When you hire workers to help in your home, you have to be careful to meet all of the legal obligations that come with doing so. If you fail to follow the law, you could face serious consequences, including heavy fines. To ensure you are meeting your obligations, here are some questions to consider before hiring a worker.
Are You Handling the Hiring?
You have the option of interviewing and hiring workers yourself or you can turn to a domestic staffing agency to help with the task. If you are planning to hire the workers yourself, you will have to take on such tasks as interviewing and selecting a qualified worker, conducting background checks, and setting and negotiating the pay.
If you opt to contract with a domestic staffing agency, all of the tasks associated with hiring a worker are handled for you. You will have to pay a fee, but the workers are fully vetted and you do not have to worry about such issues as handling employment taxes.
Is the Worker an Employee or Contractor?
If you have made the decision to hire a worker yourself, you have to decide whether or not he or she will be an employee or contractor. The status of the worker dictates whether or not you have to comply with certain employment laws. For instance, if you choose to hire the worker as a contractor, you will not have to provide workers' compensation insurance for him or her.
Regardless of the worker's employment status, you need to ensure you have the proper legal forms available. If not, you could have trouble proving to government agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service, the employment status of the worker.
What Are Your Expectations?
Having a worker in the home can make it challenging sometimes to maintain boundaries between you and him or her. However, it is important. Without house and employment rules in place, it could be difficult for the worker to understand what his or her responsibilities are.
Setting your expectations for the position also helps to avoid legal problems later. If the worker has to be terminated for not meeting your expectations, you do not want to be faced with a lawsuit challenging the legality of your decision.
Before deciding hiring a worker, consult with a domestic staffing agency like Coastal Estate Staffing. You can learn more about the legal issues you could potentially face and how the agency could help you avoid them.
