Freelance groom payment question

[chaps89]

I have 3 different ladies that I use as freelance grooms, all fabulous.
The 2 older ladies get paid the going rate.
However one of the ladies is just 18. Tbh she’s proving to be as good as the others so I feel guilty I’m not paying the same.
Nmw for an 18 year old is £7.49/hr. I pay £8/hr. Because of that I use her slightly more frequently.
It’s the same rate she gets paid by a local yard and she suggested that amount to me.
Would you pay her more, if so how much more?

 

[doodle]

If she is doing the same job as the other 2 and doing it just as well as them then pay her the same as them.

 

[ihatework]

I would because NMW is for employed staff, as a freelancer she has additional cost.

I’d suggest at least £10/hour to start and tell her you are really pleased with her work. It will gain you some long term loyalty!

 

[stormox]

Yes. Pay for work done not a persons age.

 

[TGM]

If you want to keep her then definitely increase her payment. I only use freelancers very occasionally for holiday cover, but when I do I always make sure I pay significantly more than the going rate so my freelancers are keen to keep coming back!

 

[chaps89]

Thanks all, that was my thinking. May mean I use her slightly less so I’m not sure she’ll end up with extra money as it were that was my only concern, don’t want to give with one hand and take away with the other! I’ll try and balance it as she deserves it from my viewpoint.

 

[eggs]

My understanding is that a freelancer sets their rate and you either agree to it in which case they do the work for you, or not in which case they don't do the work for you - rather than you dictating the rate. You can of course say that 'x' is what you are prepared to pay and the free lancer can decide not to accept the work.

NMW is really for employees and not for free lancers who have to provide their own insurance, and don't get sick and holiday pay.

As she is a good worker I would ignore her age and pay her the going rate for the job.

 

[Grassy]

When I freelanced I set the hourly rate & it was entirely up to people if they wanted to book me or not, I don’t understand freelancers being told what they will be paid, they are self employed & set their own rates the same as plumbers or plasterers etc. Self employed will always charge more that NMW as they have more associated costs like tax & insurance so I would think £8 is nowhere near enough & she should definitely be paid the same as the others.

 

[chaps89]

Thanks, I completely agree. I think as she’s quite young and just setting up she perhaps hasn’t given much thought to this. She set the price initially btw, obviously I’m happy to pay her less but I don’t think it’s right to in this instance!

 

[eggs]

Thanks, I completely agree. I think as she’s quite young and just setting up she perhaps hasn’t given much thought to this. She set the price initially btw, obviously I’m happy to pay her less but I don’t think it’s right to in this instance!

Then I think you are being fair in thinking to increase her hourly rate. May be worth having a chat with her to check that she does understand the implications of being a free lancer rather than an employee.

 

[MissTyc]

Then I think you are being fair in thinking to increase her hourly rate. May be worth having a chat with her to check that she does understand the implications of being a free lancer rather than an employee.

This!
I had to have the conversation with my wonderful dog sitter, who originally worked as an employee for a larger company then went solo.
She's excellent but inexperienced in business matters, and I feel a strange "aunt" or "big sister" duty to advise in these cases, even if that means it will cost me more. Probably from being my yard's "big sister" for so long ... If I can help, in my tiny way, build a generation of more confident, savvy and talented freelancers, then I am happy!

 

[Sugar Plum]

If you have a freelance groom who is reliable and dependable, they are worth more than minimum wage. Trying to find a replacement for her if someone poaches her will be an absolute nightmare at the moment as there just aren't enough of her sort around.

 

[hock]

£12 ph I’m paying.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Now that I'm very firmly middle aged, I see it as my duty to make sure that all/any young women I pay are fully aware of their correct market value. I nudge my farrier if she hasn't put her prices up for a year. Even the lovely young woman who collects my kids from school offered to do it for far too little money. Not because there was a queue of people willing to do it cheaper (there's no one else willing to do it full stop!) but just because she felt awkward saying a sensible number.

So in short, pay her properly, and give her the confidence to ask for a proper fee from future clients.

 

[Mari]

£15 an hour or part of an hour where I am.

 

[JoA]

Pre covid, I paid £10ph for general work ie poo picking, stables etc and £20 ph to ride. Felt she was worth every penny....and riding was farrrr more risky than poo picking. At the moment I don't need any help. However, as someone has said freelance workers should be setting their rates like any other self employed person. It's then up to the person who needs them to decide whether to pay the rate. I offered the higher rate for riding. It was the going rate for a couple of others around here and I felt she was under selling herself, especially in the riding situation.