Employing a PA

Finding and employing a PA

Before you engage a PA, think about:

• the support you need

• the tasks you would like your PA to carry out

• the hours you need support

• the skills and qualities that are important to you

Community Contacts can help you identify what matters to you, assist you to source a suitable PA and understand your responsibilities as an employer.

You can advertise PA vacancies through local routes, social media, the MyJobScotland PA page and the PA Network Scotland Jobs Hub.

You can also find information and advice in the Personal Assistant Recruitment Toolkit.

Your responsibilities as an employer

• providing a contract of employment, statement of particulars and job description

• arranging payroll, including payment of tax and National Insurance (you’ll need to register with HMRC)

• arranging appropriate insurance (public liability and indemnity insurance)

• providing access to a workplace pension where applicable

• arranging training where required

• providing employment support and supervision

• ensuring your PA holds a PVG (Disclosure Scotland)

Your PA will be entitled to holiday pay and statutory sick pay and will have the same rights as any other employee.

You can use Self-Directed Support Scotland’s PA Employer Doc Launch! tool to create your PA job advert, job description, training plan and employment contract in one place.

Arranging support with a self-employed PA

A PA working on a self-employed basis has different responsibilities from one you employ directly. A self-employed PA is responsible for the following:

• a self-employed PA should be registered with HMRC for tax and National Insurance purposes and is responsible for paying their own tax and National Insurance

• they should have public liability insurance to work as a self-employed PA

• they should be registered with PVG (Disclosure Scotland)  – this is a legal requirement

• they should provide invoices to the person they support for the support provided

• they should make their own arrangements for sickness and holidays

Self-employed PAs do not receive holiday pay or sick pay and will only be paid for the hours of support they provide.

See Checking your employment rights – SDS Handbook.

Building a good working relationship

As a PA employer, you’ll build a relationship with your PA that has both personal and professional aspects.

You can do this by:

• communicating clearly

• agreeing expectations and boundaries

• discussing support preferences

• being able to raise and resolve issues

• respecting each other's values and beliefs