Independent Contractor Misclassification

Outten & Golden attorneys have the knowledge and experience to assess the common misclassification of workers as independent contractors. The federal and state wage and hour laws that protect workers from wage theft generally apply only to those workers who are “employed” by their “employers.”  Some employers attempt to avoid these wage protections by misclassifying their workers as “independent contractors” to evade their responsibility to pay them legally required wages and benefits.

To determine whether a worker is an “employee” within the meaning of the law and therefore deserving of wage protection, Outten & Golden attorneys must look carefully at the facts of each case. Generally, if an employer has control over the person’s work—such as directing when and how to get the work done—then that worker is an employee. If a worker is more self-directed, like many freelancers and temps, then that person might be an independent contractor. Because this is a fact-intensive inquiry, a consultation with one of Outten & Golden's knowledgeable attorneys is necessary to make the right determination.