What goes in a yoga teacher job description?

A yoga teacher job description states which classes the teacher will lead and when, what they will do before and after each class, who they report to, the training and certifications you require, how pay is calculated, and the employment status the studio expects. State the schedule and pay rule precisely enough that a candidate can check their availability and calculate what each class would pay. The template below is a starting point. Fill in every bracket. Before publishing, have employment counsel review the expected classification, compensation terms, and posting requirements for the location where the teacher will work. Have your accountant check the pay calculations and payment schedule.

Last reviewed: [placeholder: enter the date after employment counsel completes the legal review].

A job description template to adapt

Copy it, or download the Word version for your role below. Fill in every bracket, and delete any line that does not apply. Bracketed numbers throughout this article are placeholders, not recommended pay rates, notice periods, or qualification requirements.

Yoga teacher, [studio name], [neighborhood or city]. The role reports to [job title]. [Studio name] is hiring a teacher for [number] scheduled classes a week: [class, day, and time for each]. The schedule is set for [the season, or until a date]. [State whether additional classes are available as a sub and how they are assigned.]

Before and after each class. You arrive [15] minutes before class to set the room: temperature, lights, music, and props. You check students in on [the tablet at the desk, or your phone] if no one is at the desk, and you follow the studio’s process when a student reports an injury or requests an accommodation. After class you reset the props, record attendance if it is not already recorded, and report any damaged equipment.

Subs and cancellations. If you cannot teach, notify [role and contact method] by [notice deadline when advance notice is possible]. [State who arranges a sub, what happens for illness or an emergency, and who decides whether to cancel if no sub is available.] If the studio cancels a class, [state the compensation rule reviewed by employment counsel]. [State who notifies booked students.]

What you bring. A completed [200]-hour teacher training. [State any registration you require, or: registration is not required.] Current CPR and first aid certification [if you require it, and whether the studio pays for the course]. [Liability insurance of your own, for a contract role.] Experience teaching [the class types on the schedule].

Pay. [The rule, written so the teacher can calculate it: for example, $[amount] per class, plus $[amount] for each student over [number].] Pay is calculated per class and paid on [payday and frequency]. [State when the studio reviews class records and how the teacher can question an amount.] Required setup, reset, meetings, training, administrative work, and any workshops you teach are paid [state the compensation rule for each duty and how time is recorded].

Expected employment status. The studio expects this role to be [part-time employment or independent contracting, after employment counsel reviews the role]. [State who handles tax withholding, what equipment the studio provides, and any limits on outside work, using the terms reviewed by employment counsel and your accountant.]

To apply. Send [what you want: a short note, your training certificate, and a class you taught recently] to [email] by [date]. The next step is [a paid audition class, or a conversation with the owner].

Say what happens around each class

List the work around each class: who opens the room for the first class of the day, how staff handle a reported injury or accommodation request, and who finds a sub. Put those duties in the posting so the candidate accepts them with the scheduled classes.

Sample calculation, not a recommended rate: With 12 students, $45 plus $2 for each student over 8 gives $53 for the class. The additional $8 is for the four students over the threshold.

How to describe pay

The table below gives example questions for three class-pay rules and compensation for required work outside class. Write each rule in the description so a candidate can calculate the amount for a quiet class, a full class, and work that is not a scheduled class.

Have employment counsel review the compensation terms for the location where the teacher will work, and have your accountant check the calculations.

A teacher should be able to see how each class's amount was reached. Yoga Sync calculates teacher pay from the rules you set: a flat class rate, a percentage of class revenue, a per-student amount, or pay for work outside class. It shows the rule behind each line item. Authorized staff approve or adjust the total before it is paid. Yoga Sync does not run payroll. Yoga Sync prepares pay data for employees and contractors.

Review the expected employment status

Before publishing an employee or contractor role, have employment counsel review the proposed duties, schedule, compensation terms, and agreement. Ask counsel what classification and posting wording to use, and ask your accountant how to handle tax withholding and payment records.

Give counsel the IRS guidance as a reference when reviewing the role.

Training and certification

State the training and certifications your studio requires, and separate requirements from preferences. If you mention Yoga Alliance registration, say whether you require it or accept equivalent training from a school that is not registered. Check state and local rules before publishing the posting.