help with staff contract

[Jcam]

chamber maid shouted at me she gives a months notice today and I have accepted - feels we are always getting at her, which we were as she was always leaving things and having to have them brought to her attention and redone ie hair in a room cup.
Am thinking of terms for the new people (want a monday to friday and weekend) not crazy strict or anything but what people think is reasonable.
(1) mobile phone to be left in the office with other belongings. as sick of chamber maid always on her phone for which I am paying her.
(2) if a smoker (which I don't really want) to have cigarettes only on set breaks - no extra breaks for this.
(3) 3 week trial prior to employment - think this is long enough to get a proper feel for the person
(4) to wear the uniform provided.
(5) to work rotered hours between 8.30 and 3pm unless otherwise arranged
(6) 10 days notice for time off unless in exceptional circumstances (ie accident, kids accident etc) as again sick of currant turning up and telling me oh i'll be going at 1pm - you will will you? also had nasty habit of doing this in the middle of breakfast service (we have open kitchen) so was handicapped in discussing it.
Any other suggestions?

 

[TheBeachHouse]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?

 

[Jcam]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?.

yes - that was the last straw if you knew all the things we have done to help her over the years like when her then partner died we paid for his funeral, helped her get a government grant to pay for it (you have to pay then claim back which she couldn't do) and then let her pay the rest back as and when from her salery. Lately she has been edging for me to help her sort out british citizenship which is a ton of forms plus £800 so expects me to punt up then she pays back about £10 a week till the end of time - was not going for that.
I sort out mad family, housed her for 3 years and her blasted neice, she pretty much works as and when she fancies it, questions everything you ask her to do - today was the final straw when she checked people into a room (they had said they were coming 8pm and turned up at 12) despite knowing i didn't want people in that room as the toilet roll holder had pulled off the wall and the handyman was coming to fix it - so let guests into a room with that all on show. Its all for the best should have really got rid of her a long time ago but was dreading the recruitment process so its pushed me into something I should have done anyway.
want to write a good job description as to be fair she never had one and so the candidate knows clearly what they are expected to do - how much detail is too much?

 

[Lee2014]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?.

yes - that was the last straw if you knew all the things we have done to help her over the years like when her then partner died we paid for his funeral, helped her get a government grant to pay for it (you have to pay then claim back which she couldn't do) and then let her pay the rest back as and when from her salery. Lately she has been edging for me to help her sort out british citizenship which is a ton of forms plus £800 so expects me to punt up then she pays back about £10 a week till the end of time - was not going for that.
I sort out mad family, housed her for 3 years and her blasted neice, she pretty much works as and when she fancies it, questions everything you ask her to do - today was the final straw when she checked people into a room (they had said they were coming 8pm and turned up at 12) despite knowing i didn't want people in that room as the toilet roll holder had pulled off the wall and the handyman was coming to fix it - so let guests into a room with that all on show. Its all for the best should have really got rid of her a long time ago but was dreading the recruitment process so its pushed me into something I should have done anyway.
want to write a good job description as to be fair she never had one and so the candidate knows clearly what they are expected to do - how much detail is too much?
.

Sounds like you have been a gracious employer and gone the second mile, above and beyond your call of duty.
It is better to err on the too much details than not enough. Make sure your experience maids know the job descriptions before you bring in the new ones or you will have conflict and resentment build up.

 

[Jcam]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?.

yes - that was the last straw if you knew all the things we have done to help her over the years like when her then partner died we paid for his funeral, helped her get a government grant to pay for it (you have to pay then claim back which she couldn't do) and then let her pay the rest back as and when from her salery. Lately she has been edging for me to help her sort out british citizenship which is a ton of forms plus £800 so expects me to punt up then she pays back about £10 a week till the end of time - was not going for that.
I sort out mad family, housed her for 3 years and her blasted neice, she pretty much works as and when she fancies it, questions everything you ask her to do - today was the final straw when she checked people into a room (they had said they were coming 8pm and turned up at 12) despite knowing i didn't want people in that room as the toilet roll holder had pulled off the wall and the handyman was coming to fix it - so let guests into a room with that all on show. Its all for the best should have really got rid of her a long time ago but was dreading the recruitment process so its pushed me into something I should have done anyway.
want to write a good job description as to be fair she never had one and so the candidate knows clearly what they are expected to do - how much detail is too much?
.

Sounds like you have been a gracious employer and gone the second mile, above and beyond your call of duty.
It is better to err on the too much details than not enough. Make sure your experience maids know the job descriptions before you bring in the new ones or you will have conflict and resentment build up.
.

we just have the 1 who is now going - its been part of the problem, we wanted her to have sundays off to rest as she always wants to do about 3 hours then go and meet friends for coffee in town and DH and I are left doing rooms which frankly we don't want to do unless we have to - but she wouldn't have a day off - i personally believe because she was worried she would be replaced and so on, will not work with anyone else and does this sort of sly thing whenever she is going on holiday of contacting my 80 year old mother to con her into coming to help me when really i want an agency person "oh you'll come and help kim won't you" so I am then put in a difficult position of telling my mother I don't want her over straining herself - having had at least 2 strokes!

 

[user 26]

A month's notice? How about here's your paycheck, goodbye. Ugh.
okay ... well two weeks then if you must.
Sounds like too much leaning on you for support, too much like 'making' a teenager do their chores, too much not listening to instructions.
It is very hard, with a kind heart, not to get drawn into the personal life and even drama an employee can create ... yes, create.
my experience: I had a few chambermaids that started coming to me for advice and more. Very hard to distance yourself from someone who is distraught and crying. Sometimes it was a real crisis, sometimes not. One advance on a paycheck led to that person never coming back to earn that pay. And then she filed an unemployment claim.

 

[Hillbilly]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this.

 

[Generic]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.

 

[Morticia]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

When we have someone, we call in their hours on their last day for that week, which is generally Monday. The payroll gets done Monday afternoon and everyone now has direct deposit so they get the money by Wednesday morning.
No coming in for checks anymore.

 

[Jcam]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!

 

[Jcam]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

I am flexibile over weekly or monthly - as monthly is better for some as that's when the big bills go out ie their rent is 24th so will pay on the 23rd - its negotiable within reason but no advances it never goes well.

 

[Generic]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!
.

I actually don't hire anymore, I use an agency. They bill me for the hours. I don't have to do payroll taxes, deductions, etc.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!
.

I actually don't hire anymore, I use an agency. They bill me for the hours. I don't have to do payroll taxes, deductions, etc.
.

I looked into that last year and didn't like the rates. I'll have to look again. Seems the simplest way and you have coverage for sick days.

 

[Generic]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!
.

I actually don't hire anymore, I use an agency. They bill me for the hours. I don't have to do payroll taxes, deductions, etc.
.

I looked into that last year and didn't like the rates. I'll have to look again. Seems the simplest way and you have coverage for sick days.
.

It has saved us so much work, having to go through the whole hiring, firing, deductions, taxes, insurance, etc.

 

[OnTheShore]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!
.

I actually don't hire anymore, I use an agency. They bill me for the hours. I don't have to do payroll taxes, deductions, etc.
.

I looked into that last year and didn't like the rates. I'll have to look again. Seems the simplest way and you have coverage for sick days.
.

We still do our own payroll in-house. Our pay week is Sunday through Saturday. I take the time sheets and do the payroll calculations on Sunday or Monday, and leave their checks and paystubs in an envelope for them together with our timesheet folder in our linen shed.

 

[Jcam]

Pay day is on their return day from their weekend. So if they are off Friday and Saturday than Mkndaybeoild be the payday. This will keep them from calling in on Mondaybbexause their sick. "No they just wanted another day off." I have found over the years this works very good for issues on this..

Funny, we found the opposite. We paid on Thursday for the previous week and found they calling in sick on Friday because they drank too much the day before... so we moved the pay to Friday... let them be drunk on their own weekend.
.

see thats the reverce for me would pay monday so they turned up sober over the weekend when I am the most busy.
So do you guys pay weekly? in the UK its all done by electronic transfer as they always want it right now and it makes a proper paper trail for the IRS etc you can show exactly where the money has gone and when where as a cheque could be to anyone you can just see cheque - my friend used to take a cheque to the bank for cash and pay here staff! i went mad, its all on you if you get an audit and how do you prove where any of that money went!
.

I actually don't hire anymore, I use an agency. They bill me for the hours. I don't have to do payroll taxes, deductions, etc.
.

this is one of the massive problems we had with Po chamber maid made a massive fuss if it was even suggested i had an agency person in to cover for her day off - will be exactly what i will be doing from now on!

 

[Lee2014]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?.

yes - that was the last straw if you knew all the things we have done to help her over the years like when her then partner died we paid for his funeral, helped her get a government grant to pay for it (you have to pay then claim back which she couldn't do) and then let her pay the rest back as and when from her salery. Lately she has been edging for me to help her sort out british citizenship which is a ton of forms plus £800 so expects me to punt up then she pays back about £10 a week till the end of time - was not going for that.
I sort out mad family, housed her for 3 years and her blasted neice, she pretty much works as and when she fancies it, questions everything you ask her to do - today was the final straw when she checked people into a room (they had said they were coming 8pm and turned up at 12) despite knowing i didn't want people in that room as the toilet roll holder had pulled off the wall and the handyman was coming to fix it - so let guests into a room with that all on show. Its all for the best should have really got rid of her a long time ago but was dreading the recruitment process so its pushed me into something I should have done anyway.
want to write a good job description as to be fair she never had one and so the candidate knows clearly what they are expected to do - how much detail is too much?
.

Sounds like you have been a gracious employer and gone the second mile, above and beyond your call of duty.
It is better to err on the too much details than not enough. Make sure your experience maids know the job descriptions before you bring in the new ones or you will have conflict and resentment build up.
.

we just have the 1 who is now going - its been part of the problem, we wanted her to have sundays off to rest as she always wants to do about 3 hours then go and meet friends for coffee in town and DH and I are left doing rooms which frankly we don't want to do unless we have to - but she wouldn't have a day off - i personally believe because she was worried she would be replaced and so on, will not work with anyone else and does this sort of sly thing whenever she is going on holiday of contacting my 80 year old mother to con her into coming to help me when really i want an agency person "oh you'll come and help kim won't you" so I am then put in a difficult position of telling my mother I don't want her over straining herself - having had at least 2 strokes!
.

Okay. Now you can start with a clean slate so to speak. You don't want the new person working with the old one since the old one can do damage to the new one's look at you, etc. You train the new one how you want it done. I would let the old one go now before the new one comes in. If you have to, you can clean.

 

[Jcam]

What kind of uniform?
I think 3 weeks for a trial period is pretty long. We can usually tell by one week.
I agree with leaving the phone in the office, but I could see someone wanting it for music.
She yelled at you?.

yes - that was the last straw if you knew all the things we have done to help her over the years like when her then partner died we paid for his funeral, helped her get a government grant to pay for it (you have to pay then claim back which she couldn't do) and then let her pay the rest back as and when from her salery. Lately she has been edging for me to help her sort out british citizenship which is a ton of forms plus £800 so expects me to punt up then she pays back about £10 a week till the end of time - was not going for that.
I sort out mad family, housed her for 3 years and her blasted neice, she pretty much works as and when she fancies it, questions everything you ask her to do - today was the final straw when she checked people into a room (they had said they were coming 8pm and turned up at 12) despite knowing i didn't want people in that room as the toilet roll holder had pulled off the wall and the handyman was coming to fix it - so let guests into a room with that all on show. Its all for the best should have really got rid of her a long time ago but was dreading the recruitment process so its pushed me into something I should have done anyway.
want to write a good job description as to be fair she never had one and so the candidate knows clearly what they are expected to do - how much detail is too much?
.

Sounds like you have been a gracious employer and gone the second mile, above and beyond your call of duty.
It is better to err on the too much details than not enough. Make sure your experience maids know the job descriptions before you bring in the new ones or you will have conflict and resentment build up.
.

we just have the 1 who is now going - its been part of the problem, we wanted her to have sundays off to rest as she always wants to do about 3 hours then go and meet friends for coffee in town and DH and I are left doing rooms which frankly we don't want to do unless we have to - but she wouldn't have a day off - i personally believe because she was worried she would be replaced and so on, will not work with anyone else and does this sort of sly thing whenever she is going on holiday of contacting my 80 year old mother to con her into coming to help me when really i want an agency person "oh you'll come and help kim won't you" so I am then put in a difficult position of telling my mother I don't want her over straining herself - having had at least 2 strokes!
.

Okay. Now you can start with a clean slate so to speak. You don't want the new person working with the old one since the old one can do damage to the new one's look at you, etc. You train the new one how you want it done. I would let the old one go now before the new one comes in. If you have to, you can clean.
.

definitely - not even going to interview here am not having her in any kind of contact with them

 

[Innkeep]

Cambs, There is potential for her to do something stupid or spiteful between now and when her official leave date is. Is there any way you can make her leave now?

 

[Jcam]

Cambs, There is potential for her to do something stupid or spiteful between now and when her official leave date is. Is there any way you can make her leave now?.

to be fair she is behaving herself and we are just generally not speaking, I am starting interviews today but not here. She knows she won't get another position without a reference from me so is on super best behaviour and with her being her so long they will seriously question why she has such a massive career gap. i was tempted to push her to go as it is unpleasant but she needs the money as never saves so much as a penny so will be trying to get any work she can between now and then. Plus think she is trying to get me to ask her to stay so is playing that up at the moment though I am resolute - when she realised I won't then we will see.