How to Calculate Your Maid or Driver's Salary with Leaves and Advances

Most disagreements with house help are about two things: how many days were off, and how much advance is left. A simple written method avoids both.

Step 1: agree the basics in writing

• Work, days and hours, weekly off
• Monthly salary and payment date
• Paid leaves per month (2 is common)
• How advances will be recovered
• Notice period from both sides

Step 2: count the month

• Mark A for absent and H for a half day on a calendar
• Unpaid days = absent days + half days ÷ 2 − paid leaves (never below zero)

Step 3: work out the pay

• Per-day pay = monthly salary ÷ days in that month (or ÷ 30 if you agreed a fixed month)
• Leave cut = per-day pay × unpaid days
• Net pay = salary − leave cut − advance instalment + any bonus

Example

Salary ₹6,000, October (31 days), 3 absent, 2 half days, 2 paid leaves: unpaid days = 3 + 1 − 2 = 2. Per day = ₹193.55, leave cut ≈ ₹387. If ₹1,000 advance is being recovered: net pay = 6,000 − 387 − 1,000 = ₹4,613.

Good practice

• Pay by UPI or bank transfer and note the reference
• Give a simple payslip, even a photo on WhatsApp
• Many states have notified minimum wages for domestic workers; check your state labour department

The House Help Salary & Attendance Register does all of this for you, with a payslip and agreement. Track milk and newspaper bills with the free monthly home deliveries tracker.