Whether you are an employee or a business owner, it is important to know whether someone is properly classified as an employee or an independent contractor. Classifying someone as an independent contractor saves a company expenses for state and federal employment taxes and workers compensation benefits. But misclassifying someone as an independent contractor, when that person really should be considered an employee, makes the employer liable for both the unpaid back taxes and any unpaid workers compensation benefits, as well as serious penalties.
The super successful startup Uber just got hit with a ruling in California that its drivers are employees, rather than independent contractors. Authorities in Utah and Florida made a similar ruling last year.
Properly classifying someone as an employee or independent contractor depends on many factors, such as the amount of control the would-be employer has over the worker. Contact our office for a consultation.
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