What a great portrait of a very tough job. I worked for years as a maid in nursing homes and hotels and can testify that the celebrities, the wealthy conference-attendees, the ones staying in the suites tip the worst if at all.

In my gray uniform I was invisible; a not-person. Once I came out to find a guest helping herself to the bouquet of zinnias I’d brought from home to brighten my cleaning cart.

And yet try to run a hotel without us? It’s a messed up truth that the harder the work, the more vital it is for the everyday operations of any building, organization or company, the less the pay and forget about respect.

As a result I am a lifelong over-tipper. Thanks for writing this!