Helper holidays - am I being a pushover?



ORIGINAL POST
Posted by ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
dear all, a couple of question please:


- do you ever give your helper more holidays than the 2 wks they are entitled to? I agree to give ours another 7-10 days during the year when we are on holidays


- would you get your helper the cheapest tickets? Cebu Pacific are seriously cheaper (1/3 of Phil Air) but our helper is saying "pls dont send me Cebu Pacific if you want me alive"! what is that all about - I checked and they seem to have Airbuses, so what is wrong? Is she right? would your helper fly Cebu?


Many thanks!!

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COMMENTS
Katetam 17 yrs ago
My helpers PREFER Cebu Air because they are on time, compared to Philippine airlines!


Cebu Pacific just doesn't have meals (that's what they tell me), and smaller planes, but other than that, there is NO reason why she can't travel by CP esp if you are paying for the tickets. You just have to book really early.


In fact Cebu air is having a great seat sale, they advertise $ 150 one way from HK to Manila. Travel completed until Dec 15. I have no idea HOW restricted a ticket like this would be... b/c it's cheaper than going to Macau. I saw the ad yesterday.


I also have given our helpers extra holidays, unpaid if it's more than their 2 weeks entitlement, and definitely only if it's convenient for you (like being away from HK). That's what we do too.

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Moppet 17 yrs ago
I my humble opinion i believe 1 weeks holiday a year is far too little and the guidelines are only the minimum holiday time she should get and not what you have to do so giving some extra time off is a nice things to do and if she works hard will help her rechare her batteries. we all need a break and a break from each other.

The second thing is you do not have to pay for her ticket for holidays at all so she should be happy your willing to pay for it at all. Go with what you are comfotable with or suggest she buys her own ticket home for her holidays.

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ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
God, thank you both, am so worried about ruining relashionship, so far it has been v good. and we give her not 1 but 2 wks in the first place and another week or wk and a half on top of that... will pay for cebu pacific I think (for x-mas HK$1000 instead of well over HK$3,000 for Phil Air!!!)

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Moppet 17 yrs ago
You are the employer and you can't have a happy relationship if you feel too nervous to dissagree with what she wants for fear she will sulk or behave badly. I'm sure if you explain these are exras you are giving her out of the goodness of your heart and way above what you need to do she will realize she is lucky and accept what you offer. Never let her think it's her right but a kind thing you are happy to do if she's doing a good job.

Good luck with it

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ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
I know! am a pushover, first time with domestic help - I guess I will learn! Thank you Moppet!

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annieh 17 yrs ago
Whilst I think 7 days a year is not enough, do remember that for local Chinese workers and labourers, they are on the same amount of leave entitlement...and no extra trips home etc.

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ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
thank you all - am feeling bad, as dont really want to be taken for granted, I think we are a good employer, pay way more than most people I know (she is on $6,000 incl food allowance) and we have 2 helpers - so we dont make her work hard or anything... It is a bit upseting when you try to keep her happy but there is always something.. She says "my prev employer let me go on hols 3 times a year 2 wks each time!" Well, pardon me - her prev employer was a single 60-year old guy and did not have 2 little kids with both parents working full time... Sorry, am ranting now.. was a bit upset yesterday..

Thank you all!!

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Moppet 17 yrs ago
I'm afraid she sounds very ungrateful and I too would struggle to put up with her, perhaps you would be better to let her go and start again with someone but use the extras as incentives for when they are doing well and working hard to fit in with your family rather than them expecting it.

Your helper sounds like it doesn’t matter what you do she will always push for more


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ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
I know! such a tough one - she is great with the babies!! I think am just going to be tougher - told her a couple of hours ago that Cebu Pacific is fine and this is what I am paying for - if she wants anything else I guess she will have to pay for the diff herself!

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Moppet 17 yrs ago
well good luck with it all

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TC 17 yrs ago
Incidentally when it comes to the obligatory trip home (not any additional trip you are giving her out of the kindness of your heart) the responsibility is to pay not just for the air fare but also for the rest of the journey to her home. So that includes the fare to HKIA and the bus (or whatever) fare from MNL to her home town. I could be wrong but I doubt very many employers actually pay any more than the air fare.

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tsuiwah 17 yrs ago
TC, well, if the helper is dictating the terms of her holidays, I am pretty certain she is flying to her end destination if it is beyond MNL.


I would re-read Moppet's posts. Sounds like you are managing out of fear. Not good.

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ldsllvn 17 yrs ago
hi green, not really different from Phil Airlines - 20 kg as well... anyway, thank you everyone, have booked Cebu for her today! and was firm about 1 wk (she wanted 2 - that is in addition to the 2 wks we are giving her in Jan).. Taking control!!

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dagregado 17 yrs ago
During the first year of Cebu Pacific

's operations, there was a domestic cebu pacific flight that crashed and everyone was killed. Maybe thats why your helper is scared of flying Cebu Pacific. But Cebu Pacific has learned from that and has refurbished all their planes, in fact all are now brand new. Plus the flights are cheaper....

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