Talent Gore
THE woman at the centre of the controversy related to ill-treatment of her employees, and defrauding desperate job seekers who were flown to the United Kingdom, is a British citizen.
Gladys Chingoka’s home care agency, Home Support Services, which operates in the UK, is in the eye of the storm in the dubious scheme which has left many of the Zimbabwean employees surviving on slave wages.
There are shocking claims that some of the workers, who were flown from Zimbabwe to work in the UK under her agency, are getting as lowly as £150 a month, which translates to about £1 800 a year.
That is a tenth of what the average care assistant should be getting according to the figures, which were released by nurses.co.uk in June.
“The average salary for a Care Assistant in the UK is between £17,000 and £19,000 a year, according to the latest industry statistics,” the website says.
“The average hourly rate for a UK Care Assistant is approximately between £9 and £10.
“There are quite large regional differences in pay, with Care Assistants in and around London, for example, typically earning more.
“However, this average is offered tentatively because the vast majority of care homes are operated privately, and have the freedom to offer very different rates of pay.
“Care Assistants work within the community, in a person’s home or a residential care home.
“They normally support adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health conditions or older people.
“Duties vary, but can include:
• Assistance with washing and dressing
• Making food and helping with eating
• Tailoring care according to each person’s need
• Monitoring health and any illnesses
• Checking that medications are being taken appropriately
• Managing and conducting group activities
• Co-ordinating events and outings Working hours vary and are largely shift based.
“Many Care Assistants work on a flexible or part-time basis.”
It has also emerged that Chingoka (52) is a director of two companies, Greencare 23 Limited and Home Support Services, which are both registered in the UK.
She has been director of Home Support Services for eight years.
Chingoka was appointed director of Greencare 23 Limited two years ago.
Home Support Services, which Gladys manages with her husband, Elliot Chingoka, is an agency which offers care work for adults and those with dementia, learning disabilities and physical disabilities.
Some of her workers, who are Zimbabweans who were lured to the UK on the promise of better jobs, better salaries and better working conditions, told H-Metro Gladys allegedly pays them as low as £150 per month.
They claim this is despite their contracts specifying that they will work 39 or 40 hours a week and be paid a full basic wage.
This translates to about £1 an hour for the work they would done throughout the month.
She allegedly threatens to get them deported if they expose her ill-treatment.
Chingoka is alleged to have created two pay slips, one for the government agencies and one for employees.
She is also accused of providing poor accommodation and blocking employees from taking on secondary jobs.