Maternity and Midwifery Employment Agreement

What a good one includes

• Clear definition of the clinical scope of practice, credentialing requirements, and active licensure maintenance tailored to state-specific midwifery or nursing boards.
• A detailed on-call schedule and rotation framework that specifies response times, geographical boundaries, and backup coverage protocols for labor calls.
• A structured compensation model detailing base pay, bonuses for attending births outside normal hours, and mileage reimbursement for home visits.
• Standard operating procedures for patient handoffs, clinical charting timelines, and emergency hospital transfer protocols to maintain continuity of care.
• Professional liability insurance requirements, specifying who carries and pays for malpractice insurance, including tail coverage if applicable.
• Confidentiality and HIPAA compliance clauses protecting patient health information and the practice's proprietary operational guidelines.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Relying on standard medical employment templates that fail to address the highly unpredictable hours and on-call demands unique to birth work.
• Failing to clearly define what constitutes an active shift versus on-call standby time, which leads to wage disputes and staff burnout.
• Neglecting to specify exact protocols for clinical backup and handoffs, leaving the practice vulnerable if an employee is unavailable during an active labor.
• Omitting explicit clauses about who owns patient charts and records upon an employee's termination or departure from the practice.

Frequently asked questions