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Our Housekeeper Has Quit


mkshawn

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Well after having taken the summer off on a paid holiday she just handed in her keys & said adios? So two questions.

 

1. As she quit what are my obligations today? Prorated Xmas & Vacation Pay plus a sign off on her Quitting?

 2. Anyone have a document translated into in espanol to cover the legalities of the situation?

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Don't walk, RUN to your favorite lawyer's office and have them handle this for you and you will have peace of mind. Otherwise, keep a sharp eye out for someone serving legal papers, happens all the time.

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For every maid and gardener we have had in 10 years, we had an attorney draw up a "contract labor" contract.  With this they are NOT an employee and if they quit or you have to fire them with evidence of why you are firing them, (stealing, no show, etc) you do not have to pay them off as they are not an employee.  Next maid you get, have them sign a contract labor paper.

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Employees who quit voluntarily are not due anything at all: as another poster said, she's had her vacation.  She is not entitled to severance pay or other 'prestaciones de la ley'.

You DO need to draw up papers yourself (in Spanish) saying that she worked for you from XX date to YYY date and quit voluntarily having had the vacation due her OR you need to talk to an attorney who can draw those papers up for you--Spencer is excellent, of course.  You, your former housekeeper, and a witness need to sign the papers.

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On 11/29/2016 at 7:54 AM, virgogirl said:

so glad i do my own cleaning and gardening. keeps me fit, safe, and without nightmares.

Yes.  I have to say I am coming to that conclusion as our maid just quit showing up.  I decided to save the money and do my own cleaning, then no need to work my schedule around her being in our house for hours.  I never would feel comfortable giving someone the key.

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To be fair not all of us have legal problems with help but it does happen.  We pay her well, give her holidays and vacation pay, Xmas bonus and always give her our stuff we don't want and always buy her a nice present when we travel.  She is part of our lives and very honest.  She paid back a unsecured car loan to us six months early.  My point is quality varies with help here. Keep looking til you find the right help.

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Yes, Zeb. I totally agree. I understand that some folks do need employees as they have grand estates, or may be disabled in some way and unable to perform housecleaning or gardening tasks. But as long as I am able, I will do it myself. I have just read too many nightmare type stories with details from soup to nuts.

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2 hours ago, virgogirl said:

Yes, Zeb. I totally agree. I understand that some folks do need employees as they have grand estates, or may be disabled in some way and unable to perform housecleaning or gardening tasks. But as long as I am able, I will do it myself. I have just read too many nightmare type stories with details from soup to nuts.

If you're fit and able to do the work, that's good.  However, not all of us are, and we do need help.  My way of avoiding the nightmare scenario was to hire a contract service when we moved here. Spring Clean sends THEIR employees here on  a weekly basis.  They bring their own cleaning supplies, do the job and leave.  No keys are given. They are bonded and nothing has ever been taken in the years they've been here. Any complaints are addressed to the boss, who takes care of them. For those who enjoy having a personal relationship with their maid, this wouldn't appeal.  I like it this way.:rolleyes:

 

 

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Our help came to us on the recommendations of Mexican friends. We did not expect any problems and never had any in the ten years they worked for us. We paid them regularly, gave them the usual aguinaldos and holidays, etc. Helped when they had family emergencies, and they helped us when we had our own emergencies; even visiting us in hospital, etc. They both had keys to the entire property and the maid stayed there when we traveled to the beach or the USA.  Yes, good employees do become part of the family circle, and that seems to work both ways & is a wonderful and warm experience. Depending upon each other, respecting each other and being there for each other seems quite a bit more “real, or deeper“ in the Mexican culture, and we really liked that.  I noted similar feelings in relationships with friends and help, when we lived in Turkey, but never in the USA; not even with family.

So.....Perhaps expectation and our own contribution to such relationships are the determining factors to how it all turns out.  Oh....do learn enough Spanish to be able to communicate reasonably well.

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RV Gringo, you bring up a good point. The cultural differences. Without detailing my life history, I'll say I'm a warm person, and appreciate help, but I am super private as well. My landlord/well the landlady to be specific, had a real emotional and physical response that was over the top everytime I saw her. "Te quiero mucho", and hug me, kiss me, hold my hand, drag me down the street being pretty intimate. Now I can deal with that when I have known my women friends for years and we share history and experiences. We then share on that level. But I am not an instant mashed potatoes person. Meet me and 2 seconds later you are climbing all over me, well, it's awkward. It has taken 2 1/2 months to even it all out. I just want to have a friendly business relationship with them. So now that I live in a different of their rentals and not next door, it has been better. I also notice that here I am, american alone and free to do what I want. The husband was not too wild about her going around with me and having the absolute liberty that I have.I'm not that hip on "being part of Mexican families".I've got mexican friends here and in GDL There's a dynamic I'm not quite ready for to have my workers be "family". I do understand why some people look for this, and love this. I do love the everyday warmth and conversations. And I do realize I'd have to adjust if I really needed the help. So nice to know about the Spring Clean thanks to Gringal. That would be more my style.My great grandmother was still doing all her chores in her 90s. I'll probably be like that.

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