Private caregiver wants to be paid even though the patient has been admitted to a hospital for a few days. Is this a common practice?

Here’s what my so has gone through in his last 8 months as a maintenance man in a facility.

He makes 33 an hour. Not tax free or tax optional.

He has had to deal with sitting with old people until caregivers come.

He has had to negotiate interactions between them, their (usually) senior aides and so forth when some wit leaves the stove on and whoops, now there’s an appliance destroyed.

He has had to handle a senior deciding to take a swan dive off the roof. Blood, skull, brains.

This woman, what is she expected to do? Just do some housekeeping before the lady comes home? Like, the op is saying this is not long term.

I always paid when we were going to be away from the home. I had the greatest neighbor who did certain things each week to help my parent. She worked here and for another neighbor who needed similar help for elderly parent. She depended on that income, so I didn't think it was fair to not pay her when it wasn't her fault for our absence. Plus without us in the house, she could come in and do a little heavy cleaning here and there, so it worked out. Maybe her actual time in the house was a little less than when parent here, but worth it to us to maintain her pay and her help.

Also, if she couldn't depend on us for the normal wage each week, it would be possible that she would find other employment. To have someone in the home that we knew absolutely we could trust meant a lot.

I have no idea why your person would be angry to 'earn' her pay while your mom in the hospital. It doesn't mean she's anyone's maid, she is just earning her pay. Since her usual job is handling tasks for your mom, have her reorganize her closet, drawers, etc - things that can get out of order. Like put all the winter to the back, summer to the front now. I would just tell her, I understand mom is away right now, but here's the things you can do so you don't lose any pay. Let her take it or leave it. Caregiving for a person isn't just sitting there, it means doing things that person can no longer do for themself...like organize the closet or go to the hospital to 'caregive/observe patient' to earn pay.

Yes, sounds like she sees you as a 'cash cow.'
And taking you for what she can.
In consideration how to proceed, consider how much you want her to continue to work with you/r the intended person. If she gets 'mad,' she may up and leave.
Is this okay with you? Even if you want her to continue on, she needs to know that you are paying her as you feel / deem is fair and appropriate - that YOU are calling the shots, not her.

It is a very personal question depending on how the payment / work arrangement has been set up. However, everything can be changed as you want it to.

* In reading a few of the other comments, I'd suggest IF you want to continue to pay her, have a tier system. If no client work, pay accordingly (less). This way, she is getting some $ but not 100% as she isn't doing 100% of the work she would usually do.
- Also, if she is an ind contractor, it is really UP TO HER to fill her time with other clients as she can. For a few days or week or longer, she could register at an agency so she will have work. This is her responsibility. And agencies are in desperate need of caregivers. So, she has options.


Be sure to get agreements in writing. Dated and details. Have both you and she sign it.

Are you taking taxes out of her payment(s)?
It is necessary to report this income?
How you pay her could have repercussions or a situation if she reports you, 'her employer' to the government for not paying what she is owed. This could get sticky.

My sense is that she could be paid HOURLY for the work she is doing.
If there is no person to work with - and she doesn't want to do housework, they no $. In other words, no workee, no money.

When I was in a similar situation (as a worker/ind contractor), I asked to be paid if / as I was 'on call.' Being 'on call' means that I need to reserve my time for the possibility of being called to work 'on a moments notice which means I could not (and didn't) take on any other client work. I had to keep myself available.
(Although most of the times, I didn't get paid.)

Gena / Touch Matters

Tell her if she wants personal/sick/vacation days & get paid for them to sign up with agency. If she does work, she gets paid. No work, no pay! Simple. She thinks she can push you around. No way.

InvisibleOne: Perhaps you should continue to provide her with a paycheck as she is quite valuable to you.

If you want her still to be available when the person comes home from hospital, you'd better offer a retainer. If you're not that bothered and you don't yet have a discharge date and she can easily be replaced, then thank her for her past efforts and suggest she moves on. But what does it say in your contract with her?

She sounds very entitled..as if she is above helping out with other tasks while your person is in the hospital. Not very caring to even refuse to sit with the person at the hospital to be compensated.... You are being very generous and she is being very ungrateful for your efforts. . Maybe see her true colors and give her a small severance while ushering her out the door and find someone who is better suited to what your expectations are and put them in wtiting. . Maybe a suggestion is to contact AARP and find out where to post a job for an older more compassionate caregiver, who wants a job , has a good work ethic, and a way to give back to society. There are a lot of seniors overlooked because of their age by many employers.

I suppose the bottom line in all of this is does she value this particular employee?

Has the employee gone above and beyond for her client to the past? Or has she been a person that has done the bare minimum?

I have been at jobs where I was promoted and received raises because I have gone above and beyond.

I had a coworker who was very resentful because they felt that they should have been promoted instead of me because she was there longer.

The owner of the company politely told her that I deserved the promotion more than she did and that I was going to be her boss whether she liked it or not.

This woman was absolutely miserable and showed absolutely no respect for me. It didn’t end well for her. I ended up having to fire her.

She went to my boss and told him that she should not have been fired and he backed me 100 percent. She didn’t stop there! She had her mother and the pastor of her church call me. Of course, I didn’t discuss anything with them and promptly told them that I was busy and hung up the phone.

So, it truly depends on this person’s work ethic and her past work history for this client. If she is an exceptional employee then I would consider paying her. If not, then she could find another job and I would look for a future employee and have a contract ready for them to sign so that this situation wouldn’t be questioned in the future.

As a caregiver for 20 years when my people are at the hospital or visiting family I have the day off. BUT I earn vacation time to fill in for the lost wages. If I didn't have vacation time I would be screwed. I think that a good caregiver should continue to receive wages, but they need to be doing something to earn them. There is nothing wrong with helping in other ways. I love and respect my people and would do pretty much anything to stay as their caregiver. Good luck.

No. No work no pay. If my caregivers don't work they don't get paid.

If you want to keep the caregiver pay them.

Good caregivers are hard to find.

Assume she will be looking.

We also give a large Christmas bonus (at the direction of my mother's lawyer.) I've been threatened about the Christmas bonus in the past --have to give it certain day etc.
This person no longer works for me.

As a caregiver I disagree especially if we are good! So many are not ! If I call in sick I’m not paid ? If one gets sick I should at least get half my wages as I to have bills & a mortgage

My mother’s live-in caregiver sat with her when she was in the hospital and made sure she was treated well. The nurses were grateful for her help. Our caregiver was paid as usual at those times.

just because respondents have some bad jobs that is not a reason to be a bad employer.
if you do not have some sort of recorded agreement with caregivers there can be a lot of problems.
I would agree that if you are ok with her quitting don't pay. I think you made some reasonable offers. Ask what she thinks is reasonable and why? those answers may influence you to be more ok with her quitting.
So hard to replace people though.