The news is flooded with reports regarding laws, unions, and potential changes to protect domestic workers.It began in New York city with the Domestic Workers United Bill of Rights for domestic workers that passed in November 2010. They fought long and hard to impose on household employers guidelines as it relates to benefits, hours and wages, medical insurance and other protections commonly provided to other professions. However, they were unsuccessful in obtaining ALL their wish list. In preparation for this, they did study after study in the household industry interviewing housekeepers and nannies all over the State of New York to get their story. All this served to support their cause.
In Los Angeles,the struggle continues as local legislators seek the passage of the California Bill to ensure that live/in domestic workers would have the right to sleep at least five hours each night and have access to employer's kitchens to cook their own food. Advocates say that because those rights are specific to live/in caregivers, "they must be enshrined in domestic worker-specific law." Lolita Andrada Lledo, associate director of Philipino Workers Center in Los Angeles explains that the ability to cook their own food is essential for caregivers, rather than being limited to what food the elderly and ill patients are able to eat.
Regarding the right to sleep, Lledo comments that in-home workers are often denied sleep entirely, especially when caring for stroke victims and elders with dementia or Alzheimer's who have round-the-clock needs. Their hope is to put in place a law that demands there be a shift of 12 hours for each caregiver, giving the other a chance to rest.
There were other speakers who stressed the need to pass this bill to ensure domestic workers have the legal recourse for harassment and violence in the workplace.
Housekeepers all over the world are abused in various cultures ss evidenced by the many news reports. The United States has always been the frontrunner for all change. It appears domestic workers' voice will be heard as they reap the benefits of this great democracy.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Friday, May 06, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
Too Busy to Clean
Time is of the essence, but who has it these days. Unless you can afford full time help to clean up after you and every child and pet in the family, a mess is soon to follow unless of course you make it a routine. Here are some housekeeping tips to keep things running smoothly in spite of your busy schedule.
Beds – When you wake up, open up your bed and pull the sheets up and away from the bed. Open the doors or windows and get fresh air into the room. Ventilate the room for 20 minutes, stretch out the bottom sheet and then proceed to make the bed. While you are there, pick up any glasses or bottles of water, newspapers, tissues, etc.
Dusting – Get some good microfiber cloths and have them handy to use whenever you run the vacuum or sweep the floor. A good wipe down takes only a minute. Lift up the accessories and wipe on all sides of every surface.
Laundry – Clothes can pile up especially when you have children. If your hampers are full on a daily basis, try putting a load in every morning just as you wake up and perhaps are exercising and/or getting the children up and ready for school. Change the wash to the dryer (or line-dry your items) before you leave the house. If you have an extra 15 minutes, then take the things out of the dryer and lay them out flat and/or line dry. When you get home from work, you can fold and put everything away. Designate 1 day per week for the dry cleaners and 1 day per week to either wash/launder the sheets and towels.
Floors – Whether you have carpets or floors throughout the house, they have to be vacuumed or swept at least 1-3 times per week depending on how they look. Kitchen floors should be swept daily after meals and other floors in rooms can be done as needed, but no less than once per week. A quick sweep or run of the vacuum can be done in 5 minutes. Quickly put an attachment on the vacuum to collect dust from the baseboards. Choose a different room to vacuum/sweep each morning or while dinner is on the stove.
Bathrooms – A good deep cleaning of a bathroom can only be accomplished when you have at least 30 minutes in the day. You may need to address this on a Saturday or Sunday. In between, you can do the following to keep things orderly: take the trash out daily, wipe down the mirror if you see any smudges, use a squeegee in the shower, use a toilet bowl brush in the toilet, have a handy cleaning towel available under the sink to dry up the sink and polish the faucets daily. When you use the towels (hand, bath or shower), always fold/hang them neatly.
Kitchen – While making a meal, always clean up during the cooking process. This will make it easier for you after everyone has finished eating. Always clear the sink of dishes; loading and turning on the dishwasher in the evening. Clean off the kitchen table and sweep beneath and around the kitchen after every meal. Give a good wipe to the stovetop and counters. Run the garbage disposal and take out the trash. This may seem time-consuming – so you might have to enlist the help of a spouse and/or older child.
Family Room – This room is frequently used in many homes. In the evening when everyone is ready to retire, just take a moment to fluff up the pillows on the couch, put glassware or dishware from snacks and drinks away, put away DVDs, throw away newspapers, put toys back in their respective place and leave the room looking fresh and clean for the morning.
Cleaning 101 – Always put things back where they belong and as you found them. When you pass by a room and see something out of place, take a second to make it look right. Stay on top of your laundry, dusting, vacuuming and trash removal; daily attention is needed. Develop an eye for detail and organization.
The key to keeping things in order when you have a busy schedule with not a moment to spare is to do things in a timely manner and as part of a routine. Incorporating these clean up routines into your schedule can be just as natural as brushing your teeth after a meal.
http://www.TheProfessionalHousekeeper.com
Beds – When you wake up, open up your bed and pull the sheets up and away from the bed. Open the doors or windows and get fresh air into the room. Ventilate the room for 20 minutes, stretch out the bottom sheet and then proceed to make the bed. While you are there, pick up any glasses or bottles of water, newspapers, tissues, etc.
Dusting – Get some good microfiber cloths and have them handy to use whenever you run the vacuum or sweep the floor. A good wipe down takes only a minute. Lift up the accessories and wipe on all sides of every surface.
Laundry – Clothes can pile up especially when you have children. If your hampers are full on a daily basis, try putting a load in every morning just as you wake up and perhaps are exercising and/or getting the children up and ready for school. Change the wash to the dryer (or line-dry your items) before you leave the house. If you have an extra 15 minutes, then take the things out of the dryer and lay them out flat and/or line dry. When you get home from work, you can fold and put everything away. Designate 1 day per week for the dry cleaners and 1 day per week to either wash/launder the sheets and towels.
Floors – Whether you have carpets or floors throughout the house, they have to be vacuumed or swept at least 1-3 times per week depending on how they look. Kitchen floors should be swept daily after meals and other floors in rooms can be done as needed, but no less than once per week. A quick sweep or run of the vacuum can be done in 5 minutes. Quickly put an attachment on the vacuum to collect dust from the baseboards. Choose a different room to vacuum/sweep each morning or while dinner is on the stove.
Bathrooms – A good deep cleaning of a bathroom can only be accomplished when you have at least 30 minutes in the day. You may need to address this on a Saturday or Sunday. In between, you can do the following to keep things orderly: take the trash out daily, wipe down the mirror if you see any smudges, use a squeegee in the shower, use a toilet bowl brush in the toilet, have a handy cleaning towel available under the sink to dry up the sink and polish the faucets daily. When you use the towels (hand, bath or shower), always fold/hang them neatly.
Kitchen – While making a meal, always clean up during the cooking process. This will make it easier for you after everyone has finished eating. Always clear the sink of dishes; loading and turning on the dishwasher in the evening. Clean off the kitchen table and sweep beneath and around the kitchen after every meal. Give a good wipe to the stovetop and counters. Run the garbage disposal and take out the trash. This may seem time-consuming – so you might have to enlist the help of a spouse and/or older child.
Family Room – This room is frequently used in many homes. In the evening when everyone is ready to retire, just take a moment to fluff up the pillows on the couch, put glassware or dishware from snacks and drinks away, put away DVDs, throw away newspapers, put toys back in their respective place and leave the room looking fresh and clean for the morning.
Cleaning 101 – Always put things back where they belong and as you found them. When you pass by a room and see something out of place, take a second to make it look right. Stay on top of your laundry, dusting, vacuuming and trash removal; daily attention is needed. Develop an eye for detail and organization.
The key to keeping things in order when you have a busy schedule with not a moment to spare is to do things in a timely manner and as part of a routine. Incorporating these clean up routines into your schedule can be just as natural as brushing your teeth after a meal.
http://www.TheProfessionalHousekeeper.com
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Balancing Life when the Baby Arrives
Love and marriage...love and marriage! The bliss of that wedding day when the spotlight is on you. Recently being a bride for as of August 2010, the day was quite different than when 23 years ago as babies entered the relationship. There is no question that the dynamics change from romance and courtship to full attention to the care and development of a child. Working parents face another challenge of finding help for their child, functioning at work after sleepless nights, constant concern for the baby on almost a moment to moment basis. It isn't hard to imagine that there is very little time for yourself, let alone each other.
According to data from Relationship Research Institute in Seattle, conflict between parents will increase within the first 3 years of the child's birth as sex and adult conversation decrease and distance between the two is formed.
Here are some of the issues:
1) Dividing household and baby functions - who is going to be responsible for what? It isn't any different than when hiring a nanny, staff of housekeepers and other household workers. Everyone has to have a clear idea of their responsibilities. Make a list, agree to it and don't get it done.
2) Chemical changes occur in mothers through hormonal changes, nursing, and postpartum depression. These physical changes must be addressed with help from professionals.
3) Women, in particular, tend to throw themselves into the children and forget about their husbands who also need attention. Let's face it, men do not like to be ignored.
4) Attention to your own bodies and good health tend to falter behind your constant focus on the children. Everyone looks fairly fit on their wedding day with great efforts to fit into that dress and suit....but then the weight goes on and time for exercise diminishes. Not just for our spouse, but first and foremost for ourselves, it is never a good idea to let yourself go. Exercise and good eating habits is a way of life that should become routine. It isn't always easy incorporating this; however, maintaining ourselves in good shape and health is important to any relationship.
5) Finances seem to be more of a concern in any marriage, but certainly the expense of a child can exacerbate that discussion. Allocating sufficient funds for clothing, education and well-being of a child is something that needs planning and discussion.
There are numerous people out there that can counsel you through this process. These trained professionals teach you how to discuss a problem without forming criticism, maintain a healthy sexual appetite, and financially plan your lives so that money issues don't tear you apart.
The percentages of marriages that fail is greater with those who have children than childless. That in itself tells you that children are the result of issues between parents that can create a breakdown in communication, intimacy and overall friendship.
It is all about balance - your children, health, physical appearance, intimacy, finances, work and your spouse!
http://www.martaperrone.com
According to data from Relationship Research Institute in Seattle, conflict between parents will increase within the first 3 years of the child's birth as sex and adult conversation decrease and distance between the two is formed.
Here are some of the issues:
1) Dividing household and baby functions - who is going to be responsible for what? It isn't any different than when hiring a nanny, staff of housekeepers and other household workers. Everyone has to have a clear idea of their responsibilities. Make a list, agree to it and don't get it done.
2) Chemical changes occur in mothers through hormonal changes, nursing, and postpartum depression. These physical changes must be addressed with help from professionals.
3) Women, in particular, tend to throw themselves into the children and forget about their husbands who also need attention. Let's face it, men do not like to be ignored.
4) Attention to your own bodies and good health tend to falter behind your constant focus on the children. Everyone looks fairly fit on their wedding day with great efforts to fit into that dress and suit....but then the weight goes on and time for exercise diminishes. Not just for our spouse, but first and foremost for ourselves, it is never a good idea to let yourself go. Exercise and good eating habits is a way of life that should become routine. It isn't always easy incorporating this; however, maintaining ourselves in good shape and health is important to any relationship.
5) Finances seem to be more of a concern in any marriage, but certainly the expense of a child can exacerbate that discussion. Allocating sufficient funds for clothing, education and well-being of a child is something that needs planning and discussion.
There are numerous people out there that can counsel you through this process. These trained professionals teach you how to discuss a problem without forming criticism, maintain a healthy sexual appetite, and financially plan your lives so that money issues don't tear you apart.
The percentages of marriages that fail is greater with those who have children than childless. That in itself tells you that children are the result of issues between parents that can create a breakdown in communication, intimacy and overall friendship.
It is all about balance - your children, health, physical appearance, intimacy, finances, work and your spouse!
http://www.martaperrone.com
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hotels Going Green at the Expense of Hygiene
Room hygiene at hotels is becoming an issue as the world contemplates "going green" and the economy at hand. Some hotels are asking you not to throw the towels on the floor and try to use them for a more few days instead. This could also mean anything from not replacing shampoo and soap until bottles are almost empty to washing towels every other day to "not changing sheets for every new guest." Well, that is going a bit too far. A new TV ad by the Hampton Inn chain implies that other hotels are not changing sheets for new guests. Hidden cameras have also confirmed that bedspreads are not being washed regularly. The assumption is that this is not happening at a major hotel chain. However, if you plan on staying at an inn, motel or small chain of hotels, you just might end up sleeping on someone's sheets. Oy!!
http://www.martaperrone.com
http://www.martaperrone.com
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Nannies Beware: Cribs can be Dangerous
It has been a known fact for years that cribs can be dangerous for babies; in 2 months (June)we will have new construction standards for cribs. This is terrific news, but the only problem is that these rules do not cover the risk of bedding, mobiles and other toys to infants under 1 year of age. About 2,500 babies die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) each year. This figure is down from 4,000 in 1992 partly because more parents are putting babies on their backs to sleep. With regard to the bumpers, parents don't want an empty looking crib, but if these bumpers are not tied securely, it can pose a serious problem to the baby. The new crib standards are as follows: dropdown sides are completely prohibited, stronger slats, mattress supports and hardware are required. Tags with code 16 CFR1219 for full-size cribs and 16 CFR1220 for compact size cribs will indicate that the crib meets the new standards. Child care centers, churches, motels and other public accommodations have until December 2012 to make sure their cribs meet the new standards.
What is most interesting is that statistics show that the safest sleeping arrangement is to have the baby sleep the first 6 months in a bassinet or crib in the parents'room. The experts report that the theory is that the baby and parents subconsciously synchronize their breathing which keeps the baby's breathing regular.
Information like this is provided in The Professional Housekeeper training program for nannies and housekeepers.
http://www.martaperrone.com
What is most interesting is that statistics show that the safest sleeping arrangement is to have the baby sleep the first 6 months in a bassinet or crib in the parents'room. The experts report that the theory is that the baby and parents subconsciously synchronize their breathing which keeps the baby's breathing regular.
Information like this is provided in The Professional Housekeeper training program for nannies and housekeepers.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Professional Housekeeper Training Seminar NYC
The Professional Housekeeper Training NYC
Just back from NYC where we had our first east coast The Professional Housekeeper training seminar. The room was filled; from housekeepers just starting out to those with 20 years experience, from cleaning service owners to butlers and estate managers.
The day began with Allison Julian of Domestic Workers United giving us a brief history of DWU and an overview of the recent changes in New York law as it pertains to domestic workers.
With the vast array of experience in the room, the engagement was tremendous with everyone offering tips, suggestions, and sound advice on everything from cleaning issues to solving problems in the workplace.
http://www.martaperrone.com
http://www.TheProfessionalHousekeeper.com
What is overwhelmingly clear is that people working in the private service industry welcome the opportunity to have continued education.
Most gratifying to me is that with each The Professional Housekeeper training I know lives have been touched and livelihoods have been improved.
Just back from NYC where we had our first east coast The Professional Housekeeper training seminar. The room was filled; from housekeepers just starting out to those with 20 years experience, from cleaning service owners to butlers and estate managers.
The day began with Allison Julian of Domestic Workers United giving us a brief history of DWU and an overview of the recent changes in New York law as it pertains to domestic workers.
With the vast array of experience in the room, the engagement was tremendous with everyone offering tips, suggestions, and sound advice on everything from cleaning issues to solving problems in the workplace.
http://www.martaperrone.com
http://www.TheProfessionalHousekeeper.com
What is overwhelmingly clear is that people working in the private service industry welcome the opportunity to have continued education.
Most gratifying to me is that with each The Professional Housekeeper training I know lives have been touched and livelihoods have been improved.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Health Insurance Tax Credit for Nannies
The Best Nanny Newsletter recently reported how a nanny needed to get insurance desperately and did not know how to approach her employer. Tom Breedlove of Breedlove & Associates was a big help. Apparently by going to Health Reform In Action web site you can find the most affordable individual health insurance in your state. The next step would be to get your employer to send in the health insurance premiums. This cost is then considered not taxable income. Is is better to have an employer send the premiums to obtain lower taxable income than to add the health insurance to the end of the year medical expense deduction. The employer eventually benefits with tax credit. Small employers who contribute to their employer's health insurance are entitled to a tax credit. So in addition to being non-taxable form of compensation, health insurance contributions made by a nanny employer turn into tax credits.
Nannies and housekeepers are less aware of how they could obtain health insurance without costing them or their employer too much money. Their employers usually do not consider providing this benefit to their nannies or housekeepers. Since providing benefits to domestic workers is not mandatory, it is rarely discussed. In New York, the Domestic Workers United organization was instrumental in establish laws to support domestic workers. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights reforms New York State law to guarantee basic work standards and protections for the nannies, caregivers and housekeepers who keep New York families functioning. The Bill of Rights was signed by Governor Patterson on August 31, 2010 and went into effect November 29, 2010.
As it relates to "Health Benefits", the guidelines are that Employers should pay or contribute to employees' health care. This arrangement should be mutually agreed upon. Their contention is that housekeepers and nannies are particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to toxic cleaning products and also illness, and that for this reason, employers of domestic workers must provide medical insurance for the employee.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Nannies and housekeepers are less aware of how they could obtain health insurance without costing them or their employer too much money. Their employers usually do not consider providing this benefit to their nannies or housekeepers. Since providing benefits to domestic workers is not mandatory, it is rarely discussed. In New York, the Domestic Workers United organization was instrumental in establish laws to support domestic workers. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights reforms New York State law to guarantee basic work standards and protections for the nannies, caregivers and housekeepers who keep New York families functioning. The Bill of Rights was signed by Governor Patterson on August 31, 2010 and went into effect November 29, 2010.
As it relates to "Health Benefits", the guidelines are that Employers should pay or contribute to employees' health care. This arrangement should be mutually agreed upon. Their contention is that housekeepers and nannies are particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to toxic cleaning products and also illness, and that for this reason, employers of domestic workers must provide medical insurance for the employee.
http://www.martaperrone.com
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