Like most people in Elkhart County, you may pride yourself in being able to do things like mow your own lawn, change our own oil, paint your own shed and other simple projects. Paying someone to perform a task that you could do yourself might not seem fitting. It does not seem frugal and is not something you would do during normal times.

However, these are not normal times.

Paying someone to do work you probably could do yourself is one way to help our community survive this economic crisis and bring about a sense of optimism. Since most of us are not normally "employers", here are a few things to think about when opting to provide work for those who are eager to work:

• While you would not be paying someone a typical salary for the work they will be performing, please think about what you would anticipate being paid if you were doing this same work. Come to an agreement about compensation as well as a detailed job description with the person you hire before they begin the work.
• Do not ask someone you do not know to perform sensitive work. For instance, do not ask someone on this list to provide childcare unless you already know and trust that person.
• Please remember that Elkhart County Works Together cannot guarantee the quality of work being provided. It is your responsibility to determine if someone is able to perform the task you have requested. If you have questions, contact the references they present to you.
• People in the Skills Bank have signed a waiver accepting responsibility if anything should happen to them while they are on your property. However, please remember that there are no guarantees. If you have any questions, please contact your insurance company.
• Finally, remember that you are not providing charity. You are providing work.

Using the Skills Bank may lead you to build a new relationship, or strengthen existing relationships.

Thank you for helping Elkhart County work together.

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