YO's - employers obligations

[vatican]

I'm thinking of taking on a full time groom who is aged 20 and would be working 40hrs a week. I've not employed anyone before and need to be sure of the legalities. I've offered to pay her £5.20 per hour which I know is above the minimum pay rate for her age. I know I have to deduct tax and NI and pay it to the respective bodies but I'm not sure whether I am legally bound to pay into a pension scheme for her. Can anyone enlighten me on the financial obligations of an employer to an employee?

 

[LCobby]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/index.htm
has lots of useful info.
SHe could do her own pension but Health and Safety law plus Employer Liability insurance are essential

 

[FRESHMAN]

From personal experience H&S was not actually a legal requirement unless you employ 5 (or above) staff. Unless of course it has changed recently. I had to sort this one out a couple of years ago when I had a couple of trainee's. They expected me to put up signs like FIRE EXIT etc: (we did have 2 x 20ft doors at the end of each barn) I was against this because at the end of the day it is my home & a private yard. Eventually I did find that it was not a legal requirement. Employers liability is a must though, but several home insurance companies do provide this to cover say a cleaner or a gardener. It's worth checking your policy.

 

[iconique]

For the insurance, try your local NFU office, I have the employers liability insurance under my home insurance (as I live on the same site as my horses). Also try whoever your horses are insured with. I think that the NFu also have a helpline if you are insured with them and have employment questions.

With regard to paying her, if you aren't confident then find someone local who can do the calcs for you and pension is not required for 1 employee.

For the H&S stuff, as an employer you have a responsibility to ensure that as far as possible you have prevented any potential issues to the employee for their safety and health, which shouldn't be a problem. The official stuff like formal records and policies starts when you employ 5 or more. So making sure that you have done what you can including a first aid box, providing the right equipment and even information on how to lift things can protect you as her employer from being sued.

Be aware that if she has a serious accident or problem your insurers are going to ask what you did to prevent it and this is where it counts, so you need to be clear on wearing of protective gear etc and perhaps put this as part of her contract along with her duties and responsibilities. My grooms riding hat was awful, so I replaced this for her, plus I provide her with a body protector when exercising - this is just to make me happy that I have done my best to protect her and although probably not required a peace of mind thing.

Don't forget that if you are employing her full time, you need to give her paid holiday and be clear on what you will pay if she is off sick - again something to cover in her contract of employment.

 

[vatican]

I'm probably going to put her wages through a book keeper so that I don't make a huge hash of it but I just wanted to make sure that I've budgeted enough.

Am I on the right track legally with the following for a 20yr old?
5 day/40 hour week (8 hr day with an hour for lunch)
£5.21 per hour (would work out at £250 if she did a 6 day week which seems to be the average in my area)
24 days paid holiday (would have to calculate any additional entitlement if she were to work six day weeks sometimes)
Full pay for first 3 days sick then on to SSP

I'll get employers liability and care/custody/control cover for the horses - do I need anything else? I might take on a couple of part liveries - do I need to cover the owners?
Re. the H&S aspect - I've brought enough fire extinguishers to put out a forest fire, I've got a fire safety book, accident book, no smoking signs, first aid boxes - one for horses and one for humans and a H&S poster - what else do I need?

Should I provide her with a new hat, body protector, steel toecap boots, bubblewrap suit or is she meant to get this herself and maybe use a bit of common sense?

She's worked as a groom for four years - do I need to 'officially' instruct her how to muck out, use tools, etc? Don't want her to claim RSI for mixing feeds the same way every day!

If she travels to a competition with me in the lorry does she have to have any certification? - there just seems to be an endless stream of qualifications to transport horses now.

This seems to be a bit of a nightmare! Whatever happened to people using common sense and if you hurt yourself through being an idiot then you'd learn not to do so again?!