How To Setup Contracts For a Virtual Assistant
Searching for a virtual assistant to hire? 2022 will make it simpler than ever to work remotely, thanks to the growing popularity of remote employees! However, before engaging anyone, you must make everything clear with a comprehensive virtual assistant contract and knows how to setup contracts for a virtual assistant.
A virtual assistant can be your company's final element to boost productivity and sales. But managing a new virtual assistant could present some difficulties that can be overcome by maintaining excellent communication and establishing task expectations.
This blog will lead you through the many aspects of working with a virtual assistant, including contract creation, onboarding, and performance review.
What Is A Virtual Assistant Contract?
A virtual assistant contract is a legal contract between a virtual assistant and the client or business that hires them. It specifies what both parties must undertake in plain and legal words and have the full information about how to setup contracts for a virtual assistant. This comprises:
the full range of virtual assistant services you need
the duration of their employment
the specifics of your working arrangement
the reasons for termination
You and your helper can sign the contract if the terms have been satisfied. If properly completed, your virtual assistant contract is enforceable against you and your assistant. If you're employing a virtual assistant from a firm, they'll often provide you with a sample contract in Word or PDF that you can use immediately. If not, it's simple to discover free templates on Google and start working directly.
HOW TO SETUP CONTRACTS FOR A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
A VA contract or independent contractor agreement, a legally enforceable statement that you are using their virtual assistant services for a specific amount of time, is essential even though a freelance virtual assistant is very different from an in-house employee.
Creating a productive and effective working relationship with your virtual assistant requires a legally solid contract. It's preferable to have everything in writing with a virtual assistant contract agreement rather than relying on verbal agreements, regardless of how reliable customers or virtual assistants are. You may record your expectations and the virtual assistant's understanding in this way.
Why Is A Virtual Assistant Contract Important?
Contracts with your virtual assistant ensure that you and she are on the same page, and they assist you in settling disputes and protecting both parties.
Here’s how:
1. It clarifies things and helps resolve disputes
You can specify expectations explicitly by using contracts. Everything a company owner and their VA are required to perform as part of their professional relationship will be included in a well-written contract.
You'll specify clearly:
Responsibilities of a VA
Their working hours
The requirements they must follow
The amount and procedure for payments
This makes sure that everyone involved understands exactly what is expected of them. You may then use this to settle conflicts if they arise.
When a dispute develops, you can consult your VA contract to see whether it conflicts with the earlier-described clauses. This makes sure that the majority of disagreements are resolved quickly!
2. Contracts protect your reputation
While VAs are often reliable, you'll need to take extra precautions to ensure that their work doesn't risk the image of your business. A decent virtual assistant agreement will specify in detail:
What a virtual assistant should not perform
What elements are they permitted to disclose
How much can they participate in your business
This keeps them from being in a position where they may endanger the reputation of your business or reveal sensitive information. You can also avoid any possible problems if you terminate a VA by using NDAs and non-compete terms. They won't be able to approach your competitors, steal your clients, or harm your reputation if you have these restrictions.
3. Contracts give you legal protection
The fact that VA contracts are enforceable in court is their most significant feature. As a result, you may use these contracts as evidence of an agreement in court. If something goes wrong, you won't have to rely on recollection or verbal contracts to keep you safe.
If you refer to your VA contract, you will be given all the information you need to represent yourself.. Because of this, it's crucial to get legal counsel when creating a VA contract to ensure it is thorough enough to cover all potential scenarios.
The Three Main Forms Of VA Contracts
There are essentially three types of virtual assistant contracts:
1. Independent Contractor Agreement
This is a straightforward legal document for a job or service. It emphasizes that the assistant is a contractor engaged to complete a specific task or service, not an employee. The most straightforward contract you may create is appropriate for most temporary VA assignments. This is a basic agreement, so you may adapt it to your needs using an easy virtual assistant contract template.
2. Retainer/Pricing Plan Agreement
You state that you'll pay your assistant's labor in advance in retainer agreements. In most cases, retainers are one-time payments refunded if the task isn't completed. If you're employing your assistant for a set amount of time at a set fee, this type of contract is ideal. While paying them in advance might be problematic if they don't deliver, this won't be a problem if the contract has a refund clause.
3. Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA)
NDAs establish a private working environment for you and your helper, and it legally forbids sharing personal information that relates to you and your assistant. NDAs are often employed when a tonne of sensitive information is constantly transmitted.
5 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CONTRACTS
The following information should be included in a well-written contract at a minimum and knows how to setup contracts for a virtual assistant:
1. NAMES OF CONCERNED PARTIES
Client
Virtual Assistant
2. TYPE OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANT WORK
Administrative Work
Ecommerce Support
IT Services
Specialized Services
And many more
3. COMPENSATION OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANT The agreed-upon daily or hourly fee, the method of payment, and a thorough description of the payment conditions or schedule should all be included in this part. Clients can also stipulate that any late payments should be subject to late fines, which can be a fixed price or a percentage of the amount owed, to encourage good working relationships with virtual assistants.
4. CONTRACTED PERIOD The virtual assistant contract or agreement must include the anticipated working hours per week. A provision that specifies what will happen when the rendered hours surpass the contractual weekly hours should also be included. Extra hours may be compensated as overtime or utilized as additional paid vacation time, depending on what the customer and their virtual assistant agree.
5. NOTICE PERIOD The client or virtual assistant must provide the other party with a two-week or one-month notice if they wish to discontinue the relationship before the contract expires (depending on the nature of work). Each party will have ample time during this specified period to finish outstanding obligations, turn in the necessary paperwork, determine paid pro-rata, and do other chores required to maintain commercial operations. Discuss the conditions of paying any withheld wages, if appropriate.
The client must ensure that the above information is included in the contract to save money on dispute resolution or legal protection expenses. This legally enforceable agreement enables clients to safeguard their enterprise while safeguarding virtual assistants from unfair or illegal labor practices.
Specific VA contracts have a non-compete clause to prevent conflicts of interest and safeguard sensitive information. Additionally, you can request virtual assistants to complete additional legal documents as an annex to the VA contract, such as a non-disclosure agreement for remote assistants handling confidential information and an intellectual property rights agreement for any invention or creation finished during the VA contract period.
COMPLETE HR PAPERWORK
Along with the contracts for the virtual assistants, pre-boarding requires the completion of additional HR paperwork. Payment conditions and the VA's bank information should be filed before the onboarding procedure. Virtual assistants will also need to supply information like their health declaration and internet service provider if the business offers employee perks like healthcare insurance or a rebate for internet services.
Fill Forms for Access To Systems.
Work with your IT services division to establish the accounts required for the new virtual assistant to access company software or systems. Early tool and access setup facilitate easier onboarding and training.
