My private pay caregiver is requesting that she be fully compensated for her usual hours even though the patient is currently in a hospital. I’ve been giving her other tasks, such as cleaning, to at least give her something to do & a reason for me to pay her. She is angry about having to “be a maid” (all work is specified to the patient, no other family members, etc. ) And I agree, she is not a maid. Housekeepers are paid a fraction of what she gets. I’ve offered to pay her to visit with the patient in the hospital, but that it will be for travel time/gas & time spent at the hospital, not the full day's pay. Over the holidays I gave her an exceedingly large cash gift in appreciation of her work. Perhaps this why she thinks she can get paid even when there’s no work?
I can’t begin to count the amount of times I’ve been sent home from a job without pay because there simply was no work available that day. I understand & appreciate that we all want job security. But I cannot control the health of the patient. Hospitalization happens.
Do what you can to offer help. My caregivers were happy to clean their apartment and do anything.
I was very blessed to have these ladies.
All of the answers from previous posts are good. There are a couple of responses that I especially agree with though, I agree with Stacy to check the workman’s compensation to see if she is covered for housekeeping.
I also like the point that cwille made about not biting the hand that feeds her, especially since her employer has been very good to her.
Each person should show respect and gratitude for each other. It’s an equal partnership. They are dependent upon each other. Therefore, they shouldn’t be in a power struggle with one another.
”I need help cleaning for moms return. I’d rather pay you over hiring someone else, so I figured I would ask you first.”
Then she can take it or leave it. If she leaves, she was probably going to find some reason to, anyway.
Since Burnt has done this type of work and now owns a business, I would go with half pay. But she did do some work, so maybe this time give her full pay.
If you let her go, if you employ her properly is she not entitled to pay in lieu of notice? And if you need to find somebody else fast? Probably not that easy and possibly more expensive.
I was a caregiver for several years to a man who handed out a 5K Christmas bonus to his caregivers every year. If the family can afford it, why not?
Bottom line.
If they want to keep the caregiver then pay her not to give another client the hours.
You are paying this caregiver well above what she would make working for an agency or working for someone else.
So there is a good possibility that you would not lose her as a caregiver.
Maybe split the difference. If she is not working because your loved one is in the hospital pay her half her normal rate.
I did private-pay caregiving for many years and was in exactly this situation many times. A client gets hospitalized. Or has to temporarily go into rehab. Or goes on a vacation. Whatever.
What I always did was insist on half pay to keep them on my schedule and I do nothing. If a client or their family still expects me to clean the house and visit the client in the hospital, then it's full pay.
I always charged hourly and the price is the price. Half pay if I'm keeping you on the schedule. Full pay if you expect me to clean and stay with the client.
If this person is highly valued by you and by your relation she is caring for, then I can see that the circumstances of the patient being in care leaves her without a paycheck.
She does seem, at the same time, to harbor an attitude a tad "entitled". Shows a great unwillingness to be present to perform some other small tasks.
I would say that this is up to you. Making this a gentle "No" leaves you at risk of losing someone who you may otherwise value, and with all the vagaries of hiring another caregiver.
For myself, were I well able to afford this, I would pay her and allow her some few days off for a week. A bit of paid freedom--a gift. Not something I would/could do for long, and I would make that clear.
Ball seems to be in your court. I think no one would judge your decision either way.
It is difficult finding good caregivers these days. Pay her if you want to keep her.
Is she a cash employee? If she were paid legally she could file unemployment for those days.
If it is for a few days I would go ahead and pay the caregiver.
There are a few reasons for this,.
1. Your caregiver can not accept another job for a few days so while your loved one is in the hospital your caregiver still has bills to pay, food to put on her table. Not having an income is difficult.
2. If you want to keep this caregiver paying her for a few days of "vacation" is well worth keeping a good caregiver and not have to go through the hassle of hiring and training a new one.
If this is going to be an extended hospitalization and possibly a bit of time in rehab you might want to let the caregiver know so she can look for another job. It might be that you lose this one or if given notice she might give notice to another job if she gets one. (and if she is good I imagine kit will be easy for them to find employment)
This all started over a few day hospital stay - not prolonged. If it were prolonged, of course it’d be a completely different situation.
And Golly gosh…I gave her a gift of over $5k at Christmas for “vacations”. She gets paid over $1k a week for 3 eight hour shifts. Like I said, we all want job security, we all got bills to pay. I’m paying more than double of what she’d earn under any local agency. I have 3 other caregivers interested in working for me currently. I have absolutely no qualms about more than fair compensation. The work ain’t easy. But, if compensation without work is a common entitlement for private pay caregivers, then perhaps hiring thru agencies is better. I’m just curious if all this common for private pay caregivers. This issue has not been brought up by any other private (PTs come to mind) hires for patient care.