The first-job agreement
Babysitting, a neighbour's lawn, a shift at a counter. The argument always comes afterwards, and it is always about something nobody said out loud first.
Fill this in together before the work starts. Both sign it. It is not a legal document — it is a record of what was agreed, which is the thing memory loses.
The job: _______________________________________________
For: ____________________ Starting: ____________________
| Agree now | Written down |
|---|---|
| What the pay is | $ ______ per ______ (hour / job / week) |
| When it is paid | ____________________ |
| How it is paid | cash / transfer / ____________________ |
| What "finished" looks like | ____________________ |
| What happens if it takes longer than expected | ____________________ |
| Who cancels, and how much notice | ____________________ |
Signed: ____________________ Signed: ____________________
The hours record. Fill it in the day you work, not at the end of the month.
| Date | Start | Finish | Hours | Agreed rate | Owed | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | $ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | $ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | $ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | $ | ☐ | ||||
| $ | $ | ☐ |
At the foot of the page:
A written rate is not about distrust. It is what lets a fifteen-year-old say "we said $15" without it being an argument, and it is the habit that matters at twenty-five when the number is bigger.