Blamed for something at work that's not my fault

[kangaroopelicanartic]

I work in a private house as a housekeeper to an older couple. They have no young children but have grandchildren who visit very often. The oldest is 8, the youngest 18mo. I work Mon-Fri and have worked for the family for nearly four years.

Last Wed when I went in, I noticed a bottle of bleach in the cupboard under the sink in the utility room that didn't have a cap. I put it on the shelf on the wall where the kids can't reach it and told the lady I'd moved it because I didn't think it was safe to have an open bottle of bleach where the children could reach it. I moved it again on Thur and Fri and again said why to both of them.

I've just had an angry phone call because the littlest grand child found the bleach and tipped it all over herself. She's not hurt (thank god!!!) but it has ruined her clothes along with her mum's.

The family want me to pay to replace them. Both of them are denying that I'd warned them about the bottle and moved it out of reach multiple times. They're Boden clothes and there's no way I can afford to replace them. No one is believing me when I said I'd moved the bleach multiple times. The husband actually said "we know it's your fault so just stop lying."

I'm absolutely devastated because it's always been a good place to work and in general I really like the family. Now i feel like I can't stay because the trust is broken. I just don't know what to do!

Great news!
I hope you will be very happy in your new job!

Good for you OP. Always good when a thread has a positive outcome. Best of luck with your new job

Well done op. Sounds like they weren’t going to say anything either, until you said you couldn’t work there any longer! Did they apologise at all?

This is such a satisfying conclusion op 😁
min sorry you had a stressful time but I am SO pleased for you with your new job! Everything happens for a reason as they say. Congratulations 🥳

Oh well done @kangaroopelicanartic!! That's one in the eye for your ex-employers. Really hope your new job works out for you long term - it already sounds better. 🌹

Well done Op!

Good luck with the new job and up your bum to your old nasty employers!

Congratulations! Hope you enjoy your new job

Nice one op. karma for them

What a revolting family. OP they know it wasn't you and are being assholes about it. They're the kind of people leaving bleach around multiple times when there are kids about, and they're the kinds of people that will get vicious and attack when you hold a mirror up to them (i.e., by you saying you noticed and acted on the threat, multiple times, and they didn't. A mix of pride and shifting the blame, because ultimately what they did was shit parenting). I just think they are classic narcissists who cannot face any one pushing back, ever.

In your shoes I would never go back to work for them again, and I'd hold firm and even take them to small claims if they refused to pay. Sadly these kind of people always show their true colours in the end and you couldn't have done anything differently.

I would explain to them very clearly that as they have admitted to you that a toddler was left unsupervised long enough to cover herself in bleach you feel obliged to contact social services.

Op’s got a new job and moved on. It sounds like a small rural community. I wouldn’t phone ss as they’ll know it’s Op.
It sounds like adult son who repeatedly moved bleach to where he thought it should go has OCD or another mental health condition. I’d think it a lucky escape.

But perhaps it won't be a lucky escape for the 18 month old child next time they are left unsupervised. The OP is privy to serious neglect that could have had catastrophic repercussions. We are all responsible for child safeguarding.

Wonderful news OP- well done!

But perhaps it won't be a lucky escape for the 18 month old child next time they are left unsupervised. The OP is privy to serious neglect that could have had catastrophic repercussions. We are all responsible for child safeguarding.

Indeed - that little one could have been poisoned, blinded or burned.

I hope their duckpond has a decent fence around it!

Don't worry. They know you moved it and had informed them. They just want you to pay for their mistake. I would leave the job.

Good luck OP with the new job. Perhaps you can be a bit more interventionist with the new young family and insist on child locks/safety proofing your part of their domain. Hope you get more money for working a bigger house ... and that being a nanny is not your job.

Hi @kangaroopelicanartic hope you are well.was wondering how the new job is going?

@growgrowinggrown
I agree with you 100 pct. Tell them to fuck off, nicely, and do not return. Disgusting people with stupid grandchild.

Be prepared for them not letting you take your belongings.

Jolly good you got an apology. They probably realised that you would leave after the way you were spoken to and panicked. Very nice but you still mustn't work for them any more. The trust has gone. Do yourself a favour and find somewhere else to work.