We publish this guide as an Oʻahu home care agency. Our hope is to help you find an arrangement that supports your loved one, your family, and the person providing care.
The caregiver relationship comes first
Inviting someone into your home is personal. The caregiver may learn how your father likes his breakfast, give your mother time to do something for herself, or make an ordinary afternoon feel less lonely. That work deserves respect, fair treatment, and support.
Thoughtful, capable caregivers work in many arrangements. Some families already know someone they trust and want to hire directly. Others appreciate help finding a caregiver, or prefer a team to coordinate care. Each approach has a purpose.
The choice is about how you want to organize the support around that relationship: getting to know the caregiver, agreeing on routines, handling pay, and planning for days when someone needs time off. Clear expectations help both the family and the caregiver settle in.
Private hire and employing agency, side by side
The arrangements below offer different kinds of flexibility and support. Individual caregivers and agencies vary, so use this as a starting point for a conversation.
| What to compare | Private hire | Employing agency |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the caregiver | You get to know caregivers directly and choose someone whose experience and approach feel right for your household. | The agency helps identify a match. Discuss your preferences and ask about introductions and how changes are handled. |
| Screening and experience | You review references, relevant experience, and checks, with help from a screening service if useful. | The agency coordinates its screening process. Ask about the checks and training relevant to your loved one’s needs. |
| Employment and payroll | Your household may be the employer. A payroll or tax professional can help you understand and manage the duties that apply. | An employing agency manages payroll for its employees. Ask it to explain the employment arrangement and included support. |
| Time off and backup | You and the caregiver agree on notice and a backup plan, which might involve family or another caregiver. | The agency coordinates requests for coverage. Discuss availability and what happens when a replacement cannot be arranged. |
| Communication and support | You and the caregiver work together on routines, updates, and adjustments. | A coordinator or supervisor offers another point of contact for the family and caregiver. Ask how that support works. |
| Price and scheduling | You agree on pay and hours directly, allowing a tailored arrangement. Include applicable employer costs in the budget. | The service rate includes the support described in your agreement. Review scheduling minimums, additional charges, and cancellation terms. |
Employment classification is fact-specific. The federal household-tax guidance and wage-law guidance linked below use different legal tests; the labels in this table do not determine anyone’s status.
Understand employment and insurance together
Clear employment arrangements help protect the caregiver as well as the family. Before care begins, take a little time to understand how pay, taxes, and coverage will work.
For federal household employment taxes, the IRS looks at whether you can control both the work and how it is done. Someone you hire privately may be your household employee, even if the agreement calls them an independent contractor. If an agency supplies the worker and controls the work and how it is performed, the IRS says the worker is not your employee. [1]
Federal wage law has its own test. The Department of Labor explains that issuing a 1099 does not, by itself, prevent a caregiver from being an employee. These rules concern employment responsibilities; they do not measure a caregiver’s kindness, skill, or dedication. [2]
Make sure the caregiver has the right protection
Hawaii generally requires employers to provide workers’ compensation coverage, with specified exclusions. Check which requirements and exclusions apply to your arrangement. [3]
Ask the agency to walk you through its relevant coverage and provide current documentation. If you hire directly, ask your insurer what your household policy covers and what additional coverage you may need. A Hawaii tax or employment professional can help clarify classification and employer obligations for your circumstances.
Compare the same week of care
A manageable budget helps care last. Start with the visits your parent needs, then ask each caregiver or agency to price that same schedule. This makes room to consider both affordability and the support included.
An example from Kai’s published rates
Three four-hour visits each week
At 4.33 weeks per month, that is about $2,494 per month, before Hawaii GET, holiday premiums, or other applicable charges. This uses Kai’s Personal Care rate for 4–7 hour visits for one client; a home assessment determines the care level. It is an illustration, not a quote or a Hawaii market average. [5]
For a private hire, add any employer taxes, insurance, payroll service, and other costs that apply to the quoted wages. Include a plan for the caregiver’s time off. For an agency, ask about weekly and visit minimums, transportation charges, holidays, deposits, and the notice needed to cancel.
Find an arrangement that fits your family’s life
A relationship you shape directly
Private hiring may suit a family that values choosing and working closely with one caregiver. It can offer room to agree on routines and schedules together. Consider who will handle coordination, employer responsibilities, and time-off coverage.
A team to help coordinate care
An agency may suit a family that wants support with matching, scheduling, and supervision. This can be especially useful when relatives live off-island or have limited time to coordinate visits. Look for a team whose approach feels comfortable to your family.
Include the person receiving care in the decision. Their preferences, language, routines, and comfort with the caregiver deserve as much attention as the schedule. Give the caregiver a chance to share what helps them do their work well, too.
How Kai can support your family
For families who would like an employing agency, these are a few reasons to consider Kai. They reflect how we have chosen to organize our service.
A thoughtful introduction
We consider experience, temperament, communication style, and household preferences when matching a caregiver. The aim is a relationship that feels comfortable to the person receiving care.
Time to understand the home
A Qualified Care Supervisor confirms the service plan at the home assessment. It gives your family a chance to discuss routines, the help needed, and what matters most before care begins.
Employment handled by Kai
Our caregivers are W-2 employees. Kai handles their payroll taxes and workers’ compensation as part of our responsibility as their employer. For families who would prefer that support, it is part of the service we offer. [7]
You are welcome to ask us the same questions you would ask any caregiver or provider. We will talk through what we can offer and whether it fits the care you have in mind.
Six questions before the first visit
These questions can help you, the caregiver, and any service involved start with a shared understanding. Bring them to your conversations, including a visit with Kai.
0 of 6 answered
The checklist is a conversation aid, not an assessment of a provider. Your selections stay in this tab only; nothing is sent.
A few questions families ask
Is hiring a private caregiver cheaper than using an agency?
How do I know whether a caregiver should receive a W-2 or a 1099?
Does Medicare pay for non-medical home care?
Is a home care agency the same as a home health agency?
Does Kai employ its caregivers?
Check the details
Sources & review
Sources checked on September 25, 2026. Rules and provider terms can change; use the linked originals to confirm the current details.
- IRS · Household Employer’s Tax Guide
Federal household employment tax guidance; Publication 926 (2026).
- U.S. Department of Labor · Home care registries
Field Assistance Bulletin 2018-4; employment relationships and caregiver referrals.
- Hawaii DLIR · Workers’ compensation questions
Employer coverage requirements and listed exclusions.
- Hawaii Department of Health · Licensed home care agencies
Agency names, service areas, and license dates.
- Kai Home Care · Published service rates
Kai’s rates, minimums, and pricing conditions; provider information, not market averages.
- Medicare · Home health services
Covered services and limits of the home health benefit.
- Kai Home Care · Care planning and employment model
Kai’s own description of caregiver employment and care supervision.
About this guide
Published by Kai Home Care, LLC, a licensed non-medical home care agency serving Oʻahu (237-HCA). Kai has a commercial interest in agency care. This guide distinguishes public guidance from Kai’s own service information and does not rank individual providers.
General information, not individualized tax, legal, insurance, or medical advice. A qualified professional can review the obligations that apply to your family. Contact Kai with a question or correction.
When you are ready
Let’s get to know your family.
A complimentary home visit is a chance to share what matters to you, ask questions, and explore whether Kai feels like a good fit.
Arrange a home visit Or call 808.400.9627Non-medical home care · Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi