Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
C
Csbbtn Asked January 27, 2024

How to ask a former employer's son for compensation after caring for his mother for 18 years?

I worked for a lady for 18 yrs and she passed away in 2021. I really thought that I would get compensation for being a loyal employee .

BurntCaregiver Jan 28, 2024
You were regularly compensated for being a loyal employee. That compensation is called wages (money). You received wages (money) from the person or person who employed you for 18 years in exchange for you providing caregiving services.

Your employment ended. Your former employer(s) don't owe you anything.

You didn't work for free for the last 18 years because you're not a slave or an indentured servant with an 18 year term of indenture.

If you did work without being paid for the last 18 years that's on you and no one else.

Hothouseflower Jan 28, 2024
I am going to assume that you wanted a severance package for when your client passed away because I cannot believe you weren't being paid for 18 years of employment.

It's been three years, you are not going to get anything. Realize that and move on.
BurntCaregiver Jan 29, 2024
@Hothouseflower

I don't think any caregiver has ever gotten a severance package in the entire history of homecare work. This kind of work does not have severance packages.
The client died and that's the end of the posotion.

ADVERTISEMENT


JoAnn29 Jan 28, 2024
I do hope you were paid. You never work free for compensation later unless it's in writing, signed and notarized in a lawyers office. It would have been nice if the client had left you something or even the son compensated you in some way but neither of them owe u anything if you were paid for time worked. Are you saying you never received a Christmas bonus, little gifts now and then? You were not given something of hers when she passed?

After 18 years of private care maybe there was no money. Maybe everything had been set up as beneficiaries to bypass probate. Put in Trust. May have had no need of a Will. If the Will was done way before her Dementia, it could not be changed.

Three years have gone by so I personally would say nothing.
MargaretMcKen Jan 29, 2024
If OP calls herself an 'employee', then she was paid!
Midkid58 Jan 28, 2024
Assuming you were paid at the time--then you are made whole, so to speak.

Sometimes CG's are mentioned in wills, most often, they are not.

I would NEVER presume to ask. Also, if she passed 3 years ago? The will has probably been done and the inheritance long since divvied up.
BurntCaregiver Jan 29, 2024
@Mid

Sometimes we are mentioned in wills. It's been known to happen. It does not happen if the client didn't hire you themselves though.

When adult kids are handling the client's money, there's no mention of the caregivers in the will. The caregivers are lucky if we get invited to attend the funeral and the reception after if there is one. Better make sure and take some money because they are always a cash bar and no client family is ever buying a round for mom and dad's caregivers.
lealonnie1 Jan 28, 2024
"Compensation" or "inheritance"? If you "worked" for this lady for 18 years, you were compensated. Leaving you an inheritance was up to HER, not her son.

AlvaDeer Jan 28, 2024
I am not certain if this is a "real post".
I have heretofore in my 81 years of life not heard yet of someone who does a job for 18 years that offers no compensation, and then suddenly asked, AFTER 18 years, to be compensated.

I can only say that I think your chances are not good for getting this compensation 18 years after the fact.

Your post may serve as a lesson to others to get care contracts together when the care begins.
Isthisrealyreal Jan 28, 2024
21 years, the lady died in 2021.
Geaton777 Jan 28, 2024
No matter what transpired, what you were paid (if anything) in the past or whatever, it would be unconsciounable for you to retroactively ask for "compensation" when you were doing everything on a one-way assumption.

No, do not ask, do not even broach this topic with him. Let it go and count it as a lesson learned: discuss everything upfront and get everything in writing.

Isthisrealyreal Jan 28, 2024
3 years after her death you are looking to be paid for 18 years?

Never gonna happen, even if you had a leg to stand on in 2021, it has dissolved under statute of limitations.

Besides, as you say, a former employers son, he has NO obligation to you for being his moms former employee.

Move on and learn from whatever this situation is.

Grandma1954 Jan 28, 2024
Were you paid during those 18 years? Were you paid fairly? (actually that does not matter now since you accepted the pay and continued to work)
If you were not paid for 18 years that is on you. You should have quit 17 years, 11 months and 25 days prior to her death. (this 25 days is + or - a few)
If the mother "promised" you any extra compensation and it wad not in writing, not added to the Will then the "promise" is worthless.

If you WANT to ask for "extra, a bonus" if you will then just come out and ask. The worst that can be said is NO. (and expect the NO response)

lkdrymom Jan 27, 2024
You worked for her for 18 years without pay? Or are you looking for an additional stipend due to her death?

Beatty Jan 27, 2024
Were you paid fairly during your long employement?
BurntCaregiver Jan 28, 2024
@Beatty

It doesn't make any difference if the Op was paid fairly during their employment or not.

They accepted a job and what that job offered.

Homecare workers are very rarely receive fair pay for fair work.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter