Should l pay

[Ineedsleeprightnow]

I once had a career but when my son was born it soon became clear that his disability meant he would need me do l stopped working. My son is now in his teens and l separated from my husband at the start of this year so needed to find a job to support us so found a local domestic cleaning job that fits around my sons needs which are paramount. l am one of 4 employees.

Last week l broke a glass item in someone’s house. It was a complete accident caused by me having a wound on my finger that wouldn’t stop bleeding so was covered in plasters and wearing ill fitting plastic gloves. I owned up immediately and offered to replace the item.

Sadly for me it cost £130! My boss was okay but insisted l should pay as the company’s insurance excess was more than the item.

Am l being unreasonable to expect the company to pay? My view is that the nature of our work means that we are constantly moving things to clean so occasionally accidents will happen despite our best efforts.

Your employer's excess is their issue. If it's higher than the value, they can choose to pay for it rather than going through insurance.

Unless you were being careless, they should stump up the cash.

You're an employee. The company should pay this sort of accidental damage.

Employer pays not you. I'd rethink work who says this...

I'd speak to acas. I doubt they can dock wages beyond minimum wage.

Nope employer should pay.

The client is kind of a jerk to expect payment as well. My cleaners have broken things but I'd never think of asking them to pay. If I was cleaning my own house I'd occasionally bump into or drop something too, it's just what happens.

Sorry you have to worry about this.

You offered to pay so you brought this on yourself.

Totally.

I'd never expect the cleaner to pay.

I'd probably have the odd accident if I was cleaning my own house.

In your case the company should pay.

The insurance pays, not you.

Thanks! I thought as much.

It’s been quite a while since l was employed but when l was l managed staff and wouldn’t dream of expecting an employee to foot the bill for accidental breakage.

I agree that the nature of the work (low paying and in peoples homes) the excess is too high. You shouldn't have to pay, your company should.

Why did you offer to pay?

Your employer should be paying.

Cleaners have never paid me for accidental damage, not have I asked for it. Though I did have to end the services of one cleaner who kept on causing damage.

Legally, I don't think they can dock your wages if it means you end up with less than NMW.

I agree your employer should pay for damage, but why did you offer to do so first?
From my reading of it, they took you up on your offer.

I don't agree. I think if you use a company then you expect things like insurance (and the hourly rate is typically more).

The company should cover the cost.

Sorry, to be clear the bit I don't agree with is that the client is a jerk.

I agree. The whole point of the overheads is the benefits of insurance etc.

I haven't claimed about any small breakages by our cleaner, but for something that valuable, damn right I'd want the company to pay out (not the cleaner themselves!).

I think it was knee jerk reaction, l was embarrassed when he told me it cost £130

@Ineedsleeprightnow just tell him that's way out of your price range and the company will need to foot the bill

They will get cheaper insurance because of that excess so they should defo pay

To be clear - employer hasn’t said they will deduct from pay, they expect me to order a replacement myself. £130 is just under this weeks wages so basically I’ve worked for free this week!

l appreciate that my silly knee jerk reaction offering to pay (l think many would) was stupid and my employer has clearly gone along with this. I think this is what I’m annoyed about really, l guess l was expecting her to say the company is covered for accidental damage. When l queried it afterwards she just said, the excess is more than the item costs.

I just thought she was a decent type but I’m guessing l was wrong. Probably best to accept the loss and look for another job.

Two things

a) Presumably they'd have to pay the excess either way. They'd be better jist paying g because a claim will increase insurance

b) How did you get the cut? Was it at work? If so that is a problem for your employer who should at very least be reconsidering health amd safety on the premises you were hirt at

No the cut didn’t happen at work.

In hindsight l should have refrained from working until the cut had healed rather than try to soldier on. I didn’t want to let her down but it would now seem my loyalty was misplaced. Lesson learned.

Posting for traffic…

I’ve recently gone back to work after raising my sons for the last 10 years, one has Autism so l couldn’t go back to my career.

I’m working as a house cleaner for a small local company as it’s fits in with my son. I only work 12 hours a week, usually Mon/Thur/Frid. My contract says working days are Mon-Friday 9-3. Generic as dictated by the fact that there are 4 of us and all work different days etc.

To my question… can my employer really expect me to be available 9-3 Monday to Friday when I’m only paid for the hours l work?

Example… I’m off today/tomorrow so I’ve planned stuff, my food shop, dentist, clean my dads house etc. Boss has texted me this evening asking me to go in tomorrow to do one job for 2 hours. Surely I’m not obliged to agree, or am l given my contract states Mon to Fri 9-3.

I had a cleaner in the other week and she chipped a massive chunk off the edge of my tiled window ledge. It looks really bad but I didnt ask her to pay to fix it as it would mean re-tiling the whole kitchen as it's all around and accidents happen.
My husband owns a commercial drone surveying company and they have a number of crashes a year, so long as it an accident and not happening regularly he doesnt charge staff as again accidents happen.
I think your boss is being really unreasonable here.

If your contract states 9-3 Mon-Fri then your company are obliged to pay you for 30 hours work.

If your hours are “as and when” then you’re actually on a zero hours contract, aren’t you? And with such a contract there is no mutuality of obligation, so you are entitled to refuse shifts.

However, such companies would I am sure take a dim view of you not being available 24/7