To avoid future headaches, the company you hire should meet the 4 following criteria.
1. All maids must be employees of the firm, NOT contract labor.
If you hire a maid from a service that uses contract labor you become the employer just as if you hired that person from a newspaper ad.
You will be stuck paying all the taxes and accepting all the liability. Services that hire their maids as contract labor may be cheaper but you end up legally and financiallyvulnerable.
2. Make sure the maids are bonded.
Bonding is the insurance that covers theft by a maid. Be aware that your word is not good enough to file a claim. If you expect the bonding company to pay a claim you must press charges against the thief and get a conviction.
Without a conviction your only recourse will be to ask the maid service to pay for the loss or file a claim against your homeowner’s policy. Choose your maid service carefully! If the service has followed good hiring guidelines you can feel secure that the maid they send out is honest and trustworthy.
3. The next crucial item to require is insurance.
Insurance will cover any damage to you or your property. The company should be willing to pay the deductible and for small items not covered by the policy. For example, most insurance policies will not pay for a figurine the maid breaks while she is dusting it. A quality maid service will be willing to step in and pay for the item. They should not expect the maid to pay for it or ask you to collect from your own insurance.
4. Make sure the company carries worker’s compensation.
This is the insurance that covers the maid if she is hurt while cleaning your house. It will also protect you from having a claim filed against you. Remember, a company that uses contract labor will not carry this policy. The bonding, worker’s comp. and insurance do add to the cleaning cost, but the added protection you get is well worth it. Don’t assume that the company you call has these policies, always ask before you commit.
Once you have verified these items and followed the “Maid Service Checklist ” you are ready to go!
It should be a relief to know there are actually people out there who are glad you have a dirty house and want to clean it for you. That’s exactly what we specialize in at The White Glove Maid Service.
Remember, you aren’t paying to have your house cleaned when you hire a maid. You are buying free time to use on the things that are more important in your life!
Photo Credit: Here
