Pre-employment Checklist

Your responsibilities as an employer:
If you employ a PA or a carer in the UK you have the same responsibilities as a commerical employer. These obligations can be not only complex but also time-consuming, especially for a first-time employer. Without working knowledge of the tax system and current employment law, you are entering a potential minefield. Businesses use skilled payroll, legal and human resources professionals. Now you can too - at a fraction of the price! Subscribe to Enable Payroll and experience the peace of mind of knowing that all your pay and employment responsibilities are met - and you could get up to £325 in incentive payments from HMRC.

Employment contract:
You must provide your PA with an employment contract or a statement of the terms and conditions of her employment within two months of their starting date.

Reference check:
If you use an agency they will usually do a thorough reference check on all PAs they have on their books, but it is still recommended that you personally contact all references and verify their qualifications.

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure:
A CRB disclosure, or check, will determine whether your candidate has a criminal record and if so of what sort. You should ensure that your PA has had a CRB check done.