I love Craigslist, but I've never used it to obtain services -- whether for piano lessons or for house cleaning -- simply because anyone and everyone can post a convincing ad. They may say they're excellent piano teachers or tidy house cleaners, but how do I really know?

Enter LaborFair, which I discovered thanks to fellow BlogHer contributing editor Liz Henry. Launched by a woman entrepreneur called Jenna Raby, LaborFair's basically a site where people offering services can connect with people who need them through an open, transparaent process. So far, LaborFair is so far only available in California -- but it's growing in popularity. LA has 152 listings, by my last count.

Like Craigslist, LaborFair lets you limit your search by city, and has different service categories you can browse through -- mostly household services like childcare, cleaning, or gardening. But unlike Craigslist, each would-be service provider must have a profile -- and can be rated and recommended by service recipients. In that sense, LaborFair's like eBay, with its "rate this seller / buyer" feature. This way, you can get a better sense of the service you'll get from the person you employ.

LaborFair lets you search for, contact, and hire service providers completely free. The providers themselves can list free, but do have to pay $5 per job lead -- or opt for a $25 flat month fee. Once the two sides connect, 100% of the hirer's payment goes directly to the provider.

LaborFair encourages paying above the minimum wage -- $7.50 an hour in California. The transparency of the LaborFair process -- in which service providers list their rates -- hopefully also helps both service providers and employers a way to gauge a fair wage.

Want to learn more? Jessica Cryer of Startup Princess did an interview with Jenna. Or hear Jenna talk about her company in this short video -- or follow her blog!

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BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs for the Los Angeles Times at Emerald City, and at greenLAgirl.com.