Days off for returning home

H

Heikeli

Registered User
Hello,
we hired a helper in juli and are happy with her. And we think we treat her very nice - give her space, don't ask too much and sometimes an extra day off on saturday, because she has no work to do then anyway (or can do it the next week or on friday before)....
We bought nice furniture (tailor made) an aircooler and everything else, she even gets food allowance but we allow her to take one meal with us.
When we hired her she said she wants to go home christmas, which was fine for us, because we want to go home (without her) as well.

Now she says she has no money and want to go in April/May. How many holidays do you give then? And is there something in the contract which I maybe oversee that you have to give her x days per year (except sundays and public holidays)?

I said to her that we originally agreed on christmas and that would be convinient , she can get 2 weeks then...she answered, that we can pay her ticket with christmas, then we do not have to do it by the end of contract ( you are supposed to pay a flight and 7 days at the end of the contract after 2 years..). But we think as she only works 4 weeks for us, this is too much. We don't know her that well so far....
So what would you do?
How many holidays would you give in April?
Thanks in advance!
Heike
 
Helpers are entitled to 14 days holiday (7days/year) at the end of the contract. If she wants to go in April/May, which is less than a year that would be approx 5-6 days paid holiday. But you're not obligated to give her a ticket. If its inconvenient for you then its best to say no and just tell her she can go home at the end of her contract. Or you can decide next year when you know her a bit better.
 
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thanks...so have you heard that you pay a ticket earlier that you don't not have to pay anymore at the end of the contract? That's what she is asking ( a side effect would be, that the ticket with christmas is at least double price!) ....again, it is not so much about the money , more a priciple thing. The just started and ask this with altready having a very good treatment...
 
Yes, people do give the ticket early, but not after 10 months. If you decide to give her the ticket, just make sure she signs for it. You can always change your mind later and give her another at the end of the contract. Honestly, I wouldn't commit to anything just yet. Make your decision next year after you get to know her.

Tickets are very cheap on Cebu Pacific.

http://www.cebupacificair.com/
 
As you said it is more a "principle". It depends how you would like to handle the situation. The helper of my brother also had similar request when she only work for them less than a year. They have agreed on spliting the ticket ( you have to consider if you don't renew her at the end of the contract you don't need to pay her returing ticket) and 7 days paid holiday and the rest she have to compensate by working on PHs and Sundays.
 
Thanks for the website! It is cheaper than Cathay...
I find this difficult - I even do not understand how she wanted to go home when we signed the contract and she said she wants to go home with christmas...
I askd her and she said, that she forgot to ask the previous emplyer to pay her the ticket, when she ended contract with her.
She worked for them 6 month and they moved to KL...were they supposted to pay the ticket then for christmas???
 
To most of the Filipinos, either domestic helpers or whatever professional they are in, Christmas is the biggest event on their yearly calendar, the celebration goes on for at least a month so everyone is trying to go home for it. I am sure your helper is also wanting to go home to be with her family and friends initially. However, at the same time, she knows that she is going to spend more than what she has when she is home, she may even need to borrow from you or someone else, or worst, from the financial company which interest rate is close to robbing a bank! So try to ask her more on this and if possible, help her out so that she will not to borrow from anyone, including you.

I am not a Filipino but have many Filipino friends and been to the islands few times. They are very appreciative people but sometimes the poverty condition in their land cause them to be very undecisive or demand a little more, it looks a bit unreasonable but ask more can be a help in this situation. Well, not all are like this too.... many people will tell you different story - real people real story.

Hope you and her can find a final solution to it and be at peace.
 
I know the conditions are bad and we life in a big appartment with everything available. It is not that I dont' want to help her, but we are already very nice to her and I was wondering if she will ask more and more and expect more and more when we always agree....again: she only works for us since the 2. week of july...and I already gave her 3 days off in total (saturdays, that she can spent the time in the church with her friends), she was even asking already for one more end of august...so, we are happy with her as well, it just doesn't feel good.
 
Heikeli said:
I askd her and she said, that she forgot to ask the previous emplyer to pay her the ticket, when she ended contract with her.
She worked for them 6 month and they moved to KL...were they supposted to pay the ticket then for christmas???
Click to expand...

Her previous employer must have given her cash in lieu of the ticket.

Cheerful is right, she probably doesn't want to go home at Xmas cos it will be expensive to buy gifts for everyone.
 
if her previous employer didn't give her a ticket to go home, it's not your responisblity.

sounds like she thinks you're really nice & try to test her limit. are you sure her previous employer really left for KL? you're not entitled to let her go home in April/May & not entitled to pay for her ticket just yet. if i were you, i wouldn't promise her anything. if you were to plan a vacation during xmas & would like her to go while you're away, then sending her home will be you wish, so you'd have to pay for her ticket, & for her days away, you'd have to agree on whether it's her holiday or paid days or whatever ( & pls have her sign on the agreement of this arrangement & sign that she agrees, etc.) it's just august & she's only been working with you for less than a month. i WOULD NOT promise anything with her. you can say it depends on her performance & what your plans are.
 
Very likely that she will ask more when her request is granted everytime. Not that i don't allow her to have extra off day during the week but to start with one, there is always the next time and the next time, the same goes to other things too. Sometimes having a domestic helper (dh) at home is like baby sitting another child, their needs are not food, company, cuddle but day off, money, holiday.... sitting down to talk is very time consuming but this is the only way to solve a lot of problems, if there is no talk, I think I have changed one after another almost every year or every contract, something that i really avoid doing as it really takes money, time and energy to start teaching the new one all over again, baby to adapt to another nanny, and do not know what she will be like soon.....


We can only offer advise base on what you have written and our experiences with dh, but you are there to hear her story, so talk to hear and like Joannek said, don't promise anything too soon and if really needed, write it down to ask her sign. I believe things will clear out as the bright sun and everyone will have a nice and relaxing Christmas!

Have a good day.
 
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