Helper sub-contracting duties

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.

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...

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.

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!

good day!!!

u dont pay her enough cos the minimumm wage of ptdh s 60 per hour

First, its illegal. Second of all, it is a trust issue. Do you know who you are letting into your house ? Would your boss be ok if your friend went to work in your place on a few occassions? No, so why should it apply any differently for your domestic helper? Is it because you feel sorry for her? Get a reality check. You don't know who is going into your house, and if your keys are duplicated.


You can hire chinese amahs for $40 an hour who are registered for the labour department.


Is your p/t domestic helper really worth a big fine and a criminal record !!!!


FYI, a friend of mine lives on the Peak. Her caucasian neighbour left for work everyday, and there were many strange men coming and going...until one day busted for providing personal services to all these strange men.

do u have ph no the labour department

sunita, I will get you the tel no. on monday.

You request the form by fax, fill it in, fax it off, and then they fax you details with a contact person at the labour dept. You can interview them and pick whom you like. They are housewives who have also completed a domestic training course.


There is no minimum on how much you have to pay but I think $40 -$50 and many will jump at it.