In this situation, who is responsible for paying for medical expenses (an ambulance ride can cost a fortune) for someone you have hired to work on your rental property? Has anyone else here had a similar experience with hired help? --71.207.xxx.x

That may have been your expense especially if they sued you,may still be your problem depending on how sick he gets.I had a guy working through Labor Ready years ago do a face dive on the concrete and split his head open,my partner called an ambulance for him and that was the last we heard but Labor Ready had him on the books so who knows maybe it was put on there workers comp.Roy,it is not a big deal to put guys on the books and be legal --74.77.xx.xx

--71.184.xxx.xxx

Right now, with a labor shortage going on, the most difficult jobs for me to hire out are for 'grunt work'. If I can find someone who appears to be sober and not high on something, I will hire them just to see if they are reliable and can do the work I need. If they can't, I fire them and send them on their way. However, yesterday I came close to having to call 911 for one of them. --71.207.xxx.x

I assume the back deck was outside in the fresh, clean air. For all you know, that guy could have had something bad for breakfast or was having some kind of reaction to "medication." --50.32.xxx.xxx

This man had brought a gallon plastic milk jug with him that he claimed had pink lemonade in it. Each time he took a sip of it, he was puking it back out. These are homeless people and my town has no shortage of them. Most of them live in shanty type shacks in the woods near the river bank. When you have properties in D hoods, you see these types on a daily basis. Most of them are actually nice people and they do want to work but for cash only. --71.207.xxx.x

So I had to become SELF INSURED by posting a $250,000 bond. Or I could have spent over $100,000 a year in Workers Comp insurance premiums for workers/employee's. --47.156.xx.xx

--184.4.xx.xx

In the past I have picked up day laborers, told them what I needed, had them sign the forms, and then stopped by Dollar general and sent them in with $10 to buy their own cleaning supplies. I may still get sued, but at that point I have showed enough intent as an independent contractors that my commercial policy should step in with legal representation and coverage. Am I completely safe from loosing? No, but who is. --209.205.xxx.xx

while others find it entertaining and laughable ! --24.183.xxx.xxx

So he was drinking pink stuff out of a bottle and vomiting and you asked them to leave. OK, the bleach does not do well in the presence of ammonia. I gassed myself that way as a teen cleaning the kitchen floor. Runny nose for a week. The ammonia in this case would be from the rat urine. I would just wait this one out. --71.188.xx.xxx

If a day laborer uses his or her phone (they all have Obama Phones with free minutes) to call 911 for an ambulance, that $1,000.00 ride to the emergency room is FREE and all services rendered at the ER is also FREE because they are indignant. Now, if I were the one to make the 911 call, according to you all, their indignancy would make no difference and I would be on the hook for all medical expenses? This sounds ridiculous. I am talking about a simple 911 phone call here and who pays when the ambulance arrives and why it makes any difference as to who made the call. People who are indignant get everything for FREE. Are you all not aware of this? --71.207.xxx.x

Roy,i am well aware they get everything for free,i am also well aware they should be on the books,do you have a labor ready in your town? or a similar company who provides legal day workers?the system doesnt care that they want cash.You should consider finding someone part time or full time and put them on the books --74.77.xx.xx

These 2 homeless people I hired yesterday were 2 people I have hired before to remove furniture from a house during an eviction, but after yesterday, I think that will not hire them again. I thought the man was going to faint or pass out after he told me his blood pressure was unstable and could be at an elevated dangerous level. That was when I canned him and his old lady. --71.207.xxx.x

Roy,yes Labor Ready in my city is a spot the bums can go and guys like us go in and hire them for the day,yes they cost $25 an hour but they are covered by workers comp,i am serious you should find someone who will work for you regularly on the books --74.77.xx.xx

I can’t answer the legal question, but what Sid said is the way I think. You want to save money, you take your chances. In reality, I think that it will come down to whether you were “negligent” by not providing a safe work environment. Bleach fumes can be toxic, but as they were outside, this risk is mitigated somewhat. It’s not clear how much bleach was used, how hot the weather was, what the worker had to eat, whether they were on drugs or drunk, etc….those would all be factors.Maybe find a safer cleaning agent in the future, and as Sid said….step up to higher quality workers. --99.92.xxx.xxx

Roy,how much do you pay these people --74.77.xx.xx

And the grunt worker I had 2 years ago is in prison now for vehicular homicide. The pickings are slim here due to the government passing out free money in the form of S.S.I. disability checks. --71.207.xxx.x

Do these people work in or around occupied houses of yours? or have access to keys to occupied units? You do realize if they do something stupid or even say something against fair housing rules you can be held responsible? --74.77.xx.xx

BTW,...you seem to be overly concerned about fair housing rules. Why is this? --71.207.xxx.x

Roy,I am concerned about fair housing rules after all the stories i hear where testers go talk to maintenance people trying to trip them up and paying people to try to trip up landlords etc.I have never been accused of violating fair housing but keep in mind i dont trust the govt and i see no reason for fair housing rules to begin with,i feel that an owner should be able to reject anyone for any reason since it is his house he should be making the rules concerning his house --74.77.xx.xx

You understand what works for your business. Stay the course. --206.84.xx.xxx

Yes, I will take your advice and just stay the course. --71.207.xxx.x

If you live in a RED state or city, your odds of getting sued are probably akin to getting hit by lightning. --72.231.xxx.xx

Learn how to take pulse readings glancing at your wrist watch, and back to their face - did you offer some water bottle? --76.190.xxx.xxx

BRAD --73.103.xxx.xxx

Do you need an example? Donald Trump is a landlord (among other things) and he has been charged or accused with every crime in the book. But will he ever get convicted by a jury of his peers? No he will not and never will. The man has survived 2 Impeachments and that should tell you something. --71.207.xxx.x

I think I could write a book now about what I have learned from being around homeless people. --71.207.xxx.x

Robert, your advice is way off. First of all, absent a contract, there is no requirement if having a just cause to fire someone. Employment at will. Second, just because someone gets sick while at work does not mean that the work caused the illness. If you contract the flu and need to be taken to the hospital the next day from work, is that your employer's responsibility to cover the cost of your treatment? --73.194.xxx.xxx

Until the workers show evidence that they suffered from diarrhea and vomiting, and could successfully prove that I caused both, I wouldn't pay. --108.69.xxx.xxx

Also, they're day laborers. Doesn't that mean they're paid by the job? Looks like Roy paid them for the work they did and pronounced the job finished. The term "firing" may not apply if they aren't considered employees. --108.69.xxx.xxx