[lisa123]

I'm a bit peed off right now.
I have a customer who has weekly cleans by my employee, she is a blind lady, and quite vunerable for peop[le to take the pee out of. Other big companies did. (dom cleaning)
Now my employee is paid by cash by this lady, and I take out my share then pay my emploee her wages.
Lately I have been getting the excuses tht when I go around to collect the dosh from my employee that she is not in, and that she will give me the dosh in couple days.
Last week the couple of days turned into a week nearly.
I know she is claiming JSA, and I hope she has told the jobcentre people.

Can I get into trouble if they find out shes been doing a couple hours per week?

It gets interesting now, as it has happend again today, I phoned, all i got was i'll erm erm drop it off tomorrow er er, excuses excuses. I know she went shopping.

Whay adds to it, is that she has got her husband in to help her, as I just found out, he's going to be doing the interior windows once per fortnight, and the exterior windows (i hope just on the downstairs level)
He has sold this service to my customer! shs already paying to have the interior done to me.
He's unemployed (working on the side with his brother/uncle tarmaccing), uninsured, and not classed as self employed.
My customer now probably thinks this is an add on service from my company.

I am furious my employee has gone with her husband and approached my customer and they have sold this service to her.
They could have at least toldme what they were doing.
They have also tried to get a sale to re-tile my customers kitchen floor!

I am even more furious because the employee is my sister, and the "window cleaner" is my sisters low life theiving, lyin, cheating husband.

am i right to be angry??? What would you do?
All my sister said was that he wasn't taking any business away from me, which in a way is true, Thats not the point. She also said "your getting your pay from it, why can't he?" remember, my customer can't tell if he's done tre job or not. Thats not me being funny, its the truth.
 I wouldn't trust him in my house, and if he thinks he can get away with saying he's insured under me, or i employ him hes got another thing coming.

can anyone calm me down??? 

[CMS]

I can't advise you on your problem but can point out the JSA bit!

In short, yes you will get into trouble if you pay them cash in hand.

However, your employee can claim JSA and work PROVIDING SHE DOESN'T WORK MORE THAN 24 HOURS PER WEEK.

She must declare her earnings each time she signs on (they will give her the correct form) but YOU must make her a proper employee to do this which means that if you haven't already done so you must inform the Inland Revenue that you are an employer.

Good luck.

[lisa123]

Hi CMS
Thanks.
I have informed inland rev, and she is insured.
Inland rev just said to keep a copy of p46 signed by her, and then send it them if her hours go up enough to pay nics and tax.
I think i might have to start cash collecting fom my customers instead of them paying the cleaner, then my cleaners can have it transferred in arrears to their bank.

[Fox]

Take a deep breath - hold for five seconds and let out slowly - there now you can think straight!

This just proves that business and friends/family do not mix well, but you know that now so I'm not being very constructive!

Think about the problem/situation as if you are not personally part of it.  Try to imagine your sister just being an employee with a husband you know nothing about.  Would it annoy you so much if that were the case?  What would you do in that situation?  I suspect you would tell your employee (calmly) that you are going to have to talk to the client to ensure that she understands that the husband is not employed by you and then do just that.

If the situation is going to effect your family relationship it would be best to talk to your sister and tell her that you feel a couple of hours a week isn't worth the arguing and it would be better if you carried out the job yourself.  It is not right for your sister and her husband to be working and claiming at the same time anyway and you shouldn't knowingly employ someone who is.  

You have put yourself in a very difficult situation where business and personal matters are difficult to separate.  The best advice at this time would be do and say nothing until you have calmed down, then look at the problem logically and do what is best for your business, try hard not to bring personal feelings into this it will only cause more damage.

Fox

[lisa123]

Hi Fox
Thanks for that.
I have had time to think about it now.  I still cant beleive my sis thinks they are doing no wrong.
They have cheated the system for years (well her dopey husband has, shes had no choice)
I'm going to have a chat with my customer, she if she was railroaded into it. I could go round for an inspection aswell, when my sis is meant to be cleaning. I'll tell my customer but not my sis. That might scare her a bit.
i'm not really an evil cow, i'm usually the quiet studious one of the bunch with glasses. Ive got one hell of a temper if someone winds me up though! 

[Jan K]

Hi Lisa!

I would be extremely concerned if I were you! Firstly if you knowingly employ someone who is claiming benefits and they are working more than the allowed hours, you will get the hard end of the stick.

Secondly, perhaps you should start invoicing your customers and ensure they pay you. I so all my invoicing in arrears and allow customers 14 days to pay. I then pay my girls 3 weeks after i invoice customers. gives them 2 weeks to pay and 1 week for clearance of cheques.

still have a few that take the p..... but now impose a £10 late payment fee if payment not received within the 14 days.

Jan

[dustdees]

DOM'T EMPLY FAMILY FULL STOP!!!!!

[preston powerblast]

Yep, I agree. Rule No1. Dont employ family as they do tend  to take liberties.
No2. You should get your customer to put her cash in an envelope and you collect it on a weekly fortnightly or monthly basis.
The way things are going she is likely to be an ex customer and your sisters first customer.
You have every right to be angry.

[domestic bliss]

You have to be very careful.  I employed my neighbour to do cleaning for me. I also allowed her to collect the money from the customers that she went to as they were quite spread out and i trusted her to give me the money which she always did.  But i went on holiday and when i came back she told me that the customers cancelled the cleaning.  I later found out that she had undercut me because she obviously knew what i charged and she also went on to clean half the village using my company name but keeping all the money to herself.  The cheeky mare.  i have not taken on any other staff scince although i desperately need to as i cannot keep up with the business at the mo but i am finding hard to trust anyone.

[Jan K]

I employ a very good friend, she's been with me over a year now. I trust her to do the job to my standards, and I trust her in many other ways too.

I ONLY get my ladies to collect cheques! I do not have any clients who pay in cash!

There aren't many people around who wouldn't take advantage of a 'cash' situation if they thought they could get away with it!

[*Chris Browne]

Yep its what every body says NEVER WORK WITH FAMILY! ive found that out my self...never mind soon be christmas...have another day off then

[CMS]

Funnily enough it's christmas when I used to call on my family to help.........................when the sickness rate goes up!!!

[*Chris Browne]

Funnily enough it's christmas when I used to call on my family to help.........................when the sickness rate goes up!!!

shame we are not allowed to ill

chris

[lisa123]

Hi everyone thanks for your support and advice.
Being my sisiter you would have thought i could trust her....nevermind.
I told her that i would be paying weekly into her bank, and she panicked....she hasn't got a bank account, only the dopey husband has.
I told her that she needs to open an account else she wont get paid! ( I was sort of half joking with that one! )
So now, I think the best solution is for me to go cash collecting and pay her once I have the money in my hand.
That way my cash flow dosent suffer, and i can have a quick progress chat with my customer.
It's a good job that i learn from my mistakes.........i make a lot of them.
Thanks Everyone xxxx