The holidays are right around the corner and many household employers around the country will receive requests for time off from their employees. Whether they want to spend time with family or stay home to catch up on projects or rest, providing time away from work is important. Here are some important things to keep in mind.
There’s a difference between holiday pay and paid time off.
Holiday pay means that you as the employer are giving your employee the gift of paid time off. In other words, they can take time off and still receive their regular pay. This is a big benefit for employees and employers: it gives employees the time off they want or need, and you as the employer can show that you care for and respect your employee’s hard work and their contribution to your home through the year.
The most common days for holiday pay are:
- Veterans Day
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Independence Day
Employers may choose to offer Thanksgiving and Christmas as well, or other holidays throughout the year.
When it comes to paid time off (PTO), the employee can use this however they want. For example, they might want to take multiple days off in a row for a vacation, or they can use it for sick time, personal appointments, mental health days, or something else.
Paid time off can also be used for holidays, but it doesn’t have to be. Most of the time, employers provide a certain amount of paid time off days in a year, and they are also in charge of determining if those can be saved and rolled over from year to year.
How much paid time off should you provide?
Providing enough paid time off ensures your employee has the time they need to rest and stay healthy, so they can do their job well.
Sick Days
For full-time employees, at least 5 paid sick days per year is standard; for part-time employees, 1 hour for every 30 hours worked is standard.
Paid Vacation
For full-time employees, at least 2 weeks of paid vacation per year is standard; and for part-time employees, 1 hour for every 20 hours worked is standard.
How do you handle time off requests?
The first thing to keep in mind is you will need to communicate your expectations for paid time off requests. In your written work agreement, outline your policy for time off requests including how much advance warning you require. Asking a month or so in advance is generally standard, but you may wish to require more or less time so you can plan accordingly.
Once you have received the request, reply to them in a timely manner so they can proceed or not with their plans. If approved, coordinate with other household staff and your family about the employee’s time off, so they can absorb their duties or adjust other things as needed.
It’s also important to stay flexible and if there are multiple household employees in the home, avoid favoritism. Establish a clear policy about time off requests – including any seniority rules that you set – so employees know what to expect.
The Legal Requirement
Keep in mind that currently there isn’t a federal law that mandates paid time off for your household employee. However, your city or state may have unique requirements for paid time off that you should be aware of and need to comply with. Regardless, most household employers recognize the importance of offering paid time off benefits.
Doing so helps attract and retain the highest quality employees and shows that you value their contribution to their home. Be sure you outline these benefits in a written work agreement for your employees, so there is no confusion.
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