Business and Dealings

Q: Please advise with regard to the following aspects in connection with domestic helpers: 

1. Is it necessary to fix the daily/weekly times of work, or is it okay to have a casual arrangement, such as starting and finishing on flexible times, but getting the work completed? 

2. If there is an occasion or family function, the helpers are automatically expected and required to assist with all the set up and clean up etc. This can go up to late in the evening, even after 10 pm. Is this acceptable as part of the "understanding" between the parties that such events will come and the helpers will be required to work? 

3. The helper does not work on Sundays. If any occasion or family function falls on a Sunday, does the helper have to be separately remunerated for the Sunday work? 

4. Almost every few months, we have guests who stay for a few days. Sometimes, it is an entire family. This obviously increases the workload of the helper in many aspects, such as cleaning, washing and ironing of clothes, etc. Does this have to be separately remunerated? 

5. If in the past the worker was made to work overtime without any remuneration, or was given extra tasks which took more than the normal time, out of negligence and without realising that this was not correct in terms of shariah, how does one now make amends for this? 

If any helper worked in this manner and has left and there is no trace of the person, how does one make amends? 

6. Some helpers grudgingly accept a lesser amount than the general norm or what they are happy to work for, due to desperately wanting a job. How do I ascertain if the wage being paid is fair and I am not exploiting the helper in any way? Is there a way to determine what is fair and what is exploitation? 

7. Can salary be deducted for damage caused by the helper due to negligence or lack of due attention while engaging in the tasks? 

8. Any general advice with regard to employment and treatment of the domestic helpers will be much appreciated.

Q: If I go to the musjid and someone mistakenly took my shoe and lefts their shoe, Can I take that person's shoe?

Q: If a person purchases an item on a payment plan, agreeing to pay the price in fixed monthly installments over a set period, and the contract includes a clause stating that if the buyer defaults on any single installment, then the entire outstanding balance becomes immediately due and payable. Is such a condition valid and permissible?

Q: I work in an audit firm. One of the clients we have is a retail supermarket with over 25 companies/branches. 1 of the companies is selling alcohol. 

1. Please advise if we can do the audit of such a company? 

2. If not permissible but the audit was done previously, what must be done with the audit fee?

Q: Person A gave a person B a loan of R100 000. Person B also purchased a car from person A to the agreed value of R250 000 on a pay off basis. 

Person A decided after a few months he wants his R100 000 back and full payment of the car. By this point, person A was already paid R200 000 for the car. 

Person A then took the car back because person B could not meet the deadline for payment. 

This all transpired over 8 months. So person A is sitting with the R200 000 plus the car and never wanted to give person B a cent back claiming usage charges, insurance charges, wear and tear cost, etc. 

After much back and forth person A gave person B R25 000 back. Was this fair in the eyes of Islam ?

Q: Someone is traveling next month and due to the current war and the uncertainty of flight disruptions, he has been advised to take out travel insurance by agent and visa office. A family member has interest money which he wants to dispose off, can this be used to pay for the insurance if no claim is made?