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WWYD Death in our Housekeeper's family

KayteeGeeKayteeGee member
in Working Moms
Ladies -
I just learned that our housekeeper (who has been with me for longer than I've been with my husband) just lost her father.  I found out because she arrived at the house Wed. morning and asked if she could come back and do her usual work on Friday as her father had just passed and she was wanting to join her family for a couple of days in our neighboring state.  Of course I said YES! Go! and don't worry about Friday, we can figure it out later.   She insisted on coming on Friday (today) and was here this morning.
My heart breaks for her, she is a wonderful woman and she has done really, really well for us/me over the last probably 8+ years. I know money is tight for her.  Would it be inappropriate for me to give her a couple hundred dollar gift card or something (I assume cash would make her feel uncomfortable??)? I know she'll have more expenses to travel to be with family, who knows if they have any money for services.   She is older and an immigrant so there's a bit of a language barrier.
I don't want to be offensive to her at all by implying that she needs money, but she has been with me A LONG TIME and though she cleans etc when I'm at work so I rarely actually SEE her (a few mins each time she comes over - weekly or more depending on our guest/social situation), I still feel like she's a bit of an extension to our family and hate the idea that she had to come home from being with her family due to money.
Mostly I just feel so sad for her and I want to help, but don't know how....
??
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Re: WWYD Death in our Housekeeper's family

  • Sept07b2bSept07b2b member
    PrivacyWanted said:
    I would absolutely give her cash. Tell her how you feel and that you want to help with any unexpected expenses
    Totally agree, and I think it's a really nice gesture!!  She will certainly appreciate it!  If you couch as covering unexpected expenses, it won't seem as weird.  
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  • mlee116mlee116 member
    I agree with PP's.  I would give her cash or check so that she could do with it what she needs to.  I think it's really generous and thoughtful of you to do this for her.  
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  • KayteeGeeKayteeGee member
    Awesome.  thanks so much for the feedback.
    I'm SURE cash would be more useful, I just didn't want to seem  - i don't know - snotty or something.

    REALLY appreciated.
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  • groovygrlgroovygrl member
    edited April 2014
    I think it is a great idea and though I didn't grow up in a culture that did that, when I worked in a different city, they used to take up cash collections a t work when someone lost a family member... At first I was kind of surprised by it but realized it was not unusual there...
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  • SunAndRainSunAndRain member
    I don't think a cash gift is snotty by any stretch! You could always include it with a card and say that it is a donation towards funeral expenses so it feels more a family gift than a handout. But I don't think she'll interpret it that way regardless :)
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  • laurakaz13laurakaz13 member
    I think that is really awesome of you.  I think she will appreciate it very much. 
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