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Cleaners at millionaire MP's West London home 'paid less than minimum wage' while one is 'still owed
Tory MP's housekeeper says she was treated like a SLAVE and took legal action to get paid
ATory MP’s housekeeper today says she was treated like a slave, suffered insults, was reduced to tears and had to take legal action against the politician’s wife to get paid.
Hazel Settas was given rigid instructions on answering the phone within four rings, how long to run the tap – and even how to arrange avocados in the fruit bowl.
She says she “worked like a dog” for ex-justice minister Jonathan Djanogly and wife Rebecca.
The live-in housekeeper was on duty from 7am to 7pm – but sometimes worked to 11pm.
But Hazel, 32, claims Mr Djanogly, 57 – MP for Huntingdon, Cambs, from a family worth £300million – looked down on her as “not even a human”. And his wife, claims Hazel, allegedly said: “My husband’s an MP, you’re worthless.”
Hazel is one of two women who successfully took Mrs Djanogly – under her maiden name of Silk – to court for pay due to them.
The second woman even sought help from the Salvation Army’s modern slavery unit.
A judge concluded pay had been withheld in both cases. The women worked at the MP’s £7million West London home after answering Gumtree ads for a £20,000-a-year housekeeper.
Hazel, who was employed in 2020, told the Sunday Mirror: “It was slavery... especially when she used to click her fingers, that’s slavery right there... I’ve got a name, use my name.
“I did feel angry, devastated actually. I applied for a role that turned out to be something else.
“I just had to bow down to anything she said. I couldn’t speak up. The easiest way to describe it is how you think a slave would work.”
Hazel said the MP’s wife would shout “hurry up, hurry up” at her. She also claimed Ms Silk told her: “If you lose weight, you’ll be quicker.... this is my house, this is my rules, if you don’t like it you know where the door is.”
Hazel said she wrote to the MP to chase unpaid wages.
Mr Djanogly – who once went on the record with concerns about modern day slavery – replied by email: “Sorry to see that things did not work out for you. I am neither the employing person nor do I have knowledge of the issues you discuss in your message. The employer is Ms Rebecca Silk.” Hazel spoke out after judgments concluded she and the other housekeeper had been denied earnings.
A judge ordered Hazel be paid £886. Hazel said she was first offered a £150 settlement by Ms Silk via the ACAS service.
But she rejected the deal, which came with a confidentiality clause.
In the case of the second housekeeper, a written judgment declared Ms Silk, 56, “sought to deprive” her “of important rights available to workers and employees”.
The woman, who we are not naming, worked in an identical role as housekeeper in the spring and summer of 2021. After the judgment last June, she was awarded £3,148 in unauthorised wage deductions, overtime and annual leave. Ms Silk had denied unlawful deductions and any holiday pay shortfall.
The judgment said the housekeeper had to follow detailed orders.
These dictated “the rotation of avocados between the fruit bowl and the fridge”, “counting cutlery”, “how to carry items from the coffee table to the sink”, and “how to clean stools”, it was said.
Instructions for how to do laundry ran to a page-and-a-half, including “setting alarms and sending texts about collection of dirty clothes”.
The woman was described as “an impressive witness” by the judge. After leaving her job at the Djanogly home she sought help from the modern slavery support unit at the Salvation Army. She quit her job after being off sick for four days and was offered emergency accommodation by the charity.
Case paperwork says the woman had only £80 to her name when she took the job at the Djanogly home. In her case, the judgment says that “unknown to the claimant, the respondent was monitoring her work on CCTV”.
The housekeeper was required to be home at 11pm on any night before she had work the next day. It was also understood that she would be within 15 minutes’ walk of the Djanogly home at other times.
The judge said: “The whole picture is of the respondent retaining a very substantial degree of control over the claimant.”
The judge concluded there were £2,203 of unauthorised deductions, plus £481 of holiday pay and £463 breach of contract overtime due.
Mr Djanogly – son of textiles tycoon and art collector Sir Harry Djanogly – did not respond to a request for comment and yesterday there was no answer at his home in West London.
The Conservative Party declined to comment.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/tory-mp-s-housekeeper-says-she-was-treated-like-a-slave-and-took-legal-action-to-get-paid/ar-AA177eVN?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=dfaec2601b2243b6934f18447eae787c
ATory MP’s housekeeper today says she was treated like a slave, suffered insults, was reduced to tears and had to take legal action against the politician’s wife to get paid.
Hazel Settas was given rigid instructions on answering the phone within four rings, how long to run the tap – and even how to arrange avocados in the fruit bowl.
She says she “worked like a dog” for ex-justice minister Jonathan Djanogly and wife Rebecca.
The live-in housekeeper was on duty from 7am to 7pm – but sometimes worked to 11pm.
But Hazel, 32, claims Mr Djanogly, 57 – MP for Huntingdon, Cambs, from a family worth £300million – looked down on her as “not even a human”. And his wife, claims Hazel, allegedly said: “My husband’s an MP, you’re worthless.”
Hazel is one of two women who successfully took Mrs Djanogly – under her maiden name of Silk – to court for pay due to them.
The second woman even sought help from the Salvation Army’s modern slavery unit.
A judge concluded pay had been withheld in both cases. The women worked at the MP’s £7million West London home after answering Gumtree ads for a £20,000-a-year housekeeper.
Hazel, who was employed in 2020, told the Sunday Mirror: “It was slavery... especially when she used to click her fingers, that’s slavery right there... I’ve got a name, use my name.
“I did feel angry, devastated actually. I applied for a role that turned out to be something else.
“I just had to bow down to anything she said. I couldn’t speak up. The easiest way to describe it is how you think a slave would work.”
Hazel said the MP’s wife would shout “hurry up, hurry up” at her. She also claimed Ms Silk told her: “If you lose weight, you’ll be quicker.... this is my house, this is my rules, if you don’t like it you know where the door is.”
Hazel said she wrote to the MP to chase unpaid wages.
Mr Djanogly – who once went on the record with concerns about modern day slavery – replied by email: “Sorry to see that things did not work out for you. I am neither the employing person nor do I have knowledge of the issues you discuss in your message. The employer is Ms Rebecca Silk.” Hazel spoke out after judgments concluded she and the other housekeeper had been denied earnings.
A judge ordered Hazel be paid £886. Hazel said she was first offered a £150 settlement by Ms Silk via the ACAS service.
But she rejected the deal, which came with a confidentiality clause.
In the case of the second housekeeper, a written judgment declared Ms Silk, 56, “sought to deprive” her “of important rights available to workers and employees”.
The woman, who we are not naming, worked in an identical role as housekeeper in the spring and summer of 2021. After the judgment last June, she was awarded £3,148 in unauthorised wage deductions, overtime and annual leave. Ms Silk had denied unlawful deductions and any holiday pay shortfall.
The judgment said the housekeeper had to follow detailed orders.
These dictated “the rotation of avocados between the fruit bowl and the fridge”, “counting cutlery”, “how to carry items from the coffee table to the sink”, and “how to clean stools”, it was said.
Instructions for how to do laundry ran to a page-and-a-half, including “setting alarms and sending texts about collection of dirty clothes”.
The woman was described as “an impressive witness” by the judge. After leaving her job at the Djanogly home she sought help from the modern slavery support unit at the Salvation Army. She quit her job after being off sick for four days and was offered emergency accommodation by the charity.
Case paperwork says the woman had only £80 to her name when she took the job at the Djanogly home. In her case, the judgment says that “unknown to the claimant, the respondent was monitoring her work on CCTV”.
The housekeeper was required to be home at 11pm on any night before she had work the next day. It was also understood that she would be within 15 minutes’ walk of the Djanogly home at other times.
The judge said: “The whole picture is of the respondent retaining a very substantial degree of control over the claimant.”
The judge concluded there were £2,203 of unauthorised deductions, plus £481 of holiday pay and £463 breach of contract overtime due.
Mr Djanogly – son of textiles tycoon and art collector Sir Harry Djanogly – did not respond to a request for comment and yesterday there was no answer at his home in West London.
The Conservative Party declined to comment.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/tory-mp-s-housekeeper-says-she-was-treated-like-a-slave-and-took-legal-action-to-get-paid/ar-AA177eVN?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=dfaec2601b2243b6934f18447eae787c
Comments
Dickensian working conditions imposed at MP Jonathan Djanogly’s home are outlined in written instructions revealed by Hazel.
Orders running to more than 100 words addressed the ripeness of avocados. They said: “Check the avocados in the bowl & put any that are slightly soft into the fridge.
“Check to see if there are 8 soft avocados in the fridge... if not add up the missing number of soft avocados and put this number of hard avocados into the fruit bowl.
“So if there are 2 soft avocados in the fridge put 6 hard into the bowl. Or if there are no soft avocados in the fridge put 8 into the bowl. If we have less than 8 avocados in total put on shopping list. Now review soft avocados – If there are any that you... will not eat today and that are unlikely to last till tomorrow then let RD [Rebecca Djanogly] know by WA [WhatsApp].” Housekeepers also had a “morning priority items” list instructing: “PLEASE DO TASKS IN ORDER SHOWN.”
The housekeeper was instructed to clean the bottom of her shoes “with kitchen roll if there are solids... but just a damp blue cloth if no solids and dry the bottom with a dry cloth”.
Of hand-washing, the order read: “Don’t turn on the tap till you have finished cleaning hands with the liquid soap.” Another note said: “The idea of the chart is so you know if I’m happy. If the chart is done then I’m happy. It’s [sic] a big house and you cant [sic] remember everything so please stick with the chart and take it round with you... don’t tick before you’ve completed line on the chart. Let me repeat… don’t tick before you’ve completed the line on the chart.”
Certainly not the MP/his wife. Who seem to care rather more for avocados than housekeepers.
But also not the whiny ex-employee. Not for getting her unpaid wages. Which was £886. For going to the papers and sensationalising everything.
Brave decision by them given they were live in staff must have been h£ll working there.
Treat staff fairly and with respect they will voluntarily work harder for you.
Treat them like Slaves they rebel ...can't set the dogs on them now-a-days.
I dont think think you can say for a minute that it reflects badly on the housekeepers.
They were victims.
There doesnt seem to be any evidence that either of them approached the press.
Isnt it possible that the story was picked up subsequent to the court cases?
The first case was only employed for two weeks, and may have been approached by a reporter to make the story bigger.
Yet the family are completely unsuitable employers.
ps £886 is a fortune for someone whose net worth prior to starting the job was £80.
Pretty much all of us have worked for employers that were less than ideal. And pretty much all of us either comply, or look for another job. In some cases, go to an Employment Tribunal.
But never the Press. Particularly not with your face and name at the top. Simply because prospective new employers are able to use google.
The second woman wasnt named.
I am not sure that you can say that they approached the press.
Maybe an eagle eyed court reporter spotted the case on the list.
I imagine they are quite a famous local family.
Its a bit of a mess for a Tory MP.
I expect they wish they had paid them properly.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/cleaners-at-millionaire-mp-s-west-london-home-paid-less-than-minimum-wage-while-one-is-still-owed-450/ar-AA17ogRc?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=f1f0a6ec5192422ab521ee33e621deaa