Tips on Hiring a Gardener or House Cleaner

When you consider hiring a housekeeper or gardener, what are the qualities you look for?

Good work ethic? Good references? Price? What about insurance? On the surface, hiring uninsured workers is certainly less expensive, but the repercussions can be costly.

Q. How could hiring an uninsured service provider cost you?

A. If a worker is injured on your property and they are not covered by their own insurance, they can sue you under workman's compensation and your home owner's insurance will not cover the cost. Unless you have a specific workman's compensation coverage added to your own insurance, you as an individual will be held accountable for the suit. For homeowners who employ several full-time domestic workers, adding workman's compensation may be the best way to go, as it protects against other kinds of suits, such as sexual harassment. For the rest of us, however, it is unreasonably expensive.

The best option is to ask about insurance coverage before hiring any kind of domestic help and employ only those who are covered, even if it means paying a higher rate. Even the best workers can have accidents. It is better to be safe than... well, you know the rest.