Independent contractor misclassification lawsuits swept across a swath of businesses last month, affecting companies in both the gig economy and traditional industries.  Discussed below are class action and individual plaintiff cases involving on-demand dog walkers, community living support specialists, oil field workers, cable installers, truckers, ride-share drivers, and exotic dancers.…

It was only a matter of time.  For many years, class action lawyers have filed thousands of lawsuits under wage / hour and other employment laws on behalf of individuals who allege they were employees who have been misclassified as independent contractors. Unions have likewise been prominently involved in challenging…

August 2018 was a busy month in the area of independent contractor misclassification and compliance, including a number of new court filings and decisions, new regulatory initiatives, and new legislation. While none of these matters were  blockbuster developments, they do provide an important message for businesses that use ICs.

One…

Last month was notable for a number of judicial and administrative decisions against companies defending independent contractor misclassification claims.  In one case, the plaintiff seeks to use the company’s statements in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to establish IC misclassification.  This strategy is an example of…

The home health care industry has been targeted in the past for independent contractor misclassification by the U.S. Department of Labor and state workforce agencies, particularly with respect to home health aides.  Earlier today, July 13, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance that, on its face, seems to…

This past month was not a particularly newsworthy month in the area of independent contractor misclassification and compliance, but four court cases and a government study do provide insights for businesses that rely on ICs.

In the first case reported below, a group of newspapers thought they had won their…

The past two months were momentous for many companies that engage independent contractors in California to supplement their workforce or to interact with their customers. This applies not only to businesses based in California but also to those based in other states with ICs across the U.S., including in the…

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