What to do???

[supermutts]

ok I have a friend / groomer that works with me. the problem iam having is she wants her cake and eat it to. She not a real good finish groomer and always has a problem with the dog she doing and I mean all the dogs. she hates this one, dont give me this one I just dont know what she wants to groom. she get a great pay check anywhere from the slow week 500 and up to 900 ut latley more towards 900 wk. I look at it this way if your making that much money you should not need me to even show you how to groom the dog. I pay her 50% and her dogs are bathed. she wants to tell everyone what to do always comes in a mood
she doesnt help with any clean up. so today I told her that i need to change the pay day to Saturday morning instead of the end of the day on saturday. so since we would start this week she'll be paid from tues thru fri. then it would start the next week sat to friday simple that way nobody has to wait around saturdays to get paid. She freaked out said noway that will throw me off . blah blah. i almost lost it but kept my cool. iam not going to scream in my shop at an idiot basically. Ive know her for 6 years and is reliabe but I cant stand her right know. I also pay her as self employed since she basically tells me she doesnt do certian breeds ( i dont even know why she grooms well $$$$$$$$$$ is what is about for her ) and she also told me she only going to show 500 a week and that i better only show 500. week cause she wants to get her big refund at the end of the year for earned income taxes for her kids she usally get around 3 to 4 k at the end. I told her that Iam going to take taxes out but she wont be getting any bath dogs since i need to keep them all so i can cover her taxes and she said No. can anyone give me some advice beside knocking her out... I cant believe that iam having just as much problems as a boss as I did as working for another pain which stressed me out.

[scullysmom]

I know I would do an employee counseling on her just to get it in writing in case you decide to terminate employment. We have a groomer who is on 65% here. She is really good and has been grooming forever. We do however take 5.00 off of every dog she does that has been bathed and fluffed for her. I think it is only fair. Otherwise you are double paying. If you give an email either here or via message I can send our counseling template.

[Helly]

First of all, you need to determine if she's an employee or independant contractor. And I doubt she'd qualify as an IC. So if she's an employee you need to stop letting her tell you how to run your business.

Second, do NOT do anything that could put you in trouble with the IRS. You have to report her income accurately. If it's more than $500, but she only wants to report $500, you cannot be a party to that. If she wants to be guilty of income tax evasion, let her. But don't let her make you guilty of it, too.

All things considered, it sounds like you need to let her go before she puts you in jail or costs you a lot of money.

[sheilabgroomer]

Once again I agree w/Helly. Do not get in trouble w/the IRS, they can ruin your life. That **** about her wanting to show only 500 a week is a bunch of bull and illegal. You need to sit down w/this little chickee and have a face to face talk. You are the BOSS you tell HER how things are going to be or she can take her little red wagon and move it down the street! You got into business so you can have some control over your working environment (at least I assume that is one of the reasons). Don't let this "friend" dictate how to run it. Get some backbone girl and remember this person is replaceable! There are a lot of good groomers out there looking for work, you just need to put your feelers out.

[DAPER DAWG]

Sounds like my old co-worker. She told the boss she didn't want to do ANY difficult dogs any more so she didn't make her because they are friends. If she saw a dog on her schedule she didn't like would ask the boss to give it to someone else and she would.

No offense intended maybe she just feels she can get away with that because you are her friend. Have you ever told her before that wasn't the way things were supposed to work? Sometimes that is the problem of working with your friends there seems to be some "implied" but not spoken expectations that in the long run create a lot of tension.

She has it pretty good with you and should realize she wouldn't necessarily get such treatment elswhere. I was only making 50% and doing most of the difficult dogs cause they normally reacted a little better for me and I actualy loved the challenge and would clean my space and as much of the rest of the salon as I could if others were still working before I left.I also did all of my own bathing and drying.

At the first place I worked the most you could make was 45% commission because someone else bathed and dried for you and you would have to share tips. I didn't mind giving up the 5% plus share tips because they did more than their fair share of work and they were only getting paid % not hourly. I would even when I had free time bathe and dry my own dog but let whoever was next in line that would've bathed that dog write down that dog, because I didn't want to steal their commission and honestly the 5% wasn't gonna make me rich.

You do not say how long you have allowed her to work in this manner and it can be hard when you have allowed things to be a certain way for so long and then suddenly try to change it.

There is no other option but to sit down and have a conversation about how things are too stressful for you this way and what you want and need to change and keep notes of the things you discussed. At least in Connecticut the Labor Laws require 2 verbal and 1 written warning and an opportunity to change the behavior before termination.


You definitely can't lie about money made and taxes and jeopardize your business and a true friend should never put you in that spot.

[supermutts]

thanks for the suggestions. today she made a coment out of the blue. she asked the bather whos collar this was I told her so and so and she went on to ask the bather again I think I said something like I gues it doesnt matter what I say and she reply Iam an indepent contractor !! ( ???? all i said was every ne heard that right she says she indepent which i did nt get ????) I just opened my shop in june I also mention today to the gal Iam training about how some groomer get 45 % and taxes taken out she come right over and says you cant do that Its not fair just cause you need to pay my taxes your going to take it from me. I just sat there I didnt say thats what I was going to do I was taking to the other gal. like thats what I ll do with her. its just getting worse with her she calls the shots So what should I do ( besides getting rid of her ) when it comes to paying her ic or employee she wants it her way all the money and screw me either way.
she doesnt want me to take taxes but she also wants to show only 500 / wk like I said. I cant believe this. the other gal is afriend to and its just floored at the lack of respect i am getting I guess i need to blow up on her I cant talk to her without an argument.

[DAPER DAWG]

I don't know how it works in California but in Connecticut if you get a w2 you are an employee and the employer is responsible for paying the taxes. If you get a 1099 you are an independent contractor and required to file your own taxes. Either way, report the right amount, if she was raking in that much $$$$ over the year she should have saved a certain % of it to pay her taxes. Not your problem.

Although an independent contractor as the definition describes it for the purpose of Connecticut State Law is someone who independently works for another company but performs work to that companies standards.

When it comes to when both people are saying things out loud in front of others it is creating stress for everyone in the business (been there done that).

I know it's hard and easier to say than do but try and be the bigger person and tell her calmly that things need to be a certain way and if it's not conveinent for her perhaps she could find somewhere else that more meets her needs.

[Helly]

The first thing you need to do, besides getting rid of her, is sit her down, tell her "DON'T TALK. JUST LISTEN." and the procede to inform her that you do not use independent contractors. You have employees. If she wants to work for you, she works as an employee. As a business owner, and as an individual, you have no desire to run afoul of the IRS, and you will report her income accurately. If she only wants to make $500 a week, that's fine. You can see to it that that's all she makes. But you are NOT going to under-report her earnings.

I would make it perfectly clear that this is YOUR business, YOU call the shots, and she's welcome to take herself out the door just as easily as she brought herself in. But if she wishes to stay, it's going to be on your terms, not hers. And she is not an independent contractor.

[luvmybabies]

I work by myself right now. However I do plan on hiring when the need calls for it. If your friend only wants to have 500.00 a week showing. I would definetly put her on salary. It is alot better then messing around with the IRS. It will also keep you from walking that fine line between I.C. and employee too. I know that most groomers work on commission, but if you read From Problems to Profits. It makes alot of sense to switch from commission to salary base pay.
Ex:
I have a groomer friend who pays by commission. She had these 2 groomers working for her. It was like a competition every day. If one would do an extra dog one day. The next day the other one wanted an extra dog. Where as if they were salary. They would have not been trying to compete everyday.

[Arrooh]

She's useing you

She thinks because you were her friend (I say were) she can get her way. I doubt salary would work, she already doesn't do any dogs she doesn't want to. She would have that right if she was an I C though. But yeah, I would tell her what you require, document, warn just in case and shoo her out the door if she doesn't comply. While she is bringing you lots of income, you are better off with a healthy pleasant shop. Find someone who really appreciates what looks like great opportunity at your place.

[Helly]

I work by myself right now. However I do plan on hiring when the need calls for it. If your friend only wants to have 500.00 a week showing. I would definetly put her on salary. It is alot better then messing around with the IRS. It will also keep you from walking that fine line between I.C. and employee too.

Putting her on a $500 a week salary isn't going to solve the problem. She wants to MAKE the $900, but she only wants to REPORT $500 to the IRS so she can get a bigger earned income credit. That's income tax evasion.

Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't think too highly of an employee who asked me to help her cheat on her taxes. And if she demanded it, she'd be out the door so fast she wouldn't know what happened. If I ever go to prison, it's for darned sure I'll be going for something I did for myself, not for someone else.

[Gracy Rose]

My philosophy is "anyone who will cheat for you will also cheat against you".

Is this person worth you losing your business over?

[Rose's]

Sounds like your friend is causing you and your shop alot of stress. Personally
I would never let an employee or independent tell me how to run my
business. Rose's

[redbird]

the rope

You are handing her a rope to hang you with.

I would cut her loose and I don't mean next week.
Do you realize that she could report YOU?
Someone with this lack of scrupels can bite you in the back
once they don't get their way.
Don't think for one minute its about your wellfare.
I know a rat when I hear of one.
IF she will screw over the irs she will do the same to
you and not think twice.
She is already.
Friends don't screw over friends, or use them.
I don't see any redeaming qualities in a person who lies, cheats,
makes deamands, is demeaning, and trys to call the shots.
What are you thinking?

[alaina]

Okay, okay, I know this is not relevant to the point of this thread....but your groomer sometimes makes $900 a week? And she's not even that good? Damn, I am a good groomer and I have never made close to $900 a week...what the heck am I doing wrong??!!