First Steps in Hiring YourAssistant My first action when the time comes to actually hire a new assistant is to clearly explain what the job entails. Next, I state the benefits of completing the job. Due to the multicultural and multinational composition of the VAs I employ, an important benefit for them involves giving them the day off whenever there is a national holiday in their country. If they choose to work on those days, I will pay them extra for their time. How to Pay a VA in Another Country When you decide to hire someone full time who lives in another country, you need to research the employment laws and public holidays in their country. If the person is going to work part time, this step might not be necessary. Different countries will have different laws, regulations, and customs. For example, in the Philippines, private-sector workers get a mandatory 13th-month pay at the end of the year. Apart from this, many of them are given Christmas bonuses. This is called “Bonus 13th Month Pay” and is required of owners of companies in the Philippines and of employers hiring from that country. If you have employees from the Philippines working for you, you’re required to pay this bonus to each employee. So, in December, you pay anyone who has been working for you for at least a year an entire additional month’s paycheck. I usually pay this before the holidays, so my virtual assistants have time to shop and prepare for the season. You can also consider giving that person (or people) a week or two off somewhere over Christmas. If you choose to do that, you’ll be paying them two months’ salary, even though they’re only working two weeks. If they’ve been working for you for only six months prior to Christmas, you can prorate the bonus. If a virtual assistant started in the middle of the year, you’d just pay for half of a month extra. Similarly, if the assistant has been with you for only three months, you would give him/her one-quarter of a month’s pay extra. “Work-for-Hire” Agreements and Other Paperwork A Work Made for Hire (sometimes abbreviated as “Work for Hire” or WFH) is a work agreement created by an employee as part of their job, or some limited types of work in which all parties agree
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