Advice needed ASAP

I am traveling at the moment as was my husband, he returned early and gave our helper her pay, with out me knowing. I was delayed on coming back, so arranged to have her paid by a friend. which she did, so the helper knowing that she had been paid already, went to my friends office and picked up the money again. Never said a word to me when I called her to tell her to get her check from my friend. Double pay... and now ??? We are both away, and I want to fire her on my return, my question would be, depending of course on her explanation of this action, to fire her, and do I call the police ? and in firing her do I still have to pay her long term service pay out, and air fare back to PA. ? I am hoping that she has a good reason for this behaviour after 8 years of service, I would hope so. But, something tells me,no ! Any advice would be really appreciated.

thanks

Sandiexxxx

She hasn't really done anything wrong, you guys have paid her twice by mistake, yes she should of told you but she may think as you are away again that it is next months salary in advance or something.



She hasn’t stolen from you or anything so why would you get the police involved?


It sounds like you maybe over reacting a little; if she has worked for you for 8 years without problems perhaps you need to at least speak to her before you make the decision to fire her.


Yes you have to pay her long service etc as I said it’s your mistake in over paying her she hasn’t’ and she may well not have a clue why you are firing her.


I hope it all works out ok.

I think you should wait for her explanation before reacting.


Maybe she thought you arranged it this way, and she would wait for your instructions once you get home from your trip rather than asking questions over the phone by long distance.


I don't think notifying the police would be necessary or right. She didn't steal. You think she's wrong by not saying "no" to the second payment.


Wait for her explanation first.

sandiexxxx,


i agree with moppet.


wait for her to explain. no need for the police to get involved.

maybe she thought it was for the next month since you are/were away, right?


best thing to do now is wait till you get home

talk to her and ask for your money back. if incase she used the money already (sent it home, etc) just tell her that you wont pay her next month as she got double pay this month. but make sure its all documented. make her sign a reciept saying you double paid her this month.


just think if you fire her, you hire someone not as good as her

This is a case of miscommunication.


You helper has given you 8 years of service and this should be enough creditability for you to be able to simply say when you return, "In the rush and chaos of our schedules I just realized that we each paid you coming to two months salary and we will not be paying you again til (give a date)"


You could ask for the money back also.

thank you all for your advice. She knew I would be returning this week. I am just very taken aback, by the fact, that she did not say when I spoke to her that she had already been paid. After 8 years of service, she can talk to me, I speak with her daily while I am away, and have always kept extra cash in the home, for emergencies. Let me ask you, if your employer overpaid you, you would return it no ? or inform of that !

Thanks again, but there is more to this than meets the eye !

Sandie, I don't think your helper is foolish enough to think she could get away with it so although you said there's more to it than meet the eye, I will go with what the other's had said. For all you know, the money she was over paid through your own mistake could be waiting for you at home.




Will I return if I'm over paid. YES. Absolutely. There's no question about it.


"or inform of that!" not until she gets home. (It's not as if it is a life and death situation, or maybe it helps that there will never be an intention to keep it and be mum about it. ) I know my employer is always in a hurry when she's away and there's a bit of consideration from me in this case ... it is not always easy to point out an employers' mistake. It could be embarassing ! So far the only similar situations we were in was when she would give us our food allowance by mistake forgetting that it comes from the office and always included in my pay envelope ( as I'm the one in charge). At times she would just say " ohh Thank you that's so silly of me" and we will both laugh other times she would say ask me to keep it for something else so what I'll do is add it up to the petty cash.


" There's more to it than meet the eye" have you reason to doubt her honesty? Were you testing her?( if so I hope she is not foolish enough to think she could get away from it ) Are you trying to find fault so you could do away with long service payment when you fire her for dishonesty? To answer that Q, yes you still have to pay for her long service payment. But you may get away with paying for one month's notice or payment in lieu if proven she is guilty.

it's pretty straightforward. just ask her for the money back or say you will not pay next month's.

after 8 years of service, my feeling is that you are morally obliged to pay her long service.

sometimes we make things more complicated than they are.

keep it simple. don't be too cynical . you'll be a lot happier, believe me.

Three cheers for moppet! I agree with you, moppet. Perhaps the maid thought that it would be best to take the second payment home from your friend, and is waiting to give it to you when you get home. Was she deliberately keeping "mum"? Maybe she just forgot to mention it when you talked, god knows i forget things all the time. After 8 years of (I assume) loyal service with no previous incidents, it seems a bit extreme to call the police or to fire her over something that may have been just a communication error by both parties. I think zalca is right, try not to be too cynical in the face of so few facts/details.