The “High Tipping Season”.

joec wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:That is why I think it is best to hire a maid and/or gardener through an agency. Let them worry about all the vacation pays, bonus's, labor laws, etc.

You are probably correct, and I do know people in our Community who do that. You are still responsible for their vacation and Christmas bonus.

Alternately, you can hire Spring Clean directly who is responsible for their maids, even though it will cost you a lot more money.

Actually I am sure it will cost a lot less in the long run. No bonus's, severance pay or vacation pay. If you are unhappy you can switch maids with a simple phone call. I guess I will see if my agency adds on Xmas bonus pay on my December bill.

CanuckBob wrote:

joec wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:That is why I think it is best to hire a maid and/or gardener through an agency. Let them worry about all the vacation pays, bonus's, labor laws, etc.

You are probably correct, and I do know people in our Community who do that. You are still responsible for their vacation and Christmas bonus.

Alternately, you can hire Spring Clean directly who is responsible for their maids, even though it will cost you a lot more money.

Actually I am sure it will cost a lot less in the long run. No bonus's, severance pay or vacation pay. If you are unhappy you can switch maids with a simple phone call. I guess I will see if my agency adds on Xmas bonus pay on my December bill.

Bob, you're comparing apples to oranges. You're renting now so they may not brcause the maid is included in your rent. When you own a house and hire a Manager, you will definitely get charged for Christmas Bonus and Vacation pay.

Not if he uses a service like Spring Clean. You pay more DURING the year for the service and you can stop the service at any time or change maids at any time...there are NO added costs like severence, vacation or Aguinaldo. Period.

ferret wrote:Not if he uses a service like Spring Clean. You pay more DURING the year for the service and you can stop the service at any time or change maids at any time...there are NO added costs like severence, vacation or Aguinaldo. Period.

You got that right about paying MORE. Spring Clean is substantially more than hiring a maid on your own. Christmas bonus and vacation is peanuts. Severance is only high if you've had them for awhile.

We never had to pay severance as we've been happy with every maid that workerd for us, 3 in 10 years. Two of them quit for medical reasons, but we gave them money to help with their medical bills.

Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

joec wrote:

Jim W wrote:My understanding, after reading Rolly's site is 3 months pay, plus 20 days per year of employment. Since he works 2 days per week, this amounts to nearly 3 months severance per year of employment.

How many hours does your gardener work each week and what do you pay per hour?

40 Pesos per hour, 14 hours per week

Jim W wrote:

joec wrote:

Jim W wrote:My understanding, after reading Rolly's site is 3 months pay, plus 20 days per year of employment. Since he works 2 days per week, this amounts to nearly 3 months severance per year of employment.

How many hours does your gardener work each week and what do you pay per hour?

40 Pesos per hour, 14 hours per week

How many hours does he work per day?

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

hockables wrote:

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

no way severance could EVER go this high!

joec wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:John:

Why is it when someone like David or for that matter anyone else addresses where you have definitely been in the wrong, you just slide by that and continue trying to sell yourself as an expert? The way I am interpreting your subsequent posts, they seem to have a tone whereby you are suggesting bending the rules after playing holier than thou earlier in the discussion.

Why don't you change your handle to NOB Busy Body or ABQ Busy Body, since you have no interest in Mexico or Lakeside? That suits you perfectly.

This is both unnecessary and incorrect as usual. Could you just stop it, I'm starting to feel ill.

Neil knows more about Mexico than you ever will.

hockables wrote:

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

Granted we probably put aside more than would be needed today but who knows what the future may bring and we’ve always felt it’s better to make the sacrifices now than make it more difficult as we age.

joec wrote:

hockables wrote:

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

no way severance could EVER go this high!

540 pesos per week / 7 = 77.14 pesos per day X 3months+ 20 days (110 days)= 8486 pesos per year, granted if they decide to leave us this is all null & void but there still the moral issue for us.

ferret wrote:Not if he uses a service like Spring Clean. You pay more DURING the year for the service and you can stop the service at any time or change maids at any time...there are NO added costs like severence, vacation or Aguinaldo. Period.

I've used Spring Clean for five years: and am happy. Freedom From Guilt, among other advantages. I've gone the maid route before and the responsibility that goes with it is a deeper pond that I wish to swim in.

I'm idly curious about why many expats, who probably never had a full time or even part time maid in their lives, move here and need a regular maid and a gardener. Maybe they bought a larger property since it was affordable. Personally, I prefer my privacy.

We enjoy the fact that family members watch over the property when were gone or ill but in reality it’s a pretty high price to pay. Should our housekeeper decide to leave us we may change a cleaning service.

Parker wrote:

joec wrote:

hockables wrote:

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

no way severance could EVER go this high!

540 pesos per week / 7 = 77.14 pesos per day X 3months+ 20 days (110 days)= 8486 pesos per year, granted if they decide to leave us this is all null & void but there still the moral issue for us.

Parker, it's only the 20 days for each additional year...the three months is a one time expense as part of the package that is the Severance Pay (finiquito).

ferret wrote:

Parker wrote:

joec wrote:

hockables wrote:

Parker wrote:Severance is really the biggest issue. We put aside $100 USD per month for each employee in case anything should happen to us, to us this is just more than law it’s a moral obligation.

We aren’t naïve and understand that our employees would probably never dispute these issues. They most likely haven’t paid the IVA tax because of the pittance they have received in 20, 30, 40 years and which would probably be much more costly than whatever they might get in a severance. Step up to the plate or not, your decision and I’ll let others to be the judge.

Yes we’ve been here for 7 years and still have the same housekeeper, Hmmm?

$100.00 x 12 - $1200.00
x 7 - $8400.00 USD severance for the Maid?

shit.... I wanna work for you!!

no way severance could EVER go this high!

540 pesos per week / 7 = 77.14 pesos per day X 3months+ 20 days (110 days)= 8486 pesos per year, granted if they decide to leave us this is all null & void but there still the moral issue for us.

Parker, it's only the 20 days for each additional year...the three months is a one time expense as part of the package that is the Severance Pay (finiquito).

Perhaps you should have this discussion with Rollybrook.com. He’s certainly not infallible but I would really like to know where the truth lies. Thank You.

This portion of the discussion started when Hocks asked about the Aquinaldo (Christmas Bonus) and then Vacation Pay and now Finiquito (Severance or Termination pay). Could there be some confusion brought on by the differing formulas?

Do like John and just ignore the formulas.

We have done at least seven Finiquitos while living in Mexico for the past seventeen years and they have been done PROFESSIONALLY.
It is the wording of Rolly's site that is confusing. If you list what has to be paid in order then it becomes clearer.
1) three months salary (i.e. 90 days)
add to this
2) 20 days for each year worked
add to this
3) proportional Aguinaldo
add to this
4) proportional Vacation Pay plus 25% of that proportional Vacation Pay

ADD the numbers of 1+2+3+4 to get the Finiquito Final Amount. There are a few other amounts that need to be added (depending on the situation).
You should know that there is also a MAXIMUM amount of Finiquito that can be paid according to the law.
A PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT WHO IS WELL VERSED IN LABOUR LAW SHOULD ALWAYS PREPARE FINIQUITOS and then they act as the WITNESS to the transaction.
Believe it or not but we still have our copies of all finiquitos that we have paid.

ferret wrote:We have done at least seven Finiquitos while living in Mexico for the past seventeen years and they have been done PROFESSIONALLY.
It is the wording of Rolly's site that is confusing. If you list what has to be paid in order then it becomes clearer.
1) three months salary (i.e. 90 days)
add to this
2) 20 days for each year worked
add to this
3) proportional Aguinaldo
add to this
4) proportional Vacation Pay plus 25% of that proportional Vacation Pay

ADD the numbers of 1+2+3+4 to get the Finiquito Final Amount. There are a few other amounts that need to be added (depending on the situation).
You should know that there is also a MAXIMUM amount of Finiquito that can be paid according to the law.
A PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT WHO IS WELL VERSED IN LABOUR LAW SHOULD ALWAYS PREPARE FINIQUITOS and then they act as the WITNESS to the transaction.
Believe it or not but we still have our copies of all finiquitos that we have paid.

Thank You Ferret. Costco, here I come! Hahaha!!! (Merry Christmas to Me, Merry Christmas to Me etc.)

Parker wrote:
Perhaps you should have this discussion with Rollybrook.com. He’s certainly not infallible but I would really like to know where the truth lies. Thank You.

Rolly writes about many things he has absolutely none or little personal experience. You are better off listening to someone such as ferret who has gone through the process in real life and not the blogosphere.

Seis:

Exception taken to your harsh opinion of Rolly! I doubt you can name one person who has contributed more of their time trying to assist people moving to or traveling through Mexico. From what I have observed, Rolly is one of the most level headed and least egotistical people providing information on any forum. Is he right 100% of the time? Hell no but I challenge you to name one single individual who is since there is no 100% in Mexico.

CheenaGringo wrote:Seis:

Exception taken to your harsh opinion of Rolly! I doubt you can name one person who has contributed more of their time trying to assist people moving to or traveling through Mexico. From what I have observed, Rolly is one of the most level headed and least egotistical people providing information on any forum. Is he right 100% of the time? Hell no but I challenge you to name one single individual who is since there is no 100% in Mexico.

I didn't say he was right or wrong.
Least egotistical? You're kidding, right? What else would encourage him to post? Altruism does not exist.

seisdedos wrote: Altruism does not exist.

Do you know that for a fact or is it just your opinion?

viajero wrote:

seisdedos wrote: Altruism does not exist.

Do you know that for a fact or is it just your opinion?

Why do you ask?

viajero wrote:

seisdedos wrote: Altruism does not exist.

Do you know that for a fact or is it just your opinion?

I would suggest that you take a guess...you'll probably be right.