Question about domestic help compensation

Had a major argument with neighbor yesterday....they were upset by what we pay...IE to much causing friction, as all domestic help communicates with each other, we have had same help since 2006. We pay our yard /pool man 550 pesos per week....9 hours, total for 2 half days. Our housekeeper receives 440 for 10-11 hours 3 ...1/2 days.

The other issue was raises, I don't give raises. Call me cheap, however, the longer they are employed, the higher termination will be at the time home is sold. Plus we pay vacation, Christmas bonus, etc. Also the major reason they don't quit outright is they lose severence pay.

Just would like to know, what others are paying by area, Chapala Haciendas, Chapala, Ajijic, Jocotopec, vista del lago

I pay my maid 50 pesos an hour. Now she runs when she cleans and deserves
every penny of it. She also lives in Ajijic and has to pay more for rent and such.
I live in centro Ajijic. My landlord pays the gardeners so I can't speak for them.

Z

Zedinmexico wrote:I pay my maid 50 pesos an hour. Now she runs when she cleans and deserves
every penny of it. She also lives in Ajijic and has to pay more for rent and such.
I live in centro Ajijic. My landlord pays the gardeners so I can't speak for them.

Z

Zed, how many hours.....I have found my housekeeper gets all done, however caught her in bed taken a nap on several occasions.

Jim W wrote:Had a major argument with neighbor yesterday....they were upset by what we pay...IE to much causing friction, as all domestic help communicates with each other, we have had same help since 2006. We pay our yard /pool man 550 pesos per week....9 hours, total for 2 half days. Our housekeeper receives 440 for 10-11 hours 3 ...1/2 days.

The other issue was raises, I don't give raises. Call me cheap, however, the longer they are employed, the higher termination will be at the time home is sold. Plus we pay vacation, Christmas bonus, etc. Also the major reason they don't quit outright is they lose severence pay.

Just would like to know, what others are paying by area, Chapala Haciendas, Chapala, Ajijic, Jocotopec, vista del lago

Jim, don't take offense. You are paying your gardener $ 550 pesos/9 hours = $ 61. pesos per hour, a little too much. The going rate is $ 40 to $ 45 pesos per hour, more if they speak English. I pay our condo gardener, part time when he works for me, $ 40 pesos per hour for each man. He has 3 men.

You are paying your housekeeper $ 440 pesos for 10 hours or $ 44. pesos per hour. You are in line. If she's good, she's worth it. People in our Community pay between $ 35 to $ 40 pesos per hour. Most are paying $ 40. pesos per hour. I know of two who pay $ 50 pesos per hour.

I had this same situation when someone found out what we were paying a few years ago. He said the same thing to me at a Board meeting. I told him to mind his own business, that I pay what I think is fair, you pay what you think is fair. And you know if I get ticked I speak my mind.

So, do your own thing and don't worry, be happy!!! LOL!

Jim W wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:I pay my maid 50 pesos an hour. Now she runs when she cleans and deserves
every penny of it. She also lives in Ajijic and has to pay more for rent and such.
I live in centro Ajijic. My landlord pays the gardeners so I can't speak for them.

Z

Zed, how many hours.....I have found my housekeeper gets all done, however caught her in bed taken a nap on several occasions.

As long as she's just taking a nap .....

johninajijic wrote:

Jim W wrote:Had a major argument with neighbor yesterday....they were upset by what we pay...IE to much causing friction, as all domestic help communicates with each other, we have had same help since 2006. We pay our yard /pool man 550 pesos per week....9 hours, total for 2 half days. Our housekeeper receives 440 for 10-11 hours 3 ...1/2 days.

The other issue was raises, I don't give raises. Call me cheap, however, the longer they are employed, the higher termination will be at the time home is sold. Plus we pay vacation, Christmas bonus, etc. Also the major reason they don't quit outright is they lose severence pay.

Just would like to know, what others are paying by area, Chapala Haciendas, Chapala, Ajijic, Jocotopec, vista del lago

Jim, don't take offense. You are paying your gardener $ 550 pesos/9 hours = $ 61. pesos per hour, a little too much. The going rate is $ 40 to $ 45 pesos per hour, more if they speak English. I pay our condo gardener, part time when he works for me, $ 40 pesos per hour for each man. He has 3 men.

You are paying your housekeeper $ 440 pesos for 10 hours or $ 44. pesos per hour. You are in line. If she's good, she's worth it. People in our Community pay between $ 35 to $ 40 pesos per hour. Most are paying $ 40. pesos per hour. I know of two who pay $ 50 pesos per hour.

I had this same situation when someone found out what we were paying a few years ago. He said the same thing to me at a Board meeting. I told him to mind his own business, that I pay what I think is fair, you pay what you think is fair. And you know if I get ticked I speak my mind.

So, do your own thing and don't worry, be happy!!! LOL!

Thanks John, My yard guy also maintains pool....so am happy, I just started this thread for all. I know the people @ vista del lago pay less than 30 per hour.

I started this post in the hopes all would be on the same page.....CU soon Amigo

Jim W wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:I pay my maid 50 pesos an hour. Now she runs when she cleans and deserves
every penny of it. She also lives in Ajijic and has to pay more for rent and such.
I live in centro Ajijic. My landlord pays the gardeners so I can't speak for them.

Z

Zed, how many hours.....I have found my housekeeper gets all done, however caught her in bed taken a nap on several occasions.

Sorry Jim I should have included that. My Maid works in 3 hour blocks. I use her for 3 hours a week. Since she lives in Ajijic
we don't pay bus fare and we give her a Xmas bonus and whatever she wants out of the fridge to drink. We also give her
our spare stuff. Don't forget to collect aluminum cans for the mexicans. I give mine to the Gardener. She also passes our
security checks which seperate the honest from the not so honest. Last maid failed the tests. In fact she failed all of them
and she didn't clean either. House now has never been so clean. All this stuff I am saying is some employees are worth more
than others and when I get good ones I take care of them. If I am paying 5 pesos too much I can live with it. I have a hard
enough time with someone else cleaning my toilet no less the thought of under paying someone but that is me.

Z

Zed, you are still on the hook for severance?

Also, I forgot to add that since she's here in the AM, we leave her a Bagel, some Marmelade of whatever kind we have on hand, a banana, a coffee cup with coffee pot on. We give her the left over half of corn muffin that we make fresh that morning. She eats that sometime during her 3 1/2 hours here. We give a Birthday gift too.

johninajijic wrote:Also, I forgot to add that since she's here in the AM, we leave her a Bagel, some Marmelade of whatever kind we have on hand, a banana, a coffee cup with coffee pot on. We give her the left over half of corn muffin that we make fresh that morning. She eats that sometime during her 3 1/2 hours here. We give a Birthday gift too.

John you are right on...happy irrelvant posters....Passed on comment

I pay my maid 45 pesos per hour and gardener 50 per hour. They are both seasoned employees. Your neighbors are meddling in your business and have no right what to tell you to pay your employees.

simpsca wrote:I pay my maid 45 pesos per hour and gardener 50 per hour. They are both seasoned employees. Your neighbors are meddling in your business and have no right what to tell you to pay your employees.

You are correct.........Just want to make sure I am proper....for payment, and all others know.....

Jim W

We're pretty tight with the raises but the Christmas bonus gets fatter every year and are twice the required amount. We have one gardener we pay 50 pesos per hour, one gets 55 because he is very skilled at using chemicals and equipment. The maid gets 44 per hour plus some money for bus fare as she lives in Chapala.

Guess I am proper ...thanks all

Just an FYI to all. The Aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), vacation, and holidays are required by law, you should not consider yourself generous for paying them. Hourly or weekly pay rates are at your discretion. Currently we pay 46 pesos/hr for gardener and 33 for maid. Each work 5 days for a few hours.

David wrote:Just an FYI to all. The Aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), vacation, and holidays are required by law, you should not consider yourself generous for paying them. Hourly or weekly pay rates are at your discretion. Currently we pay 46 pesos/hr for gardener and 33 for maid. Each work 5 days for a few hours.

Thanks David

Jim W wrote:

David wrote:Just an FYI to all. The Aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), vacation, and holidays are required by law, you should not consider yourself generous for paying them. Hourly or weekly pay rates are at your discretion. Currently we pay 46 pesos/hr for gardener and 33 for maid. Each work 5 days for a few hours.

Thanks David

We pay our housekeeper 550 peso per week to keep our 4000 sg. ft. of house clean. Which she does plus she decided to take on the court yard. We have, like “Maincoons”, decided to cut back on raises and increase Christmas bonuses, because one could find themselves in a position where we couldn’t afford this help, not good for them (They need the work and if a better job comes along they’ll take It.) or yourself. Not a “Win/Win” more likes a “Lose/Lose”.

To take care of the issue of severance we put into a separate bank account, at the rate of current salary for 3 months, 20 days per years of service (approximately 110 days’ pay per years of service) in case anything should happen to us, she becomes the beneficiary of this account. Please read “rollybrook.com” on how to figure your employees daily rate.

P.S. David if someone, like “Maincoons” decides to double his employees rightful due Christmas bonus has earned the right to feel a bit generous. IMHO

Compared to what Mexicans of means pay their help you are all generous. You can just imagine what the Mexican nationals think of the gringos/as medling in their "help" marketplace. That being said, you are giving a lot of people a hand up, but there are other, more culturally sensitive ways. Now that "you" have set "your" rates I reckon you'll have to live with them. Apparently, nobody bothered to ask the Mexicans what they were paying their help. So, when you're not "feeling the love" from your middle, upper middle, and downright rich Mexican neighbours, now you know one of the reasons why.

I don't think "we" have set out rates. I have paid my help what they were getting from the friend who recommended them - what they are being paid by all their other employers. I don't know any Mexicans who employ help so can't get a referral that way. So I don't see an alternative to what we are paying them.

I did know one Mexican woman when I lived in Guadalajara and her paid housekeeper was paid 33 pesos per hour 14 years ago - I imagine much higher now. And by the way she did not follow any paid vacation or Christmas bonus laws. I didn't even find out about that until I moved lakeside.

We had our gardener trained for pool maintenance, eliminated the 1000 peso per month maintenance company, and gave him a raise. We hired our gardener and housekeeper in 2006, both have keys, and trust has never been an issue.

Jim W wrote:Zed, you are still on the hook for severance?

No because she did not do her job and my housesitter was a witness to the rental agency and she was fired for cause.
A very painful process involving crying woman at door and such but she wasn't taking care of the house unless we were
there. Not gonna be a maid sitter and she had not proved herself at all. I would have paid the severance but she was the
owners employee not mine. I prefer to do the hiring myself.

Z

We pay our maid $400 MXN per week, she works 2 days, about 4 hours per day, so that's about $50/hour. She takes the bus from Ixlahuacan. Our gardener gets $400 per week for 8 - 8 1/2 hours of work so about the same $50/hour. Both are very responsible, honest and trustworthy so for us its well worth the money.

David wrote:Just an FYI to all. The Aguinaldo (Christmas bonus), vacation, and holidays are required by law, you should not consider yourself generous for paying them. Hourly or weekly pay rates are at your discretion. Currently we pay 46 pesos/hr for gardener and 33 for maid. Each work 5 days for a few hours.

I understand that David, we also use this occasion to throw in our own substantial bonus over and above that which is required by law. We have very good help and we know it.

And "Good on You" MC. We do the same. The post was meant for all and not in anyway critical of your post.

We live in Chapala Haciendas. We have an excellent maid and a loyal and trustworthy gardener. We pay our maid 50 pesos an hour - she works 5 hours a week. We also pay her 20 pesos for her bus as she comes from west ajijic. We have on many occassions helped her financially with little extra and gifts for birthday and Christmas for both maid and gardener.
Gardener works 12 hours a week and pay is $480 pesos.
Both Maria and Juan are dedicated trustworthy but we don't give keys!
We feel that we are fortunate to be able to live here and enjoy a lower cost of living. It called "pay it forward forks!" We have no problem helping our help help themselves and their families.