# housewife gets job - what to ask for in contract



## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

Hey all, i recently accepted a position as a personal assistant to a hair transplant doctor, spending 2 weeks here in dubai at a hospital, and 2 weeks in california. I will be required to work a full shift, sunday-thursday. he is not employed through the hospital but i believe they let him use their services. so my ultimate employer is the doctor himself.

I am basically looking for guidance...what should i ask him to put into writing for me, besides that he will pay me "x" amount on "x" date, time-off, etc....is there anything else? 

As i am a "housewife" (i giggle at that!) i dont have housing or whatever included in my offer, since it is unnecessary. Same for a car, the hospital is only a 10 minute cab ride away and i am petrified of driving! (this is coming from a girl who drove all over new york city all the time!)


Thanks everyone!


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

AndreaMarshall said:


> Hey all, i recently accepted a position as a personal assistant to a hair transplant doctor, spending 2 weeks here in dubai at a hospital, and 2 weeks in california. I will be required to work a full shift, sunday-thursday. he is not employed through the hospital but i believe they let him use their services. so my ultimate employer is the doctor himself.
> 
> I am basically looking for guidance...what should i ask him to put into writing for me, besides that he will pay me "x" amount on "x" date, time-off, etc....is there anything else?
> 
> ...


Hi Andrea,

Is the doctor registered legally as an employer here in Dubai? Because if he's not then is illegal for him to hire you and for you to work for him!! Just asking because the 2weeks here / 2 weeks in California and him not having his own practice here sounds a bit odd. Make sure he's legally entitled to employ you and that there will be a legal contract, etc. so that if there is any trouble later on, etc. you can go to the Ministry of Labour.


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

Andrea he will have to be registered with the Ministry of Labour in order to sponsor you as his employee. If he's not then he needs to sort this out first or he needs to come to an arrangement with the hospital for them to sponsor you on his behalf.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

A housewife can work under her husband's sponsorship with an NOC from her husband. She doesn't need sponsorship from her employer. This is why you see so many adverts for women with husband or father sponsor.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Still don't think he can legally hire you though as he cannot obtain a labour card for you.


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

i do know if i was not on my husnand's visa that he would be able to sponsor me. He is employed somewhat through the hospital....i'm not sure the correct term...his previous gal friday worked for over a year for him...


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

AndreaMarshall said:


> i do know if i was not on my husnand's visa that he would be able to sponsor me. He is employed somewhat through the hospital....i'm not sure the correct term...his previous gal friday worked for over a year for him...


Might be a good idea to clarify this with him. If he can't give you a labour card, that means you'll be working illegally.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Then maybe is the hospital that will be providing the labour card? Just make sure you clarify that with him.


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

dizzyizzy said:


> Then maybe is the hospital that will be providing the labour card? Just make sure you clarify that with him.


Thanks! Fingers crossed! I've been jobless since i got here in november and theres only so much facebook and cooking shows one can handle during the day! Though the dog doesnt mind the 45 trips around the lakes.


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

AndreaMarshall said:


> Hey all, i recently accepted a position as a personal assistant to a hair transplant doctor, spending 2 weeks here in dubai at a hospital, and 2 weeks in california. I will be required to work a full shift, sunday-thursday. he is not employed through the hospital but i believe they let him use their services. so my ultimate employer is the doctor himself.
> 
> I am basically looking for guidance...what should i ask him to put into writing for me, besides that he will pay me "x" amount on "x" date, time-off, etc....is there anything else?
> 
> ...


Just a thought !!! ..... Be interesting to know what sort of visa is involved here ... if you are already here as a housewife you could be in the p o o for contreviening the same .... in any case sounds like old mate is ducking and weaving the system which in short means you could end up in a lot of trouble ... 

What ever ...... all the best and I hope it works out .... :clap2:


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

Fatenhappy said:


> Just a thought !!! ..... Be interesting to know what sort of visa is involved here ... if you are already here as a housewife you could be in the p o o for contreviening the same .... in any case sounds like old mate is ducking and weaving the system which in short means you could end up in a lot of trouble ...
> 
> What ever ...... all the best and I hope it works out .... :clap2:


I called and i will be getting a labour card, but will remain on my husband's visa which is a good thing! That way if i wanted to leave, i could without paying a fine or receiving a ban. But i dont think i'd leave, this job seems great!


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## Andrew James (Nov 6, 2010)

AndreaMarshall said:


> I called and i will be getting a labour card, but will remain on my husband's visa which is a good thing! That way if i wanted to leave, i could without paying a fine or receiving a ban. But i dont think i'd leave, this job seems great!


Hello Andrea,

Can you confirm if you will be working in the US too? This will greatly impact your foreign earned income exclusion.

Best,

Andrew


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

Andrew Landin said:


> Hello Andrea,
> 
> Can you confirm if you will be working in the US too? This will greatly impact your foreign earned income exclusion.
> 
> ...


Thanks Andrew 
No i will not. Just here making 9k dhs a month. What is 'foreign earned income exclusion' in layman's terms?


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

To get the foreign income tax credit, you have to only be in the usa 31 or 31 days (not sure which), make under 89,????$, and some other stipulations. 

If you were coming and going out the usa for the two weeks every month, you would have to pay taxes on the money you made.


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## Andrew James (Nov 6, 2010)

Hi,

Almost! It's $92,900 for 2011, adjusted for moving expenses, self employment taxes, unreimbursed business expenses etc. Remember that not all states accept the foreign earned income exclusion.

You can be in the US up to 35 days in the first 12 months you are outside the US but even if you go over there you can usually fall back onto the bonafide residence test (out of the US a complete calendar year).

Ironically, I am now off to talk to some Americans in Academic City about just this! Well, and a few other bits too.

Best,

Andrew


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I havent 'done' taxes myself in a while, as you can tell


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## CrowdedHouse (Feb 22, 2011)

@Jynxgirl
Sorry if this is too personal, but when you say you haven't "done" taxes in a while is it because you just aren't filing until you get back, then will file retroactively? Our whole tax situation is convoluted and I wonder what other Americans are doing. I hate worldwide income tax laws, grrrr!


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## Andrew James (Nov 6, 2010)

CrowdedHouse said:


> @Jynxgirl
> Sorry if this is too personal, but when you say you haven't "done" taxes in a while is it because you just aren't filing until you get back, then will file retroactively? Our whole tax situation is convoluted and I wonder what other Americans are doing. I hate worldwide income tax laws, grrrr!


I think they're fabulous! :clap2:


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

No no... sorry. I used to actually do the taxes but it has been a few years. We got an accountant and havent bothered for a few years to even really look. Just hand off the paperwork and be done with it. My spouse was a contractor for a number of years so even though I have only worked overseas since nov 09 (inshalla, not too much longer to go back home :tongue1, it has been a number of years since I actually sat down and did my own taxes.


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## CrowdedHouse (Feb 22, 2011)

Jynxgirl said:


> No no... sorry. I used to actually do the taxes but it has been a few years. We got an accountant and havent bothered for a few years to even really look. Just hand off the paperwork and be done with it. My spouse was a contractor for a number of years so even though I have only worked overseas since nov 09 (inshalla, not too much longer to go back home :tongue1, it has been a number of years since I actually sat down and did my own taxes.


Ah OK. Did you get a local accountant here or one back in the US? Not sure a lot of accountants here specialize in US tax laws (more UK). Right?


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Just saying... I am not using anyone who is not some what legally 'responsible' in the usa, for doing my taxes. There are many people here who will tell you they can do your taxes and know loopholes. Yea, sounds really legal. One thing to use tax laws that are available, a whole another to fanagle things to get around paying taxes. I am not trying to get audited and penalized heavily in a few years. 

I use a small accountant in the fort hood area who does alot of contractors taxes. Same one have been using for years and years. My yearly taxes cost me around 100$ to 125$ to have done. Do not pay someone hundreds of hundreds to just submit the one extra form to claim foreign tax exemption.... Really shouldnt cost you much more then having someone do your regular taxes.


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