Most of the time, this type of document is sufficient, especially if the employee is not particularly skilled — or if the job doesn’t pay much. However, it’s important to pay close attention to the hours they’ve agreed to work. Consider what the assistant will be working on and how often you’ll need to contact them. Consider what they’ll do, the type of person you have and how often you need to communicate for them to do their job. Time Differences It’s also important to keep in mind the time difference. Many people have their assistants work four hours within the employer’s time zone and the same number of hours in their own time zone. For example, in the Philippines, people usually go to work at 6:00 p.m. to work graveyard hours. My preferred solution to this is asking them to work from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. their time, then four more hours in my time zone. This usually ends up being a satisfactory solution for everyone. An agreement regarding hours will, as usual, depend on the job at hand. I currently employ four or five graphic designers, two of whom are working independently on the creation of unique graphics. They usually don’t need to communicate with my team, so I have them work from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. their time. When they finish those four hours, they can work any other four-hour block they choose. Allowing an assistant to choose which hours they work is attractive to them, but if you give them complete freedom, you’ll want to stay up-to-date with what hours they’re putting in. However, I don’t recommend giving them complete freedom because it can make contacting your assistant difficult. Some questions may go unanswered for 12 hours, and by then, the answer could be too late. How to Pay Virtual Assistants in Other Countries How should you pay your virtual assistants in another country? I never put mine on U.S. payroll. I also don’t deduct U.S. taxes, simply because they already pay taxes in their own country. I usually pay through PayPal, as it’s the easiest method for everyone. I don’t hire people who need their salary paid via wire transfer, or any other method that’s a hassle. When I first began hiring VAs, I did hire people who were unable to get payments via PayPal, and I sent them money via Western Union, but that was complicated and expensive. It added the inconvenience of having to go to the store, which might not always be possible or ideal.
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