Help & Support
Find answers to frequently asked questions and reach out to our support team here.
General FAQs
I am a potential client. What responsibilities do I have as an employer?
None! Your contract is with Anonymous Assistants. We take all the HR headaches away for you.
Will I need send or receive invoices?
We facilitate the transactions between clients and assistants and manage the paperwork to keep the process on both sides both streamlined and easy.
How is Anonymous Assistants different from other freelance work sites?
Anonymous Assistants is a traditional style staffing agency but for the gig-economy. Our aim is to bring the personal to this recruitment process, doing most of the hard work for both client and freelancer and helping companies grow and freelancers with their work-life balance.
What kind of jobs do you have available?
Anonymous Assistants goal is to be able to provide a wide array of services to our clients, be they a business or an individual. We provide Virtual, In-Person and Personal services including, but not limited to, administrative assistance, project managements, professional planning and in-home organizing, dog care and event support.
Client FAQs
How do I become a client?
You can sign up via the website and fill in the forms or contact us to discuss your job requirements.
What is my involvement in engaging the contractor?
You tell us what you need, how much you wish to pay and for how many hours and period of time you need someone. We will then check our database of Contractors and find you the best fit and with longer, more complex jobs present you with a couple of options. You make the final decision or if you want us to search some more, we are happy to do that. Our aim is to do the work for you so you can use your time where it counts.
Do you provide a vetting service?
Absolutely! All Contractors are background checked and we check references and resume history. We meet the Contractor (either in -person or virtually) and conduct an informal interview to better understand who they are. We have also created a skills matrix which all Contractors fill out to let us know their experience levels for technology, certain tasks and competencies.
How do I pay for the service?
You can choose to pay by check on a pro-forma invoice or by credit-card via PayPal. Payments are made in advance and funds are held in escrow on your behalf and released (bi-weekly or monthly) to the contractor on completion of a work period.
What monitoring and measurement can you provide?
We ask all our contractors to track their work using Toggl. They then send this timesheet to the client and Anonymous Assistants team for verification and sign-off. Any queries must be raised within one working day
What will it cost me?
Our business model is based on making a small margin between what we charge our clients and our contractors are paid. As a client, you only pay the agreed rate. There are no hidden extras or surcharges from us!
What happens if I am not happy with my contractor?
Tell us straight away. We want happy clients and want to know immediately if something is wrong. Many times if can just be about miscommunication and we will work with you and the Partner to solve the issue. If things need to be taken further we have policies in place that will help make the processes run smoothly.
We have a continual review process whereby both contractor and client provide feedback and our we will work with both sides to resolve any disputes.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept checks, direct payments, or credit card payment via Paypal.
Will I have to pay any additional costs such as tax or workers compensation?
This response does not constitute legal advice in any way. Please consult your attorney or insurance provider if you wish further clarity.
We are going to answer this in two parts.
- Tax. All Anonymous Assistants are 1099 self-employed contractors and therefore take ownership and responsibility for their own tax and social security payments. There is nothing for you to pay
- Workers Compensation. Under Virginia law, the designation and 1099 status is unimportant. In the event of an injury the facts of the relationship are considered. If employer control is found, and ‘employee’ relationship is established. In practical terms, this means a contractor should be aware that their insurance carrier can charge insurance premium for any subcontractor that is hired, even a sole proprietor with no employees, therefore a contractor should request and maintain proof of coverage for all subcontractors hired and have such proof available for audit.
Contractor FAQs
Who can become a contractor?
Anyone who is looking for work that fits their lives! Anonymous Assistants seeks to best serve our clients by finding talent that closely aligns with their needs. If you have a skill set, be it professional or personal, we would love to match you with our clients.
How do I become a contractor?
Send us an email with your experience, job type, availability and resume if you have one. We will review your email and if you are a match for a job opening we will reach out to arrange and interview with the client. If you have references we would love to see them! Visit the Become an Assistant page for more information and to get started.
How do I get paid and when?
We can pay you via check, direct transfer or Paypal. You can choose to be paid monthly or bi-weekly (every two weeks). Unlike some other gig-economy organisations Anonymous Assistants does not require you to reach a minimum balance to be paid.
What will it cost me to become a contractor?
Nothing. Zero. Nada. Nought! We don’t charge you to sign up or ask you to pay a monthly fee. Our margin is made from the difference between what the contracting companies pay us and what you are paid as a contractor. This varies depending on role, length of contract and other variables such as State of Union fees (where applicable). But as a 1099 contractor you don’t need to worry about any of this. Just get paid the agreed rate for the work you do.
Who do I have the contract with?
When you sign up to be a contractor, we will send you an independent service contract that will be between you and Anonymous Assistants. You won’t have to worry about creating and signing new contracts for each new job. We will send an appendix to yours with the wage (or hourly rate), job description and hours when you begin a new contract with a client.
What happens if I am not happy with my client?
Let us know! We are always here to help. We want our Contractors to feel secure and happy in their contracts and want to know straight away if something is wrong. Sometimes it can be down to miscommunication and a quick chat with the client can smooth things over. If we need to take things further, feel sure that we will work with you and the client to dissolve the situation and get you back to working on your next job.
We have a continual review process whereby both contractor and client provide feedback and our we will work with both sides to resolve any disputes.
How do I track the work I am doing?
We ask all our contractors to track their work using Toggl. They then send this timesheet to the client and Anonymous Assistants team for verification and sign-off. Any queries must be raised within one working day. Toggl allows you to track work for multiple contracts at any one time, so if you are doing, for example, 10 hours a week for one contract and five hours a week for another you just switch or ‘Toggl’ between them.
We will provide assistance to set you up and train you how to use it.
What does the background check entail?
At the moment we do not offer government contract work and so our background checks are very simple. We verify legitimacy such as right to work in the USA, and do a simple criminal record check. The outcome of this check does not preclude you from being an Anonymous contractor, but by signing up you do agree that we may share the results of the check with clients on request.
Will I need to self-insure for workers compensation?
This response does not constitute legal advice in any way. Please consult your attorney or insurance provider if you wish further clarity.
Your decision to self-insure or not may arise from the type of contract work you are doing. If you are remote working in your own chosen environment it is unlikely you are going to incur injury as a result of the work you are doing.
However, if you are doing in-person work at the premises of the client (or other location requested by them) then the responsibility in general falls to them where the client is a corporate entity. There are different regulations surrounding contract work for private individuals in a residential environment.
Do you pay my taxes?
No. You will work as a self-employed independent contractors. You will receive pay in accord with the terms of your contract and get a 1099 form from us to report income on your tax return.
Location
Proudly Serving Northern Virginia
Phone
571-474-9208
caroline@anonymous-assistants.com
Fine print section
Perhaps You Are Looking for These Documents?
Privacy Policy
We taking privacy seriously. “Anonymous” is in our name for a reason! Read our policy here.
Terms & Conditions
Read the terms and conditions for working with us.