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.
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.
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.
Is she a cash employee? If she were paid legally she could file unemployment for those days.
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.
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.
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.