Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Use of common area for child care?

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Jul 23, 2015, at 8:30 PM, David Heimann <heimann [at] theworld.com> wrote:

>       Have other cohousers on this list had experience with hiring caregivers 
> for their children, with the care taking place in the common areas?  What 
> legal, liability, insurance, or other issues have you run into and how (or 
> whether) you were able to address them?

The nannies that people hire for their children use the CH. Some more than 
others. The parents give them permission and are responsible for them. 

The caregiver doesn’t care for children who don’t live here. That could be 
problematic in terms of liability, business licenses, childcare licenses, etc. 
It becomes a business, not household help.

>       On the other end of the spectrum, while it hasn't happened yet, it 
> seems that hiring a caregiver to take care of one or more dependent adults 
> (elderly, disabled, etc.) in the common areas would lead to similar issues, 
> so has anyone had to or has addressed the similar issue there?

I think it doesn’t matter as long as the person is hired by the resident. 
Anyone can hire an aid. If two or three people the same person, they are still 
an employee of those three people. 

If the association hires them then they are the association’s employee. That is 
a whole different kettle of fish. I think you would be hiring a health care 
worker to provide care to third persons, even if that person is a member of the 
association.

Sources for information besides lawyers would be agencies from which people 
hire such help. What are the conditions and requirements. What kinds of work 
arounds are possible.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org