A housemaid is suing her former boss for nearly £240,000, claiming the financier failed to pay her the minimum wage when she worked for him.
Elvira Macato was a live-in maid for Francis Menassa, the CEO of London-based wealth and asset management firm Jar Capital.
She worked at his home in well-heeled Oxshott, Surrey, from May 2004 until January last year and her duties included cleaning, cooking, ironing and looking after his three children, legal documents state.
But, her lawyers claim, she was only paid £24,740 over the last four-and-a-half years, the equivalent of just over £100-a-week.
In a case lodged at the High Court, Ms Macato, originally from the Philippines, claims she worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week, without being paid what she was entitled to.
Housemade Elvira Macato is taking her former employer Francis Menassa to court claiming she was only paid the equivalent of £100
The former maid, who now lives in Edgware, north London, says she cared for his children if they woke up during the night – which included feeding, comforting and changing the youngest when he was a baby.
And she says she had to prepare food and drinks when her employer entertained guests and was not allowed to sleep until everything had been cleaned up after the event.
She also claims that, in her 11-and-a-half years working for Mr Menassa, she took only two months and two days of holiday.
Her lawyers contend that she was not paid enough and is now owed £236,170 in back pay.
Mr Menassa, pictured with his wife Sotiria, has denied her claims in a separate employment case
Mr Menassa’s defence was not available from the court and Ms Macato’s case has yet to go before a judge.
But he has vehemently denied her claims in a separate employment tribunal case – which was postponed for at least three months in August.
At a previous hearing in that case, Mr Menassa said Ms Macato worked just eight hours a day and was ‘treated like a family member’.
He also told the tribunal the proceedings were causing ‘huge anxiety and stress’ to him and his wife, Sotiria.
Julian Milford, Ms Macato’s lawyer, states in the writ: ‘The defendant failed to pay the claimant for her work at a rate equating to the national minimum wage and the claimant has suffered loss and damage accordingly.’
He adds: ‘Ms Macato was responsible for looking after the defendant’s three children when they were not at school or nursery; cleaning, tidying and carrying out general housework in the defendant’s family home, preparing and cooking meals for the defendant and his family, clearing up after meals, doing the family’s laundry and carrying out any other domestic tasks that might be required by the defendant or his wife.
‘She was responsible for caring for the defendant’s children if they awoke a night, including feeding, comforting and changing the defendant’s youngest son. She often slept with the defendant’s children in order to do so.
Ms Macato says she worked for the financier after he moved to this lavish Surrey home
The legal claim continues: ‘She was responsible for assisting the defendant’s family when they entertained, by variously caring for the defendant’s children, waiting on guests, preparing food and drink as required, and cleaning. She was not permitted to sleep until clearing up after the event was complete.
‘She was expected to work during the weekend as during the week. At weekends she would be expected to carry out the same household tasks but would have further childcare duties as a result of the children not attending school or nursery.
‘Save for a break of two months and 10 days that she took to return to the Philippines in 2009, and two other days off, she did not receive annual leave during the 11 years and 263 days that she worked for the defendant and his family.’