Finding qualified home help for yourself or for an elder loved one can present issues you have not faced before. The tendency may be to hire a person used by your neighbor or a friend of a friend. Here are a few points to consider before you hire someone who will have the run of your or your loved one’s house:
It is important that the caregiver is a legitimate employee of an agency and not your employee. Be sure the agency pays payroll taxes, and all federal and state withholdings, including social security, so that you don’t have to worry about these things. Thus, they assume total liability for these items for any staff member assigned to you.
A reputable agency will also:
• have Worker’s Compensation insurance in force that takes full liability for employee injuries that occur at the client’s premises or during work time;
• perform background checks on their caregivers that include driving record, credit bureau report and criminal background check;
• have general liability insurance and also unowned auto insurance;
• have bonding (honesty insurance) for their employees;
• have close follow-up with the client and caregiver to ensure mutual comfort and satisfaction with the services being provided.
For more information, contact CarenetLA in Santa Monica at 310.393.1282.
