopront
If you report to the police the question may be raised why is there no record of the payments.

The police won't question this , they aren't interested in tax fraud unless HMRC have investigated and referred it to them , they won't send someone round to take a statement, it'll be a online report of theft.

HMRC would be interested though. Either way talking to the cleaner first is way to go, then the agency if she refuses to return money she stole or accept it as next weeks wages. Then police as last resort. Either way I'd change cleaner in due course telling agency why

Ah, apologies, OP - I hadn’t read your follow on when you posted. Doesn’t sound like an accident

This is not double her SALARY
She's on hourly pay. It's probably quite a small amount of money. A salary is an annual income fgs.

OP, sack her if you want, but if she does good work she would not be easy to replace. Perhaps she thought you were being particularly generous? Just speak with her an explain your mistake, apologise

Sack the cleaner for YOUR mistake?

Odd one.

‘Numerous’?
Absent dishonesty, there are two

• a bonus
• she forgot

(or a pigeon came in through an open window and stole it)

She could always have been on autopilot and lifted the second lot without thinking?

Unless you have other reasons to doubt her integrity, try to see the best in people and remember all humans make mistakes (eg forgetting she'd already picked up payment).

Even if she did, opportunistically take it on purpose and knowingly, it might be a sign that she's really struggling and needs your help rather than to lose her job.

Be kind

How is someone taking twice the amount of money they're owed the OP's mistake?

For all the cleaner knows the next £50 was for OP's night out or her kids pocket money.

*How is someone taking twice the amount of money they're owed the OP's mistake?

For all the cleaner knows the next £50 was for OP's night out or her kids pocket money.*

The money was left where the cleaner's money is left.
It's not unreasonable for the cleaner to think it is her money.
It is perfectly possible for the cleaner to have seen it the second time and to have not remembered she had already picked it up. The number of people here with perfect recall is incredible.

@MyrtlethePurpleTurtle

Numerous’?
Absent dishonesty, there are two

I would suggest there are others:
OP thought she'd left money out but hadn't
OPs DH thought he'd left money out but hadn't
Cleaner thought one was an advance payment (I often do this when paying cleaners / dog walkers etc)

@ExpectMore

Even if she did, opportunistically take it on purpose and knowingly, it might be a sign that she's really struggling and needs your help rather than to lose her job.

Be kind

So... she stole £50 from OPs house because she's hard up ..? I think you'll find many criminals steal because "they needed it" or "they wanted kt, yikes are tough".

You are misusing "Be Kind" here.

That movement was about not bullying people. Not about saying it's a free for all for thieves to steal money from peoples houses abusing their trust.

You assume OP can afford to lose £50, but the cleaner stole it so must be hard up? There are many reasons someone might need a cleaner but not be rich nor want to be doves to pay the cleaner double their wages because the cleaner stole money that day!
Some MNers don't live in real world ...

OP was using a colloquial expression / her only confusion lies in whether to sack the cleaner now the trust is largely gone or hear her out

Ditto!

The money was left where the cleaner's money is left. It's not unreasonable for the cleaner to think it is her money.

It sounds like both lots of cash were in two separate places, otherwise whoever put the second lot down (Dh or the OP) would have seen the first lot?