I'm a live in caregiver and she just had to be in rehab for 6 wks. Her daughter only wants to pay me for half this month. Is that fair?

If you are on call 24/7 you are exceptionally underpaid. I would check on minimun wage laws. There has been a recent Pro-Publica/ Reveal on radio and podcast regarding this very thing of keeping people on site for 24/7, their being on call 24 hours a day and not paid for it. I would explain that you cannot afford to miss pay, and I would work out a contract that satisfies you both. Room and board is, of course, not nothing. But in order not to move on to a new job when she is gone for 6 weeks, you can explain, you will have to receive pay. If you are cleaning also? I don't quite know WHAT to say.

no i dont have any family but the great granddaughter is going to start coming over on saturdays so now ill have weekends off.i think that should make this work nicely.and next time ill definatly be making a contract.

H'm. If the daughter wanted to pay a reduced rate during mother's absences, she should have thought of that before and agreed it with you. She's had ample time to do so; and she should also recognise and appreciate that you have, on your own initiative, used your client's time to benefit your client by deep-cleaning her home while she's away.

So, this time, no, it is not acceptable, and she must pay up. Be firm, but if you want to continue in this role for your client don't let the discussion get heated. Will your client definitely be coming home again?

No, it's not fair. Do you have any sort of written contract?

You have to negotiate your contract before you start working. This is after the fact and with your being a live in employee, this makes this personal and much more difficult.

Before she left for the rehab, did you and the family member discuss what was going to happen? If she's not there, wouldn't you have been able to work for a temp agency (health care, sitting, etc) during that time?

Unfortunately your options at this point are to either re-negotiate or find another job.

Sounds like a 12 hour day, 6 days a week is not working for you. The whole situation sounds uncomfortable. Is there a family member you could perhaps live with while you sort out finding a new job? Is there an agency that you could work for, who would also act as your agent/employer, rather than trying to work directly with a family?