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A Guide for Paying Peer Research Assistants

PoliciesPeople who use drugsPeople living with HIVMental health consumersBC

Summary

Despite much of CBPR recognizing the importance of compensating PRAs for their time and expertise, no process or principles have been developed to ensure PRAs are equitably and fairly compensated. As such, an examination of the many variables at play when hiring and paying PRAs is urgently needed. We have navigated through the processes, financial bodies, and provincial policies that must be considered when hiring PRAs in British Columbia (BC), Canada. This document summarizes some of the complex but accessible online policies, although these are frequently and regularly updated. The information gained through this paper will help address existing bureaucratic inefficiencies and may be used to streamlined future CBPR partnerships.

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Key Findings

Key findings related to emerging/promising principles for engaging PWLLE:

Receiving paid employment earnings

  • Reduces stigma by paying wages comparable to other employees
  • Increasing opportunities for advancement
  • Encouraging ongoing and sustainable peer engagement
  • Giving sense of responsibility and agency through job title and duties

Key findings related to emerging/promising practices for engaging PWLLE:

More than $500 per calendar year must be issued a T4 and reported to Canada Revenue Agency.

Cash Honorarium

  • Payment in cash, rather than gift cards is best practice. Cash should be offered first, while gift cards should be provided only where research ethics boards or other policies explicitly limit payment through gift cards.
  • Should be paid for short-term research or engagement opportunities
  • Pay if individual does not have a bank account or identification (to cash cheques)
  • Can be paid timely or lump sum, or spread over a period of time

Cheque or E-transfer

  • Provide assistance setting up a low-barrier bank account if individual does not have one
  • If cheque needs to be cashed at non-financial institutions (Money Mart), charges should be reimbursed or added to the cheque amount by the employer

Bank draft or money order

  • Useful when needing to pay PRAs in a timely and secure manner as they can be purchased that day and guaranteed by the institution if they are lost

Contractor with set tasks/ pay

  • Setting up official contract through finance department
  • Pay as lump sum or as ongoing work (payment can be issued in a timely ongoing manner)
  • Benefits offered such as WorkSafe BC, CPP and EI

Hourly Staff with Timesheet

  • Pay as lump sum, number of hours per week can vary
  • Set minimum number of hours

Salary Position

  • Titled position

Peers on Income Assistance or Disability

  • It is essential to verify the type of disability and/or income assistance that peers are receiving to assess if they exceed their earning limits
  • Individuals receiving income assistance are entitled to an earnings exemption
  • Two main categories of receiving earning exemptions for people on income or disability assistance – peer support worker stipend exemptions, employment earning exemptions

Key Findings Related to Implementation Approaches:

  • Be transparent about hiring process
  • Establish a well-considered process before hiring PRAs and reviewing this process with them, can prevent tensions and misunderstandings later on in the project
  • Clarify and implement a process for supervision, contact and/or mentorship they will receive from managers or other researchers on the team.
  • Develop a team memorandum of understanding of clear roles and responsibilities

Other Resource Materials (i.e. images, frameworks, tables…

Paying PRA’s flowchart