Top tips for Outsourcing: Get a contract in place!

Clients and VAs often complain to us about the quality of outsourcer there is out there… Here at SVA we want to promote best practice so that it reflects well on the whole industry, so we put together some tips on how to outsource your work safely.

Tip 3: Sign a contract:  This is NOT negotiable.  Before they find out anything about your business or your clients, they need to sign a confidentiality contract – it protects both you and your business.  SVA has a template for this (https://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk/va-products/), but whatever you use, make sure it’s not a US based contract, as the UK has very different laws on restraint of trade and “golden handcuffs” clauses.  Including these types of clause in your contract could very well make it null and void and unenforceable under UK law.  Additionally, you need to make sure your VA is definitely self-employed, rather than an employee – again the UK is much stricter on this than the US, so you must make sure it is very clear in the contract as it will protect you from becoming liable for National Insurance contributions etc.