Estelle Carstens

What does your company do?

Domestic Support specialise in employment relations between Domestic Employers and Domestic Workers. We ensure that our clients are legally compliant to employment and labour laws in South Africa, when hiring staff at home. This involves UIF and COIDA registrations; monthly UIF compliance; providing a full payroll service, including PAYE; employment contract; ensure fair terminations; CCMA matters; and background screening. We are soon launching Recruitment of Domestic Staff. We are passionate about people and managing employment relations fairly. Offering a full-service HR for Home service. Our clients consider Domestic Support as their HR department.

What is your biggest success?

Having a vision of supporting Domestic Employers with HR compliance matters in South Africa in 2017 and taking action on that from nothing to what it is today - reputable name and many referral clients. Starting with three clients and only offer the UIF and limited payroll service. Our service offering has now extended to include all employment and labour law compliance to Domestic Employers. Domestic Support provide a much-needed service to Employers. With years of corporate HR experience, we are well positioned to make sure that clients comply with labour and employment laws; simplifying the process and taking away the administrative burden. In return, it is a win-win as Domestic Workers will know that when their Employer make use of Domestic Support, they comply with the law. We will soon be launching a Recruitment service - hoping to assist many Domestic Workers (Housekeeper; Nanny; Au Pair; Gardener; Carer) with employment. Domestic Support is recognised by organisations such as Izwi Domestic Worker Alliance and are often invited to comment on topics relating to Domestic Workers as we represent a good portion of Employers in South Africa.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

I don't think we ever experienced tough hurdles. The hurdles are more recent and is testimony to the growth of Domestic Support. There has never been competition as we have been one of the only companies to my knowledge providing a HR for home service. The hurdles now relate to constant improvement of customer service and operations.