Learnt my darn lesson with domestic worker

[Mimen]

Crap, I never thought I had to pay for unemployment insurance for her as she is a Zimbabwean. Never bothered with a contract in the believe one just has to be fair and all will be well. However after things dissappearing for years it just went from bad to worse with the quantity of things dissappearing escalating. I lady friend left a warm top at my house which disappeared. Domestic as always claimed innocence. Then boom, my friend arrived one day out of the blue on the day the domestic was working. She only told me after the domestic left that it was her, disappeared, warm top the domestic had on. Now I had proof and asked her to go.
I immediately got a threat of "I'm gonna phone my people and something is going to be done about this", this off course escalated into a very uncomfortable situation.
I offered to pay her for 3 months and she insisted on a long service bonus.
I eventually just got in my car and left.

Luckily I have legal insurance and was told to give a letter of notice with the date, signed by both with the amount of severance pay of 10 weeks.

Now I get a call from, I think the CCMA, wanting proof of years of employment, salary slips etc and a crapload of other stuff.

Little does she remember the day's she just couldn't come in due to going to home affairs, sorting out this, sorting out that. The double bonus in December's. The gas heater, prime stove etc that got given to her. Her nice Xiaomi phone, Samsung microwave etc I gave her as gifts. The flexibile hours of work, usually 830 to 12 or so.

Fk me what a lesson learnt. I have always lived my life believing what you give is what you get. So not. I'm just handing this whole thing over to a lawyer. I just can't believe it came down to this. Treating people with kindness, empathy for their situation and respect does not necessarily get returned.

I have already found another domestic, with a good reference this time. I have just finished drawing up her employment contract. I'm also going to draw up a list of duties and we will both sign these documents in front of a witness.

I'm not saying I'm going to be hard arsed from now one but school fees paid on this matter.

 

[maumau]

Sorry to hear.

Think everything's changed from the days of doing business on a handshake / gentleman's agreement.

 

[3WA]

Being legally compliant is the only way to sleep soundly at night. Bonus - you can be obnoxious as well, since you know you're in the right.

 

[Aghori]

Being nice and kind in this day and age won't do you any favours. We turned bitter from being burned one too many times.

 

[namzsteve]

Being nice and kind in this day and age won't do you any favours. We turned bitter from being burned one too many times.

Yep, my parents had to deal with a domestic like this very one OP has described. Was so nice to her, brought it her kids, free transport for them to and from school, when my parents couldn't afford to pay her anymore, she went off to the CCMA, my parents lost the case and got a chunk out of their pension paid out to that crazy lady. Never be kind to people!!!!!! Never!!!!!!

Sorry OP, from now on, trust no one.

 

[konfab]

Being legally compliant is the only way to sleep soundly at night. Bonus - you can be obnoxious as well, since you know you're in the right.

Or you outsource it and make it someone else's problem.

 

[Mimen]

Or you outsource it and make it someone else's problem.

Now there is an idea! I'm looking into it as we speak.

 

[Mimen]

Does anyone know a a good company that supplies domestic services

 

[Barbarian Conan]

How frequently did she work for you? I think for something like less than 3 days a week they aren't considered permanent, and you don't need a contract?

 

[konfab]

Does anyone know a a good company that supplies domestic services

Sweepsouth are pretty good

 

[knojoko]

Yep, my parents had to deal with a domestic like this very one OP has described. Was so nice to her, brought it her kids, free transport for them to and from school, when my parents couldn't afford to pay her anymore, she went off to the CCMA, my parents lost the case and got a chunk out of their pension paid out to that crazy lady. Never be kind to people!!!!!! Never!!!!!!

Sorry OP, from now on, trust no one.

Whilst offering someone a job, is commendable but it is not about being nice. Yes from reading the situation here, legalities should have been followed. Work relations demands such legalities. But do bear in mind that these domestic workers most of the times are good employees and employment is not a gesture of good will but a relationship of service delivery. You hiring them is not a favor, you need their services otherwise you would not have hired them in the first place.

I understand employment is scarce and some people try their level best to create employment for others, but let us not let few people's bad experiences spoil the rest, but teach each other how to relate to each other.

 

[The_Librarian]

Gentleman's agreement is no good anymore as the other party will exploit you.

Get a contract, finish en klaar.

 

[MrGray]

Buy a dishwasher, learn how the vacuum cleaner and washing machine works, and, if you must, hire an ad hoc cleaning service occasionally. Or take your laundry to a service. You'll be amazed at how much simpler (and ultimately cheaper) life is. There are companies who can clean your windows every so often, gardening services, etc etc. It all works out much better.

 

[Nobody Important]

Your lady friend, she is in the habit of leaving your home sans top? Tee hee hee!

Jokes aside, thats a crap situation you have found yourself in. I would be so upset too. We do employ people (job-seekers hanging out at the intersection) for an odd day to assist in our garden, like once a month or so, for the heavy lifting you know. I wonder if they too are supposed to have contracts etc. and if one could get in trouble in some way.

 

[Craig_]

Crap, I never thought I had to pay for unemployment insurance for her as she is a Zimbabwean. Never bothered with a contract in the believe one just has to be fair and all will be well. However after things dissappearing for years it just went from bad to worse with the quantity of things dissappearing escalating. I lady friend left a warm top at my house which disappeared. Domestic as always claimed innocence. Then boom, my friend arrived one day out of the blue on the day the domestic was working. She only told me after the domestic left that it was her, disappeared, warm top the domestic had on. Now I had proof and asked her to go.
I immediately got a threat of "I'm gonna phone my people and something is going to be done about this", this off course escalated into a very uncomfortable situation.
I offered to pay her for 3 months and she insisted on a long service bonus.
I eventually just got in my car and left.

Luckily I have legal insurance and was told to give a letter of notice with the date, signed by both with the amount of severance pay of 10 weeks.

Now I get a call from, I think the CCMA, wanting proof of years of employment, salary slips etc and a crapload of other stuff.

Little does she remember the day's she just couldn't come in due to going to home affairs, sorting out this, sorting out that. The double bonus in December's. The gas heater, prime stove etc that got given to her. Her nice Xiaomi phone, Samsung microwave etc I gave her as gifts. The flexibile hours of work, usually 830 to 12 or so.

Fk me what a lesson learnt. I have always lived my life believing what you give is what you get. So not. I'm just handing this whole thing over to a lawyer. I just can't believe it came down to this. Treating people with kindness, empathy for their situation and respect does not necessarily get returned.

I have already found another domestic, with a good reference this time. I have just finished drawing up her employment contract. I'm also going to draw up a list of duties and we will both sign these documents in front of a witness.

I'm not saying I'm going to be hard arsed from now one but school fees paid on this matter.

That's just sad, but people tend to not appreciate good being done for them. With the hours we work we struggle without a domestic but we just everything in the dishwasher as far as we can and split the household duties and once a month my MIL's domestic comes in to give the house a spring clean.

 

[namzsteve]

Whilst offering someone a job, is commendable but it is not about being nice. Yes from reading the situation here, legalities should have been followed. Work relations demands such legalities. But do bear in mind that these domestic workers most of the times are good employees and employment is not a gesture of good will but a relationship of service delivery. You hiring them is not a favor, you need their services otherwise you would not have hired them in the first place.

I understand employment is scarce and some people try their level best to create employment for others, but let us not let few people's bad experiences spoil the rest, but teach each other how to relate to each other.

I don't fully agree with your statement, but that's just my personal view.

 

[GoB]

You hiring them is not a favor, you need their services otherwise you would not have hired them in the first place.

I pay a guy R450/day , but I would rather not want to employ anyone because it is more of a hassle accomodating him than to do whatever work is required myself/via a company and the cost is no different.

Because of this wage - I am aware that he earns R250 elsewhere and even less in his usual job, it has become a weekly habbit after he went through a month without other income. I would much rather dismiss him even if his wage was R1. I see a portion of this as my donation - at least giving one family some stability. So now is it not a favour?

Regardless, I agree I now need to set up a contract/UIF. I would much rather just pay max possible UIF claims in cash upon dismissal if I could do so instead, but as mentioned it should be a formal agreement.

I think even part time employees require this contract? It's just UIF which falls away < 27h/month ?

 

[RedViking]

I am using a cleaning service. Absolutely awesome. I wasn't happy with the first 3 ladies. It is not that they were bad, they just weren't great. They kept on sending a new one until I am happy. 4th lady who is now assigned on a weekly basis is awesome. If I am not satisfied with her work they will send me someone else. If I am away for a holiday, I don't get charged. If she is sick they send another lady. If I have an issue, I talk to the company and they must sort it out. Win-Win.

 

[Ninja'd]

But I was told foreign domestic workers are better than local.

 

[P924]

How frequently did she work for you? I think for something like less than 3 days a week they aren't considered permanent, and you don't need a contract?

More like 3 days a month. (27hrs, to be precise)