Am I being unreasonable?

[Lady Murasaki]

I would recommend that you send out formal letter to her if you are not getting any joy from calling or texting, stating that she needs to:

1. Confirm by a XX date that she is wanting the self employed position you are offering her
2. Outline her start date at the salon
3. Outline the rent she needs to pay you and when
4. Confirm the to and from dates for pre booked holiday she wants to take
5. If she does not get in touch by XX date that you will asume that she nolonger requires the position and it will be offered to anothr candidate.

Send recorded delivery

 

[CHarvey]

God knows what I'm going to do now tho! Like u said, trying to find someone between now & Xmas is gonna be unlikely as I've had so many people mess me around over this last month. I only work part time as I have an 8 month old baby but I'm considering asking my mother in law to have the time off work (which I know she won't mind) and working full time myself for Christmas x

Give her the benifit of the doubt? It's ONE week vs the possibility of having no body for the whole of December!you could argue that since its you business then YOU should be working full time if your that desperate to have someone there for the whole of Dec to make sure your not turning clients away..I don't by the way, judge your decision to work part time with a baby, but it may sound hypocritical to some for you to be shouting off about someone wanting a week off in December when you are trying to build up a new business when the salon owner choses to only work part time?

 

[Lisgxxx]

Although I only work in salon part time it's me who's walking the streets with baby in the pram handing out leaflets and posting them through doors and speaking to shop owners. I say I'm part time but I'm still doing 4 days in Salon & the rest I'm buying stock, handing out leaflets, & trying to get word out. I don't ask them to do any of this x

 

[Nails<3]

I think it's quite unfair for you to expect her not to have her time off but you only work part time in the salon.

If a salon owner is worried that they would be turning away trade due to the tech being off then surely you should be in there full time making sure that it does not happen.

You can't dictate when a self employed staff member is in the salon and you only work 4 days. What about the other 3? I'm sure you can fit in the clients on the other 3 days for just a week whilst the girl has to have a week off?

If I was told I couldn't have a week of for family commitments and the salon owner was only in the salon for half the week then I would be angry and wouldn't even bother continuing working there. It's your salon, you are responsible.

 

[MrsHBeauty]

As a salon owner you can work how often you like, you have self employed people in there so you don't have to! I feel the OP has been unfairly judged by a lot of posters.

She has not once said how she dictates to her self employees staff, she mearly asked if it was unreasonable to be a bit annoyed by someone wanting a holiday in December. Which I think is not unreasonable but may unlawful if you say no.

She is self employed so you have no control (which you are aware) but I do think you may not hold the same work ethics as each other which mean you may run into trouble in the future.

I work part time in my salon as a therapist but that doesn't mean I do not work a zillion more hours at home, up til 2 am some nights.

I think the OP had had her question answered and doesn't have to justify herself anymore. I think there is a clear divide and it's quite obvious who are self employed and salon owners by the attitudes of replies.

My advice is suck it up and see how she goes, make sure there's someway out of the agreement after 3 months. She will be there for the rest of December which will be better than if you had to look for someone else.

 

[Lisgxxx]

I don't have a choice as I have no one to look after my little boy. But that's a whole other debate. I'm just trying to do my best to earn money for my little family. And some of u might say, why open a salon when I have such a small baby. Well that's my choice. The salon is open 5 days a week so I only have one extra day off and again I havent dictated hours to these girls they can choose their own.

 

[persianista]

Just sat here and read this thread, phew!!

I have tried the "chair renter" route, and for a salon owner it presents more problems than it solves. You earn very little, give away clients, and cannot cover opening hours properly.

What about employing a stylist on 40/60 with guaranteed min wage only? you can then dictate hours/terms without it costing you much.

As for time off in December, I get where you are coming from. Someone once said to me there are employers and there are employees. Some people are only ever going to be employees and are not capable of seeing a business perspective.
I see it a lot on this forum. People who niggle over 15 minutes pay, over being asked to do things that are not exact on their job description etc.
You really cannot judge an "employee type" from your perspective as an "employer type". They are never going to be on the same page as you.
(It's this philosophy that has got me through 13 years of employing hairdressers which is akin to herding cats)

 

[Lisgxxx]

And also there's all the behind the scenes stuff that needs doing like banking, book keeping, stock ordering ect so although their job finished when the salon doors close, mine doesn't so as the other poster said, its up to me when I work. Yes being self employed they have book keeping to do but as I said before they use my stock and I give them an invoice at the end of each week so again I've made life easier for them as that's all they need to put in their books x

 

[Lisgxxx]

Just sat here and read this thread, phew!!

I have tried the "chair renter" route, and for a salon owner it presents more problems than it solves. You earn very little, give away clients, and cannot cover opening hours properly.

What about employing a stylist on 40/60 with guaranteed min wage only? you can then dictate hours/terms without it costing you much.

As for time off in December, I get where you are coming from. Someone once said to me there are employers and there are employees. Some people are only ever going to be employees and are not capable of seeing a business perspective.
I see it a lot on this forum. People who niggle over 15 minutes pay, over being asked to do things that are not exact on their job description etc.
You really cannot judge an "employee type" from your perspective as an "employer type". They are never going to be on the same page as you.
(It's this philosophy that has got me through 13 years of employing hairdressers which is akin to herding cats)

That's a good idea.. So do you pay minimum wage & then give them commission on what they take for the salon? At the moment I have them on a 49/60 split on a self employed basis. I have always found this works great (and I've always worked in salons like this) until now x

 

[Lisgxxx]

Sorry 40/60 x

 

[Lynne Baker]

They don't care how much work you put in. As an owner of two businesses people think I'm loaded, ruthless, hardnosed and driven. Only 3 of those are true.
With regard to your being in the salon only part time, whilst it's utterly galling to even consider it, your employees will ALWAYS believe that you're swanning around being a yummy mummy, a lady wot lunches, watching Judge Judy and raking it in.

 

[persianista]

No, they either would get the 40% or minimum wage, whichever is the greater.

 

[persianista]

Eg if they take 1000, you pay 400 minus tax and ni, if they take 400 you pay min wage as it would be higher.
A payroll company will work it out for you for about £5 per employee per month, so employing doesn't have to increase your workload too much.

 

[Lisgxxx]

That's great thanks ill look into it x

 

[izzidoll]

I am so glad the OP stuck with this thread and our site to read the helpful constructive and non judgemental advice that Lady Murasaki, Persianista and Lynne Baker have taken time to post....I am sure a lot of geeks will learn from them, and I don't just mean about employing staff

 

[CHarvey]

I am so glad the OP stuck with this thread and our site to read the helpful constructive and non judgemental advice that Lady Murasaki, Persianista and Lynne Baker have taken time to post....I am sure a lot of geeks will learn from them, and I don't just mean about employing staff

With all due respect, of which I have plenty, I was not judgmental I was trying to get the OP to see how the potential"employee" (couldn't think of another word lol) may see things. She asked the question and I answered. To judge someone's work ethic on their wealthy background, car they drive and the fact that they are committed to attending a family event is especially unfair when your own commitment to your family comes first. :-(

 

[PaulineM-Mobile]

I'm certain this girl is not the one. Don't waste anymore time on her, you'll find someone that fits into your salon better.
P x

 

[stephanie_87]

I just feel I should apologise for my earlier post of which I didn't mean to offend, but think I did. I get quite aggravated by a lot of posts I see on this forum and so normally don't get involved but after a VERY long week I put in my two pennies worth and probably should have kept it to myself or replied when I was less exhausted. I am a salon owner, my salon is open 62 hours a week, I have no staff and work every single hour single handedly and when I have done those 62 hours I do all the 'behind the scenes stuff' this is why I get up on my high horse, but I shouldn't. I choose to do all those hours because I am tight and want to turnover as much as possible to plough back into the business. This lifestyle is my choice and I should not have taken it out on someone with a different way of running their business to mine. My apologies

 

[mollie1985]

I just feel I should apologise for my earlier post of which I didn't mean to offend, but think I did. I get quite aggravated by a lot of posts I see on this forum and so normally don't get involved but after a VERY long week I put in my two pennies worth and probably should have kept it to myself or replied when I was less exhausted. I am a salon owner, my salon is open 62 hours a week, I have no staff and work every single hour single handedly and when I have done those 62 hours I do all the 'behind the scenes stuff' this is why I get up on my high horse, but I shouldn't. I choose to do all those hours because I am tight and want to turnover as much as possible to plough back into the business. This lifestyle is my choice and I should not have taken it out on someone with a different way of running their business to mine. My apologies

I think sometimes a lot of people take their frustrations out on people on here asking genuine questions and they normally don't apologise so I thinks it's very professional and nice of you to write that xx

 

[hair206]

I would find someone else to to rent off you.

As xmas is a busy period and you would think that starting her business she would be there to get her name out there.

Shes not taking it very seriously in my eyes, If she had things planned why didnt she say straight away when she first spoke to you so you could make your mind up whether to keep the job posted.

You have got to think about your salon aswell, even though shes self employed and can do what she wants its not suiting you and she doesnt share the same views and wotk ethics as you which may cause problems later on.

You will find someone, keep looking!