Congratulations on your decision to become a self-employed, independent support worker on Mable!
The journey to self-employment is an exciting one. You’re on your way to becoming your own boss, choosing your own hours, your rate of pay and the clients you book with.
When you join Mable, you become an independent contractor, i.e. you are now self-employed and as such, you can create life on your terms and build a business that sustains you and supports your goals.
There are many benefits of working for yourself. However, at Mable, we understand that on this journey, you might need some support to ensure your self-employment plans go smoothly. In this guide, we will discuss the transition from employment to self-employment, and cover the key aspects to keep in mind when embarking on your journey with Mable.
What does it mean to be an independent contractor or independent support worker?
An independent support worker is precisely what the name suggests: an independent business owner who works as a support worker, assisting people with disability or older Australians, or both, according to their client’s needs and goals.
Becoming an independent support worker on Mable means:
- You have the freedom and flexibility to book with clients you want and work the hours you want
- You can choose how much you want to be paid for your support services
- You can decide what support services you want to provide
- You’re self-employed through your small business — not an employee — and so, your rates should include an amount to cover you for when you are sick, go on holidays, or if you work on public holidays
- You are responsible for managing your finances, including tax and super.
However, it’s important to remember that Mable supports you every step of the way, as explained later in the article.
Signs you are ready to work for yourself
Whether you are wanting a fresh start, or want to learn something new, or simply want to work the hours that suit your lifestyle, there are many signs that indicate you’re ready to take the leap into self-employment.
- You want to be available for school drop off and pick up for your children
- Creating a work environment that can be tailor-made to suit your health and wellbeing is a high priority for you
- You want to work with people you choose to work with
- You’re eager to learn new skills and experience a new way of working
- You’re self-motivated to achieve your goals in life
- You have a passion for making a difference to people’s lives.
Whether it’s one of all of these reasons, Mable has the tools and resources to support your aspirations and your small business.
Benefits of being a self-employed support worker
Now that you’re motivated to work for yourself, let’s get into the benefits of being your own boss.
- You’re in control of running your own business
- You can build long-lasting relationships through your support work on Mable
- Mable works to ensure your safety and wellbeing when providing support through the platform
- Up-skilling opportunities through the Mable Learning Hub
- Support with managing your finances through the Mable Tax Benefits program
- Ongoing phone and online support
- Mable’s low fees, which means you have the potential to earn more
…and so much more! Learn in detail the many benefits of being an independent support worker on Mable.
Managing your income as an independent support worker
As an independent support worker on Mable, you’re an independent contractor, so you’re responsible for managing your tax and super. A suite of insurances are arranged by Mable on behalf of all approved support workers, for work arranged and invoiced via Mable.
Handling your own tax and super is part of being a business owner. Having an organised approach and keeping up-to-date with the administrative side of your business ensures you can focus on delivering the best service to clients.
Talking to knowledgeable professionals such as an accountant is an option many people choose to take.
Here are five finance-related things to bear in mind as an independent support worker on Mable:
- Set your indicative rates taking into account holiday pay, sick leave, and other perks.
- Get an ABN and think about GST
- Open a separate bank account for your earnings on Mable to make tracking finances easier
- Set aside money for tax: As a rule of thumb, put 30% of your Mable earnings from each payment aside
- Set aside money for super.
Look after your wellbeing
Working as an independent contractor has its benefits, but it’s important to be aware of professional isolation and how to avoid it. Professional isolation occurs when working solo and feeling disconnected from other people.
Here’s how you can combat professional isolation when working as an independent support worker:
- Form a support worker peer network – Buddy up with your support worker peers through our Facebook support worker group. You can get together socially and can also cover for each other during holidays and sick days. You can simply engage with other members of the group too, as even that can be useful.
- Attend professional development courses in person, wherever possible, so you benefit from the social aspect of meeting with peers.
- When it’s not possible to meet up at an event, jump on Zoom with your peers on a regular basis to catch up and support each other.
At Mable, we are happy to support you in your journey to becoming an independent support worker with us. For any clarification or assistance, please contact the Mable team.
Note: The information contained in this article should not be considered legal, accounting or tax advice. We recommend you speak with an accountant, tax advisor or your financial advisor. Mable and other parties disclaim all responsibility, representations and warranties, including, but not limited to, warranties as to the quality, accuracy and completeness of the information of whatsoever nature and warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, or any action taken or not taken based on this information.
FAQs
Do I get sick leave?
By signing up on Mable, support workers operate as sole traders or independent contractors, i.e. they have the freedom to run their own small business. This means they have control over what they charge and how often they work. As support workers on Mable are self-employed — and not employees of Mable — they are not entitled to sick leave.
However, they have the flexibility to:
- Set their rates in a way that compensates for any sick leave they may have to take
- Build a ‘sick days bank’ to account for days they can’t work
- Include mutually-agreed terms in their agreement with Mable clients to account for sick days.
How do I become a support worker on Mable?
To become an independent support worker on Mable, you will need:
- An Australian Business Number (ABN)
- A profile photo
- A brief bio for your profile
- A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History check through our partners, Checked Australia*
- Two professional or character references
- Two references
- A Working with Children Check (if working with children)
- To meet your state and/or territory’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements
- Completed infection control training.
* The criminal history check must be completed through the link provided by Mable. This ensures that the check covers the type of work that you will be conducting via the Mable platform.
Read this detailed guide on becoming a support worker on Mable. For more information, explore our frequently asked questions.
