My Role as an Employer5th May 2015

My role as an employer

• Managing your own service gives you the flexibility, choice and control to live your life as you choose.

• As an employer you also have responsibilities:• You must provide clear and accurate

information to your staff about their responsibilities and their entitlements as employees

My role as an employer

• When you have decided on the PA’s you wish to employ, the chosen candidates should undergo an induction process to ensure they are fully aware of their duties and responsibilities as well as their rights as an employee.

• You might consider a probation period to ensure that the PA is the right choice for you

• This should be identified in the employment contract.

My role as an employer

• It may be helpful to ask another PA to demonstrate some tasks with you, for example clamping your chair in your vehicle or assisting you with specific personal care tasks.

• As Leader you will do most of the training during the induction period on the job yourself as the training is uniquely personal to you.

Employee Induction

• This is the first step towards gaining an employees' commitment, Induction is aimed at introducing the job and your individual requirements to the recruit and introducing him or her to the philosophy of independent living. Induction involves showing your new employee how he or she is interconnected to (and interdependent on) everyone else on your team.

Induction Checklist

• Job description.

Philosophy of Independent Living.

Remuneration and Entitlement .Advice.

Tax information.

Principles of Safer Handling.

Sample Timesheet.

Blank Timesheets.

Induction Checklist

Procedure for Requesting and entering Annual Leave on Timesheets.

Procedure for Requesting and entering Sick Leave on Timesheets.

Procedure for Reporting Accidents / Incidents.

Use of Personal Mobile Phones during working time guidelines

The Employee Handbook

• An employee handbook is a compilation of the policies, procedures, working conditions, and behavioural expectations that guide employee actions in the workplace.

• It is a legal requirement.

• Our PA’s work with us in our homes, workplaces and communities and your employee handbook needs to reflect this.

The Burning Question

How do we fulfil our responsibilities as an

employer and still maintain autonomy and flexibility in our lives?

Policies 1

• Health and Safety Policy

• Manual Handling Policy

• Smoking/Alcohol and Drugs Policy

• Night Work and Shift Work Policy

• Driving for Work Policy

• Infection Control Policy

• Dignity and Respect Policy

Policies 2

• Fire Safety Policy• Child Protection Policy• Management of Complaints of Abuse

Policy• Confidentiality Policy• Customer Care Policy• Garda Vetting• Intimate Care Policy

Policies 3

• PA Induction Checklist

• Risk Assessment

• The Administration of Medication

• Handling Leader’s money

• Recruitment Policy

My role as an employer

• Your Circle of Support and AT will support you with these tasks.

• It is important that you as Leader understand the policies as they have been designed to support you. However we aim to ensure that they are as clear and concise as possible so that you can explain them simply to your PA’s and answer any questions they have.

Training

• All new PA’s have must do manual handling training. You should designate a percentage of your budget each year for staff training. You tailor the training offered to address the duties you need assistance with:

• Health & Safety training• Transportation of a wheelchair user and safe

clamping

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How can AT support you in your role as employers?How can we support one

another in our role as employers?

Take one small step!