[Mrs Nicholls]

Hi

I know its not december yet, but just wondered, if staff are out cleaning and a custy has left a tip or bottle of bubbly or box of choccies or whatever, would you let that staff member go on their merry way with it, or ask that they bring everything into office to be shared around the team?

Some staff are saying my customer this and my customer that, as they clean there proabably more regulary than anyone else, but im of the frame of mind that the customers are the businessess not one single cleaners.

(thats if we have been good enough to get tips this year !)

Thanks
Lisa

[glenda hollis]

There are some very real tax implications here with tips and if you bring anything into the office you could be in deeper than you think as there is no denying that you knew gratatuities were been offered. If you can turn a blind eye to this one too then i would urge you to do so. Better still send out a document to ALL personelle saying that they are not to accept tips. Then let them work it out for themselves. Lisa you can be in a lot of tax bother over this so don';t get\ involved.

[turneylogan]

Who's to know unless you are a large organisation.

Also, I suppose it depends on your set up, but if you employ your own staff (as opposed to being paid by customers) is the customer's xmas pressie deemed to be a benefit in kind from you, the employer? I'm not sure.

To avoid all infighting we insist all gifts come back and are distributed fairly, but then we rotate our staff to jobs.

If the customer gets the same staff all the time then they do like to reward their cleaner and I suppose in this instance I would allow them to keep what was given for doing a good job.

I can't believe the Inland Revenue would be interested in evaluating the cost of a box of chocolates at Xmas.

[BDCS]

I' d tell the cleaners that they earn the tips or whatever themselves and unless they want you to estimate the tax and deduct it from their wages to keep quiet about it from you and the other staff. I have never ever been tipped !!!!

[glenda hollis]

Betterclean, If you reads Lisa's other posts you will see that she has had her fair share of problems with staff, both in terms of their behaviour and the legal aspects. My advice was given to her as i did because i feel this is one more thing that may come back to haunt her. Who is to say that one of her disgruntled employees is not going to contact Inland Revenue and tell them about how tips and gratuities are dealt with. And if you think they won't be interested then think again.

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:FO-mSbSQwrYJ:www.whodoiask.com/download/pdfs/service%2520charges.pdf+staff+gratuities+tax&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=uk

Any gratuities that a company divides out are subject to tax and if not done correctly NI too. My advice is to make a blanket rule -in writing and signed by staff- that any gratuities are not to be accepted. Then if a customers leaves a gift for a particular cleaner or team of cleaners, or gives them money, it is up to them to accept or refuse. It gives the individual the responsibility not the company. Lisa, do what you like, you are asking for advice, this is mine and i say it to avoid you any more complications. I can see you have enough on your plate.

[BDCS]

Thats what I just said but with less words!

[glenda hollis]

It's what i said originally only i think some people thought i was being petty. I am not being.