Helper sub-contracting duties

Posted by Shermartelle (130 days ago)

I just need a reality check on this... I have a P/T (yes, i know, illegal!) helper to walk my 2 dogs & clean the house a bit (really very little). The entire job is comprised of 12 hours a week of dog walking (2 a day, 6 days) and a few more hours of light housecleaning (daily dishes), put laundry in dryer, vacuum & mop 1 x week, change bed sheets 1 x/ week, clean bathroom 1 x/week. For this we pay her $2000 flat. Sometimes she gets to it all, sometimes not... we're pretty easy going generally. I am aware that is half of F/T helper pay - and her duties are far less than half of all a F/T helper does. She is also employed F/T and her employer says she can take more work...so we have a pretty straight ahead relationship for about a year now. She has been great with our dogs - who ADORE her. They can be a bit of work - so we employ a pro trainer - and she comes to those weekly 1 hour sessions on a Sunday night - we don't pay her for them - so we think that's pretty outgoing of her...and it shows when she walks the dogs... HOWEVER...recently she has been sub-contracting the duties...things are looking different around the house...being done badly...and in some cases the dogs are misbehaving - which occurrs mostly when there is a reduction in consistency of the walk/feed regimen....
So she admitted a friend of hers did a few of the walks... and i asked he NOT TO LET THAT HAPPEN. She apologized & said OK - said that it was because she was not well... Fair enough.
However, it happened again, and she tried to tell me she had walked them, but her friend 'returned' them..as she had to attend to somthing else. I was livid! So 'returning' the dogs... does not qualify as walking them? Even though there were several other things in the flat out of order? I am being lied to. She is lying right to my face & essentially sub-contracting the dog walks. I have warned her... and will discuss this with her tonight. I believe she just has too much on her plate... so may need to hire someone new... but is anyone farmiliar with this out-sourcing of DH duties? It's cracked!
It has me INSENSED!
Please share your thoughts. Talking to her tonight.

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Posted by ldsllvn (130 days ago)

I know this is not what you are asking - but the going rate for part time (even illegal ones) is $60 an hour. you are paying her $16... I am sorry, but what do you expect? Quality of service? Not only it is illegal but also the pay is pittance...

Posted by Hyperactivebunny (130 days ago)

totally unacceptable!! i would not keep someone like her cos its a matter of trust! we have a dog and hes like a child to us. i would NOT tolerate my helper allowing someone else to tk my baby for a walk....so same thing for the dog. its a trust issue here.
and as for the going rate here for P/T help.....i knwo its 60 an hr but we hv a part time who we pay 2500/a mth and she comes in 3 days a week for 5 hrs a day! i agree it may be below P/T wage but this is a part time job and most of the helpers that come for interviews when they know its part time accept it. so dont compromise quality of service just cs u are made to feel u r not paying the 60 an hr. for the work she is doing for u the amount is justified! dont feel bad! i would fire her and find someone else!

hope this helps.

Posted by TC Ng (130 days ago)

Not sure how you did your calculations idsllvn, but for 12 hours a week the rate being paid is more like $50 per hour not $16. This is not a pittance and a very good deal for the helper. The OP has acknowledged that it is illegal so that aside - I can't commment of the out-sorcing as I don't have a part-time but the OP and the helper have agreed a rate to do a certain job, it is not being done and the helper did not mention that she was going to subcontract the work and the OP has made it known her disaproval. I would expect more than this type of service. As your animals really like her it maybe an idea to advise her this evening that you will not tolerate the service she is providing, if she can guarentee you that it will not happen again then let her continue, otherwise I would say look for someone else. For the rate you are paying maybe you should consider a full time legal or a local part-timer who is legal.

Posted by GreenValleys (129 days ago)

...and I think you could safely assume that she's making money on the sub-contracting which means the person actually doing thw work is getting less than that. But back to the issue - I'd get rid of her if she cannot do the job herself. But be careful because if she gets it into her head to cause a problem for you (she will know that your employment arrangement is illegal) then she might well do so.

Posted by ldsllvn (128 days ago)

my apologies! for some reason read $200 rather than $2,000! on the point of sub-contracting - no, I dont think it is on! unless previously cleared with you of course!