If you haven’t noticed already, I really enjoy exploring niche practices or niche legal issues on the ARTY LAW blog. I’ve recently been contacted by some entrepreneurs in the health/wellness industry and thought it would be interesting to address the legal issues in those fields. First topic: yoga. Whether you are a yoga teacher or a you own a yoga studio, you must have written contracts in place. Here are 4 elements you should be addressing in a yoga teacher agreement.
Of course, please take this as legal information and not legal advice. If you have any questions about yoga teacher contracts or the legal aspects of teaching yoga, send me an email at info@artylaw.ca.
#1 Compensation
As with all service based agreements, one of the main elements you should be addressing is how you will be compensated as a yoga teacher (if you’re still not convinced about the necessity of a proper service agreement, I suggest you check out this blog post). There are many ways you can be paid as a freelance yoga teacher: on an hourly basis, on a per class basis, based on the number of students in a particular class, or even a mix of those methods. Regardless of how you are paid, make sure the method and payment terms are clear for both parties.
#2 Services
This element is particularly important if you are a freelance yoga teacher. You want to make sure the services you offer, and what those actually include, are properly outlined in your agreement. If you are a yoga studio owner, keep in mind that freelancers are not employees. Regardless of how you call your yoga teachers or the name of the agreement you made them sign, a freelancer may be considered an employee, legally speaking, if he or she is treated like one (for more information about the differences between employees and freelancers, you can check out Revenu Québec’s website).
#3 Insurance
Being covered by an insurance really is crucial when you teach yoga, as injuries are a risk. Make sure to determine whether or not the yoga studio you will be teaching in has insurance that will cover your activities. If the studio’s insurance does not cover you, you should look into getting insurance for yourself. Regardless of who pays for it, it’s important to determine who will be responsible for contracting that insurance as well as its amount.
#4 Schedule
Finally, both parties should take the time to figure out how scheduling will work. When is the studio open? Under what circumstances can parties modify the schedule? Can you decide to take an absentee’s spot? Ultimately, the goal here is to have a clear understanding of the scheduling process.
If you need legal advice regarding yoga teacher contracts or if you need help with drafting/reviewing documents, you can always reach me at info@artylaw.ca or you can click the link below to learn more about our services!
