# Virtual Assistant Contract Checklist for Founders

> A lightweight agreement protects both sides before a weekly retainer starts. You do not need a 20-page legal doc — you need clarity on scope, confidentiality, and payment. ## 1. Scope of work Define: - **Tasks included** — inbox triage, support tickets, bookkeeping, etc. - **Tas…

Canonical URL: https://www.orcarw.com/blog/virtual-assistant-contract-checklist
Published: 2026-07-18
Category: Hiring
Author: Orca Team

A lightweight agreement protects both sides before a weekly retainer starts. You do not need a 20-page legal doc — you need clarity on scope, confidentiality, and payment.

## 1. Scope of work

Define:
- **Tasks included** — inbox triage, support tickets, bookkeeping, etc.
- **Tasks excluded** — licensed work, strategic decisions, client-facing sales
- **Weekly hours** — expected range and flexibility rules
- **Tools** — Gmail, Notion, Zendesk, QuickBooks access boundaries

## 2. Communication norms

- Primary channel (Orca Messages, Slack, email)
- Response time expectations (e.g. 4-hour reply on weekdays)
- Weekly sync format (15-minute Loom or written status)

## 3. Confidentiality

Cover:
- NDA or confidentiality clause for customer data, financials, passwords
- Device security — 2FA, no personal email for work accounts
- Data retention — delete local copies when engagement ends

## 4. Payment terms

- Hourly rate and currency
- Invoice cadence (weekly/biweekly)
- Payment method (Wise, PayPal, Stripe escrow on Orca)
- Late payment and pause-work policy

## 5. Termination

- Notice period (e.g. 2 weeks)
- Final deliverables and access revocation checklist
- Ownership of work product (you own outputs; VA keeps general skills)

## 6. Trial period

Start with Orca's **$30 escrow trial** on a bounded deliverable before signing a longer agreement. You'll learn communication fit faster than a contract negotiation.

## Quick checklist

- [ ] Scope document or SOP attached
- [ ] Rate and hours agreed in writing
- [ ] Confidentiality acknowledged
- [ ] Tool access documented
- [ ] Trial completed or waived with eyes open

**Related:** [VA vs employee](/blog/virtual-assistant-vs-employee) · [Onboarding checklist](/blog/virtual-assistant-onboarding-checklist) · [Hire guide](/hire-virtual-assistant)