{"id":12249,"date":"2017-04-21T10:00:28","date_gmt":"2017-04-21T14:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gtm.com\/household\/?p=12249"},"modified":"2020-05-22T13:02:21","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T17:02:21","slug":"work-agreements-for-household-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtm.com\/household\/work-agreements-for-household-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"Work Agreements for Household Employees"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"workWork agreements for household employees<\/a> are detailed outlines of the employment engagement. It establishes a clear understanding between you, as the employer, and your employee regarding their duties and responsibilities and helps reduce the likelihood of issues and misunderstandings during their employment. A household employee work agreement<\/a> will also set the tone of your working relationship with open and clear communications.\u00a0No matter is too small, because it all goes to one thing\u2014the smooth operation of your household. This is how you set the stage for success.<\/p>\n

Why create a work agreement?<\/h2>\n

A written work agreement<\/a> helps to ensure the employment of a highly skilled nanny or other employees. It protects your confidential information. If a candidate does not want to join you in developing a work agreement or does not wish to sign one that has been developed, red flags should appear immediately. Why does this employee not want to enter into an agreement that details his or her job? The actual existence of a work agreement acts as a tool for you to target the best candidates\u2014and discount those who are disagreeable.<\/p>\n

The work agreement is a cooperative endeavor, ideally to be developed (and revised) together with your employee. It provides job details, including establishing a term of employment (e.g., the nanny job may be for a one-year term, with a date to review the nanny\u2019s performance, the work agreement, and the possible extension of the employment to another year); your expectations (spell out the employee\u2019s duties\u2014be specific and include important considerations to your household, such as protecting the personal and private information contained within the home); the employee\u2019s expectations; your household procedures and instructions your employee\u00a0will use daily in the job; and the compensation and benefits.<\/p>\n

Written work agreements must meet the needs of all parties involved. It is even feasible to use a written work agreement to help determine whether an employee may be terminated without good cause <\/i>and possibly on short notice (i.e., at-will employment<\/a>). Use it as a litmus test, checking if the employee\u00a0did the tasks described in the work agreement, in the method described in the work agreement, and in the time frame specified in the work agreement.<\/p>\n

What should a work agreement include?<\/h2>\n

The following list of key elements provide an overview of the common components that are included in most work agreements<\/a>:<\/p>\n