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Frequently Asked
Questions
How long has the
business been in existence?
We
started as White Glove in 1992, but we were forced to close the business after
16 years after the State of New Jersey allowed the licensure of an out of state
business to operate under the same name and for the same line of business.
Consequently, we have trademarked a new entity named ICONNEL to continue the
legacy of helping our clients to maintain their freedom by providing icon
personnel, the best domestic workers in the industry.
What are the hours of operation?
Our
business hours are from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5.00pm. We also have an
emergency line for our clients that they can call 24 a day 7 days a week.
(Number is available through our main phone number 973-340-1818).
How far in advance do arrangements have to be
made?
All we
need is 24 hour’s notice.
What is a certified home health aide?
In New
Jersey, a certified home health aide is legally termed “home-maker home health
aide”. A Homemaker-home health aides are certified by the New Jersey Board of
Nursing ("Board") after successfully completing a required 76-hour training
program, a competency evaluation and a criminal history background check.
They must be employed by a licensed home care services agency and who, under
supervision of a registered professional nurse, follows a delegated nursing
regimen or performs tasks which are delegated consistent with the provisions of
N.J.A.C. 13:37-6.2. A home-maker home health aide may not work for
himself/herself. The State of New Jersey is responsible for performing a
criminal background check for all new and renewing homemaker home health aide
certificate candidates.
In New
York, certified home health aides are referred to as either home health workers
or personal care workers depending on the scope of duties. New York doesn’t
license or certify home health aides, but require that home health aides undergo
75 hours of instructional training (Medicare and Medicaid) by a state approved
training entity. The state also differentiates “certified” home health care
agencies from home health care agencies. “Certified” agencies accept Medicare,
and home health care agencies do not. New York State maintains a registry of
workers. Both types of home health care agencies (certified and non-certified)
must be employed by a home health care agency and be supervised by a registered
professional nurse. A home health care worker or personal care worker must work
for a licensed agency. The licensed agency is also responsible for performing
the criminal background check of their employees.
In
Pennsylvania, a certified home health aide is referred to as a “home health
aide” and like New York, does not certify people of this profession. Likewise,
Pennsylvania’s reference to agencies as being “certified” applies to only those
agencies who accept Medicare payments. A home heath aide is a nonprofessional
person who has completed a minimum of 60 hours of classroom instruction (75
hours for Certified agencies) prior to or during the first 3 months of
employment. The term includes aids who are carefully trained in methods of
assisting patients to achieve maximum self-reliance, principles of nutrition and
meal preparation, the aging process and emotional problems of illness, changes
in patient’s condition that should be reported, work of the agency and the
health team, ethics, confidentiality and record keeping. A home health aide in
Pennsylvania can work under her own company, with a home health agency or
through a clinic or hospital. Sometimes a home health aide is assisted by a
nurse, but most times she handles the patient's daily needs herself.
What is a
Companion?
Although
most people refer to companions as people who keep a person in need company, the
states of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania do not have a legal definition
for the term. ICONNEL refers to companions as domestic employee placement
service individuals who keep an elderly person company but does not provide care
or assistance in a way, or does not require contact with the person in any way
(such as medication, bathing, lifting or transferring.)
What services does ICONNEL offer?
ICONNEL
currently offers ONLY domestic employee placement services. This means that we
ONLY provide companions. Although ICONNEL maintains a home health care service
firm license, we no longer offer this service due to our belief that this
service cannot be offered to our private paying clients at a reasonable cost.
How can I find a caregiver by myself?
New York
and New Jersey has institutionalized home care. In other words, it is still
legal to hire someone to care for you of your family as your private employee,
but you have to do it completely by yourself. The law specifically prohibits you
from utilizing an employment agency to hire someone to provide caring or
assisted duties. For New Jersey, it is illegal to hire a
caregiver through an agency from ANY state if the care
is provided in New Jersey. Employment agencies in New York and New
Jersey are only allowed to provide you personnel who do not provide “care” such
as housekeepers, and non-assisting companions. Anyone who performs care tasks
in New York and New Jersey are required to be an employee of the agency.
Pennsylvania does not have this requirement.
Is ICONNEL bonded and insured?
Yes.
Many businesses would just give you quick and tricky answer
and continue to next question. We prefer to tell you what this exactly mean.
Every Licensed Agency needs to carry a Licensing Bond, depending on the license
usually: $1,000-10,000.
Many
businesses that have employees working in the field also carry Dishonesty Bonds
usually for $10,000.
We have
only Licensing Bonds. We also used to have Dishonesty Bonds when we had field
employees working for ICONNEL. Now we carry only Licensing Bonds, because we do
not have field employees any more. They work directly for client.
The key
point to understand about bonding or insuring is that such things do not reduce
risk to the Client. Peace of mind is compensated for only in monetary terms,
but harm done to a client may be irreversible. (We’re talking about people, not
about renting cars) ICONNEL spends most of its time and effort to locate the
right person for your needs.
My family who needs care is in
New Jersey. Is
it safer to get a certified home health aide?
Not
necessarily! It is safer to hire the right person, regardless of their
credentials. Although the State of New Jersey implies the opposite, “certified
home health aides” otherwise known by the State of New Jersey as “Certified
Home-maker home health aides” (CHHHA) is simply a confusing and
misunderstood term for what the State believes is a qualified caregiver.
It is ICONNEL’s position that a “certified home-maker home health aide” does NOT
imply a safer situation for you and your loved one by any means. ICONNEL
believes that all institutionalized regulations in New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania maintain a very low standard for “certification.” We constantly
receive many calls from applicants who are referred to us from welfare,
unemployment, and parole offices. We even found cases where the candidates
received state certification even though they were not authorized to work under
Federal Government regulations.
What services do you offer, and what's the
difference between hiring a certified homemaker home health aide (CHHA) and a
domestic employee placement services?
ICONNEL
currently offers ONLY domestic employee placement services. This means that we
ONLY provide companions. Although ICONNEL maintains a home health care service
firm license, we no longer offer this service due to our belief that this
service cannot be offered to our private paying clients at a reasonable cost.
We hope to be able to offer the service in the near future when the state
regulations are more focused, clear, and move towards a friendlier business
environment.
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Issues: |
Domestic Duty Personnel Placement Service
(Private Hire) |
NJ Home Health Care Service
NO LONGER OFFERED BY ICONNEL |
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Definitions |
Domestic Duty
Personnel
Work directly for the
client at the risk of the client.
ICONNEL has access to
domestic duty employees who have a minimum of two years experience and
have a passion for working for the elderly in a compassionate manner.
Average experience level of our candidates range from five to ten years.
Some candidates also have four year nursing degrees and even doctorate
degrees from their country of origin.
All our Domestic Duty
Personnel are legally authorized to work in this country. This means
that that our federal government USCIS (United States Citizen and
Immigration Services) and the Dept. of Homeland Security has granted
permanent resident status or authorization to work legally in the United
States.
ICONNEL conducts
reference checks, qualitative interviews, and collects feedback surveys
from prior clients.
Client pays the
domestic worker directly which often results in a significantly higher
pay rate than what would otherwise be earned through any institution.
We have an inventory of substantially better candidates for you to
choose from as a result of this arrangement. |
For NJ, Certified
Home Maker Home Health Aides (CHHHAs), must be NJ State Certified and
must be an employees of the agency and be supervised once per month by a
registered nurse.
In order to be
certified, CHHA candidates simply need to attend 76 hours of training
and pass a non-standardized competency exam usually administered by the
same agency who hires them, on many occasions in employee’s native
language. Due to tremendous overhead costs such as liability insurance,
malpractice insurance, payroll taxes and an inordinate amount of
supervision, politics and regulatory administrative work, many agencies
have resulted in paying home-maker home health aides between minimum
wage and approximately $10 per hour on average. ICONNEL has received
many calls from applicants who were referred to us from welfare,
unemployment and parole offices. We have seen many applicants of which
approximately 10% are actually capable this line of work.
ICONNEL Home-maker
Home Health Aides who meet ICONNEL standards are paid between $15 to $20
per hour. However, for what they are allowed to do as governed by law,
everyone loses. Administrative costs are enormous for the agency, the
workers make less, and the customer pays substantially more. |
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Job Duties |
Client can design
domestic worker duties accordingly to the Client's needs. This
arrangement eliminates the State requirements for any certification or
artificially high costs resulting from union programs.
In New York and in
New Jersey, the duties of domestic employees who are placed by ICONNEL
or any other agency are prohibited by state law from providing “care” or
“assisting” the Client in any way.
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Duties of Certified
Home Health Aide are limited by State, Insurance Companies, as well as
the hiring Agency’s own company regulations. For example in NJ, a CHHHA
may not change bandages, may not apply eye drops, may not measure sugar
levels, may not give insulin shots, may not feed the client using a
feeding tube, and may not drive the client.
All CHHAs must be
supervised by a staff Registered Nurse who comes out every 30 to 60 days
to assess the client’s condition and manage the aide. |
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Employer |
Client is the
employer. |
The agency is the
employer. |
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Taxes |
Client is responsible
for paying the employee and for complying with all government
withholding and payroll taxes accordingly. However, there are great
payroll service providers and CPA firms who can perform these tasks for
you at a reasonable price. |
The agency pays the
aide and is responsible for complying with all government withholding
and payroll taxes. |
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Training and Orientation |
Client’s
responsibility. |
Agency's
responsibility. |
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Insurance |
Client is responsible
for covering employee with insurance. Check with your insurance Agent to
verify if you have coverage through your homeowner’s policy. |
All employees must be
insured through the agency. NJ Agencies have to carry a licensing bond;
bonding the employees is optional. |
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Recruitment and Interview |
Client or Power of
Attorney interviews and chooses own candidate. |
Agency's supervising
personnel chooses the most suitable person for your needs based on
intake information provided by the client or his/her family. |
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Screening Process |
Client’s or Power of
Attorney’s responsibility based on information provided to you by your
employee and ICONNEL. |
All personnel is
screened and fingerprinted as part of the NJ State certification
process. NY State does not certify CHHAs. They only approve the
training institutions on the course curriculum. |
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Guarantee |
Enjoy peace of mind:
a continuous guarantee to substitute your employees for their time off
on weekends and holidays. |
Depends on the
agency. |
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Cost |
Your cost is negotiable depending on your service needs.
Live-in: $132-$195 per day, plus room and board, minimum 4 weeks,
(agency fee included). Hourly: $16.50-$22 per hour, minimum 4 hours per
day, 5 days per week, minimum 4 weeks. This is your total cost (not
including Employer taxes), which includes agency fees equal to 10% of
estimated gross wages paid to your employee. Client pays the caregiver
directly and agency fees are paid separately to the agency. |
ICONNEL charges $450
per live-in day, and $45 per hour. Additionally, there is a $100
assessment fee for each RN visitation which is done as needed.
Based on our
research, agencies are currently charging clients between $200 to $500
per day, plus room and board, and $20 to $45 per hour. The caregiver
earns between a minimum wage to $10 per hour on average and is paid by
the agency.
In order for us to
pay NJ CHHHAs a competitive wage of approximately $15 per hour, we have
to charge you at least $40 per hour which is still much LESS than what
Medicare reimbursed CHHHA agencies.
It is up to you to
change your State regulations before you become Senior Citizen, who
needs such help. Write to your legislatures today! |
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Minimum time to hire |
There is no minimum
time period for which you have to hire the person. |
Depends on the
agency. |
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Service Rates |
Client or Power of
Attorney can negotiate the rate with the domestic worker directly during
the interview with the potential employee. |
The rate is not
negotiable and can be increased depending on growing cost of insurance,
taxes, gasoline cost. |
How are home health aides recruited?
We no
longer recruit home health aides. We only accept candidates who have a minimum
of two years experience, completely clean record and meet our standards for a
compassionate and willing attitude. Some candidates present to us certification
credentials, diplomas, and several references in writing etc…but only 10% of
them meet ICONNEL standards. We follow our own expertise, before we present
them to our clients. If someone meets ICONNEL standards and also retains a
valid CHHHA certificate in New Jersey, we are prohibited by law from advertising
this specific credential to you.
What is the length of their training and
experience?
Every
person applying for a job at ICONNEL has to present at least two years of
experience working as domestic employee. Our candidates have an average of five
to ten years of experience. We make an exception on an occasion, but all
clients will be privy to such exceptions. We do not provide formal training, but
we continuously test each candidate’s knowledge. Our experience also shows that
the length of training or other credentials do not necessarily demonstrate a
potential candidate's actual knowledge or ability. We also have access to a
network of RNs who also provides with professional opinions to determine whether
they are capable of handling ICONNEL’s strict standards.
Is ICONNEL licensed?
Yes, we
are licensed.
Does the agency have references for each
candidate?
All of
our candidates have references. Most of the references are from our previous
ICONNEL clients, not strangers. Clients receive complete information regarding
the hired person’s previous work experience that we have on file.
Does ICONNEL have candidates available on a
live-in basis? Part time? Full time?
We have
personnel who are available for Part-time, Full-time or on Live-in basis, and
substitutes for weekends and Holidays. Hourly and Part Time Live-ins are
currently not available in Pennsylvania.
Do live-ins require a separate bedroom?
Separate
rooms are not required but many workers will not take a live-in position without
having a separate bedroom. Each of our pre-screened candidates are hard working
people, and we believe that they need a comfortable place to rest in order to do
a good job.
What hours (and how many hours) are the
candidates available for work during the day, at night, and/or on weekends?
We have
many candidates available with a variety of schedules in order to match your
needs to the best of our abilities. ICONNEL requires that the hours be the same
every day to keep operating costs to a minimum for your benefit.
What are the minimum and/or maximum hours that
can be arranged?
There is
no limit to the number of hours that can be arranged. However, there is
generally a 20 hour minimum (4 hours a day 5 days a week). Hourly workers are
available only in central and northern New Jersey and in the five boroughs of
New York City.
What are the domestic worker's usual job duties?
Clients
have the freedom to design their private hire’s duties accordingly to the
Client's changing needs. The duties of your independent domestic worker are not
limited by any certification or union programs. Consequently, ICONNEL's
Domestic Duty Personnel Placement Service allows the Client to receive cost
effective personalized help with substantially less paperwork and cost.
According to New York and New
Jersey State Law, Domestic Workers in NJ and NY who are placed by an agency can
do everything but “care” for the Client or “Assist” the client in any way.
Therefore, candidates placed through ICONNEL are limited to perform duties such
as medication reminders, cooking, light-housekeeping, laundry, shopping, keeping
the client company amongst others.
Can the workers be asked to perform additional
duties?
We
understand that job descriptions may change. In any situation, it is always a
good idea to confirm any extra duties directly with the employee of the Client.
Please understand that we cannot be privy to any duties related to “care” or
“assistance”.
What are the domestic workers records for
punctuality and attendance?
ICONNEL’s candidates are very reliable when it comes to attendance and
punctuality. They are expected to be on time every day regardless of the
circumstances. We know that clients get very frustrated even over couple of
minutes.
Do the workers have their own cars or do they
rely on public transportation?
Most of
the candidates who we have available on an hourly basis have their own car.
Most live-in candidates do not have drivers licenses or cars. Others who have
driver's licenses and are able to drive the client’s car.
Will you be required to provide transportation
after certain nighttime hours?
It is up
to the client and their employee to determine who provides transportation.
Candidates usually do not ask to have transportation provided at any time unless
otherwise agreed between the client and candidate.
Will you have to pay for carfare?
It is up
to the client and their employee to determine who pays for transportation on
behalf of their employee.
If the worker calls in sick or doesn't show up,
will a substitute be available? If so, how soon?
If your
employee calls in sick, we will do everything possible to identify and send out
an alternate person as soon as possible.
If there is dissatisfaction with the domestic
employee whom we hired, will a substitute be available? If so, how soon?
If the
client is not happy with the worker, another worker will be available within 24
to 48 hours depending on the circumstances and the nature of the job.
Are domestic workers hired directly by the
patient, the family, or through the agency?
All
ICONNEL registered domestic candidates work under the arrangement of a direct
hiring agreement between the client and the candidate. Therefore, domestic
workers are also compensated directly by the Client.
Why does your agency charge a fee?
ICONNEL
charges a fee to stay open so that we can achieve our mission to serve you. We
prescreen the candidates, help you with any replacements, and provide you
guidance and invaluable advice based on several years of experience. There are
several aspects of what we do which is based on our altruistic principals, but
ultimately, we have bills to pay just like you.
How come there are other agencies who do not
charge a fee?
While
there are other agencies who do not charge the client any placement fees, we are
aware in many cases, that those agencies are charging candidates fees, some more
extraneous than others. We also serve as a watchdog for agencies who operate
illegally without proper licensing or fee schedules approval by the State of
NJ. Agencies who charge their own candidates are obligated to find satisfactory
jobs in exchange for the fees collected. In comparison, ICONNEL clearly defines
the Client as the person(s) in need of someone who can perform domestic duties,
not the candidate in need of a job. ICONNEL does the hard work of filtering out
incompetent candidates and present you only with the best people available in
this industry. In addition, ICONNEL is under no obligation to find any of its
registered candidates a job because we do not charge them fees, nor do we hire
them, employ them, or manage them in any way that would violate employment law.
Each candidate works directly for the client.
Can the interview with the candidate be done at
my house?
Yes, as
soon as you complete all necessary paperwork prior to the interview. Please
note that the interview is not necessary with our guarantee. The more
information you provide us about your needs, the more accurately we can send you
the right person from the very beginning. The guarantee allows you to
request a different candidate at any time so that you can terminate employment
with your existing personnel. This is how we keep our costs down. All these
savings are simply passed onto you.
What risks are there if I just hire someone from
another person I know?
Hiring
help through someone you know, (e.g. local travel agent, pharmacist, doctor,
book store, butcher, neighbor, friend, or acquaintance) who also charges you or
the job hunter a fee may be dangerous, especially if the agent is operating
illegally without proper licenses. What is "easy money" for them could be a
life bearing risk to the person who needs the help and a greater financial risk
to you. In addition, hiring a certified home health aide represented and
compensated by a licensed home health care agency does not guarantee a safe
arrangement. Our professional observation has shown time and time again, that
agency employed certified home health aides are paid less than private Domestic
Employees, thus, have less incentive to work responsibly. In fact, no
regulation, certificate, background check, bonding or insurance of any kind will
guarantee protection of a Senior from harm. Who really knows what goes on when
you close the door behind you when leaving the elderly alone with the helper?
This is
why the most important aspect of providing trustworthy and reliable domestic
personnel services is to select the right person and to re-validate the
selection process with as many people as possible. We help you with this by
providing you with our input and expertise represented by over 30 years of
combined experience from our agents who work together.
Some
mistakes that can put your elderly family member in jeopardy are as follows:
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Beware of interviewing in your home,
especially if the Agent is unlicensed. A person who claims to be the
"agent" typically brings people in a car for you to meet. Having several
strangers in your house can be intimidating and dangerous. It is often
difficult to verify credentials when they are already in your house.
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Beware of companion and aides who are
getting too close emotionally to your elderly relatives. Many are sincere,
but your intervention with the companion during his/her employment is
critical in maintaining an arm's length relationship where appropriate. (In
other words, don't just protect your elderly, protect your will and estate!)
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Manage your worker and manage finances
separately. If you keep a checkbook or credit card in the house, make sure
that there are limited funds in the account. We don't recommend having a
check book in the house without a contingency plan or a way to reconcile a
check book by someone else on a daily basis. Certified Aides and Non-Agency
Screened “caregivers” can be clever. You may look at the front of the
checking book, but there may be checks missing in the back.
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Do not hesitate to change your helper if
you think something suspicious is at hand. Some workers can become demanding
and may negotiate unreasonable work terms, leveraging on the simple fact
that their client likes them.
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If the client does not complain about the
caregiver, this does not mean that the caregiver is doing a "good job." The
client may be afraid to complain since he/she is at the caregiver's mercy as
soon as you close the door behind you.
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Ensure that your helper doesn't bring
other people into the house by enforcing a strict rule. Trouble often
starts with too much leniency.
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