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Original poster

Paying cleaner when off

136 replies

MagicMatilda · 09/04/2023 20:53

DH and I are in a disagreement…our cleaner is taking 3 weeks off for surgery in June.

I think we should still pay her but DH thinks we shouldn’t.

What would you do? Thanks

OP posts:
Cosyblankets · 10/04/2023 16:37

I've already posted my opinion on this but just to add...
I'm self employed and don't get paid when I don't work. Therefore if I go on holiday for say two weeks I lose that money so there's no way I'd be paying someone who isn't working when I'm not getting paid

OoooohMatron · 10/04/2023 17:03

I wouldn't no way. I'm self employed and if I can't/don't work I don't get paid, why would a cleaner be any different?

Chickychoccyegg · 10/04/2023 17:28

I'm self employed, literally no one has ever offered to pay me when I'm not working, I haven't dropped any of them as clients over this.
When your self employed of course you don't expect anyone to pay you when your not providing the service they pay you for.
If everyone is still paying surely the cleaner will feel less inclined to hurry back to work, I'm sure everyone would like to be paid for nothing, on another note, he recovery be longer than expected, and if you started paying while she's off, how long would you continue this for.
You should discuss equally doing the housework while the cleaner is off.

belikejeff · 10/04/2023 17:29

No way.

Unless you are their actual employer as in you pay their wages, NI and whatnot.

Lou22000 · 10/04/2023 17:34

I'm a self employed cleaner and think it's really generous what your thinking of doing

BingleBongleBoo · 10/04/2023 17:39

That sets a precedent doesn't it. What if she got unwell and was off for months. Would you be prepared to pay her then?

BellaVita · 10/04/2023 17:40

I would pay my cleaner.

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 17:50

BingleBongleBoo · 10/04/2023 17:39

That sets a precedent doesn't it. What if she got unwell and was off for months. Would you be prepared to pay her then?

I would pay up to three months.

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 17:53

Lou22000 · 10/04/2023 17:34

I'm a self employed cleaner and think it's really generous what your thinking of doing

My cleaner has been with me for 8 years (I think, or maybe more), I pay her for sick (hardly any), holiday and Covid.

I don't get anyone when she's off (do a bit myself, but not as good as her), so she does have a harder time when she's back.

I was told by a batshit crazy MN, that my paying her at those times were wrong, because I was abusing her self employed status.

I ran that past my cleaner, she was happy to carry on as we are! Hardly surprising!

Hoppinggreen · 10/04/2023 17:55

She’s self employed presumably so no, I wouldn’t pay her.
I have been SE myself and DH is now and we have both only ever been paid for actually working.

HarrietStyles · 10/04/2023 17:58

I’m self employed myself, so it may sway my opinion…… We have a cleaner who has worked for us for 10 years now and they are incredible - during the lockdowns I continued to pay them 50% of what I would normally pay them. I think this amount could be a nice compromise between yours and your OH’s positions.

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 18:00

Hoppinggreen · 10/04/2023 17:55

She’s self employed presumably so no, I wouldn’t pay her.
I have been SE myself and DH is now and we have both only ever been paid for actually working.

You see I think it depends what sort of self employed?

Do you do one off jobs for people, or do a job every week for them, like a cleaner?

jannier · 10/04/2023 18:05

Cosyblankets · 09/04/2023 21:07

I'm not sure what I think about this. Most self employed people factor in that they don't get paid when off when they set their hourly rate. I'm self employed and I don't expect to be paid when I don't work.
Somehow on here people seem to pay an awful lot of money for people to do nothing. If it's a cleaner you've either got to clean your own house or pay someone else to do it.

Can you compare your self employment with a cleaner rates wise? Most can't set their own rates as there is a ceiling customers pay and then they have to travel between jobs so don't get paid a full 8 hours a day even if they are as full as they can be. I thought the going rate was around £10 an hour but don't know as I can't afford one....

Viviennemary · 10/04/2023 18:08

I might in this case if I could afford it. If it's a face lift I wouldnt though.

Craftybodger · 10/04/2023 18:19

For illness I might pay half as a good will gesture. I consider breast reduction to be cosmetic and wouldn’t pay her while off.

Cosyblankets · 10/04/2023 18:26

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 17:50

I would pay up to three months.

Show quote history

And who would clean in the meantime? Would you pay someone else?

Cosyblankets · 10/04/2023 18:30

jannier · 10/04/2023 18:05

Can you compare your self employment with a cleaner rates wise? Most can't set their own rates as there is a ceiling customers pay and then they have to travel between jobs so don't get paid a full 8 hours a day even if they are as full as they can be. I thought the going rate was around £10 an hour but don't know as I can't afford one....

Show quote history

Think round here is about 14. North West. And I know what you're saying yes I charge more than a cleaner but that doesn't mean I can afford to pay someone to do nothing and then pay someone else to actually do the job

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 18:31

No @Cosyblankets me and DH would do
It badly between us!

Why do you ask?

Cosyblankets · 10/04/2023 18:34

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 18:31

No @Cosyblankets me and DH would do
It badly between us!

Why do you ask?

Because 3 months is a long time so I just wondered what you'd do

Thighlengthboots · 10/04/2023 18:34

BelleMarionette · 09/04/2023 21:15

I have heard that legally you can get yourself in trouble by paying when sick, if someone is self employed, as this can be argued that you are treating them as employed. This obviously has tax implications.

It's tough as usually self employed people don't get paid when off or sick, but cleaners are on a low hourly rate.

I agree- you need to be careful with this. If you treat them as an employee then all their wages need to go through the PAYE system and HMRC will see it as tax evasion if you dont do so. There needs to be very strict boundaries when someone is self employed and responsible for paying their own tax and essentially paying them "sick pay" even if you dont see it as that is an employee benefit.

TwoThousandZeroZeroPartyOverOopsFoundMoreTime · 10/04/2023 18:37

No I wouldn't pay her, she's self employed and not providing the service whilst she's off. She doesn't get AL , pension or sick pay and will have charged her rates accordingly (ie higher hourly rate than a directly employed person gets)

GarlicGrace · 10/04/2023 18:41

I always paid when the cancellation was my fault - holiday or illness - but not when it was their holiday. However, I never had to deal with an extended time off for health reasons or an pandemic. I'd be inclined to offer half pay or, preferably, book her to do a massive deep clean that will take 3 times as long.

If this is a medically needed reduction, her back must be killing her doing that work. DH should have some sympathy! And learn how to use the hoover.

TwoThousandZeroZeroPartyOverOopsFoundMoreTime · 10/04/2023 18:46

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 09:35

I pay my cleaner sick pay and holiday pay.

Do you pay her via payroll and register yourself as an employer with HMRC for hee NI and tax? You are muddying the waters bwtwwwn employee ana self employed and if you muddy the waters you could be held liable by HMRC for unpaid tax if she hasn't paid it

By all means gift some money but don't pay sick or AL for a self employed cleaner

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 19:02

@TwoThousandZeroZeroPartyOverOopsFoundMoreTime

Nope, none of that.

I'll await a call from HMRC, when they discover she's been on her holibobs and I've paid her that weeks wages!

GrinGrinGrinGrin

nomoremerlot · 10/04/2023 19:04

@Cosyblankets if she's had three months sick leave in total in the past 8 years, I'd be surprised.

But hypothetically, I'd pay up to three months.