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Independent Contractors Gig Economy Wage and Hour

Independent contractors are individuals or entities that perform work for other individuals or entities, but are not employees of those individuals or entities. Whether a worker is an employee or an independent... more +
Independent contractors are individuals or entities that perform work for other individuals or entities, but are not employees of those individuals or entities. Whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor is not always an easy determination. However, due to differences in tax and liability treatment, misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can have serious consequences. Autonomy is the defining feature of independent contractor arrangements. Independent contractors control the manner and method of how work is performed while payers control the desired result. Control over schedule and number of hours worked, ownership of equipment or tools, permanency of relationship, and acceptance of jobs from multiple entities are all possible factors in determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor.   less -
Troutman Pepper Locke

Health Care Industry Under Attack for Independent Contractor Misclassification: July 2025 IC Legal News Update

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Unless you were in the health care industry, July 2025 was a relatively slow month for judicial developments in the law of independent contractor (IC) misclassification and compliance. Only two significant IC cases came to...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Comments Submitted to New Jersey’s Proposed Regulation Expanding “ABC Test for Independent Contractor Status”

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The following comments were submitted by Richard J. Reibstein, the publisher of this legal blog, critiquing the proposed regulation of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry (the Department) regarding the so-called...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Artificial Intelligence Industry Targeted for Independent Contractor Misclassification Lawsuits: May 2025 IC Legal News Update

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Five months ago, we reported about a class action lawsuit against an artificial intelligence (AI) company that engages workers to perform data labeling and content creation and classifies them as independent contractors (ICs)...more

Littler

DOL Reinstates Virtual Marketplace Platform Opinion Letter Signaling Return to Relaxed Independent Contractor Test and Acceptance...

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In recent months, the Department of Labor (DOL) has seen an overhaul of its agency leadership. First, President Trump appointed Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling, and more recently,...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

The Legal Landscape of Independent Contractor Misclassification May Be About to Change: March 2025 IC Legal News Update

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The most significant development last month in the law of independent contractors was not one of the four cases we summarize below but rather a bill passed by the New York Senate. ...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Not Fooling Around: Critical New York State Legislative Updates for Employers as April Begins

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During the first quarter of 2025, the New York State legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul have been actively advancing several initiatives that – if passed and signed – will require New York employers to adapt their policies...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Federal Government’s Ping Pong Match on Independent Contractor Rule Is Distraction From Enhancing IC Compliance: January 2025 IC...

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Few federal regulations over the past five years have produced more needless concern by stakeholders than the independent contractor rules under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) issued by the different...more

Ius Laboris

New Labour Reform in Mexico: A Win for Digital Platform Workers

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On 24 December 2024, a reform to Mexico’s Federal Labour Law was published that regulates work for digital platforms....more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Additional Protections for Seattle App-Based Workers Take Effect On January 1, 2025

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Seattle continues to expand protections for app-based workers (sometimes referred to as “gig workers”) working within the City of Seattle with its new App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance....more

Jones Day

Recent Amendments to Australia's Fair Work Act Impact Whether Independent Contractors Are Deemed "Employees"

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Recent amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) establishing a new "whole-of-relationship test" increase the likelihood that Australian businesses will face claims of "sham contracting" by misclassifying employees as...more

Hinshaw & Culbertson - Employment Law...

The 12 Days of California Labor and Employment Series – Day 5 "Protections for Freelance Workers"

In the spirit of the season, we are using our annual "12 Days of California Labor and Employment" blog series to address new California laws and their impact on employers. On the fifth day of the holidays, my labor and...more

Akerman LLP - HR Defense

Worker Classification in the Gig Economy: Legal Wins and Strategic Considerations for Employers

The gig economy continues to prosper, fueled by some recent legal wins, which have been delivered at a crucial juncture for businesses reliant on the flexibility and cost efficiencies that come with classifying workers as...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Appellate Courts Restore a Measure of Sanity to Independent Contractor Classification Under Massachusetts’ Wage Law

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In a refreshing break for business in the Bay State, two recent appellate court decisions have confirmed that legitimate independent contractor relationships are alive and well in Massachusetts. Those decisions are Patel, et...more

Littler

Los Angeles Publishes “Model Contract” Under Freelance Workers Protections Ordinance

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On August 7, 2024, the City of Los Angeles unveiled its “Model Contract” under the Freelance Workers Protections Ordinance (FWPO). This ordinance, which took effect on July 1, 2023, was designed to bolster protections for...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Supreme Court of California Upholds Law Classifying App-Based Drivers as Independent Contractors

On July 25, 2024, the Supreme Court of California upheld a state law permitting ride-sharing apps to continue classifying their drivers as independent contractors, rather than employees. ...more

CDF Labor Law LLP

California Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 22: What It Means for Gig Economy Workers and Companies

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Last week, on July 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court in Castellanos v. State of California unanimously upheld Proposition 22, the 2020 ballot measure that allows gig economy businesses like Uber and Lyft to legally...more

Epstein Becker & Green

The Gig Continues: California Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 22

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On July 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court issued its long-awaited ruling in Castellanos et al., v. State of California and Protect App-Based Drivers and Services, et al., upholding the 2020 voter initiative known as...more

Fisher Phillips

Workplace Law Update: 10 Essential Items on Your July To-Do List

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It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law, especially since the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace. In order to ensure you stay on top of the latest changes and have an action plan...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Industries Counteract Class Action Independent Contractor Misclassification Claims: May ‎‎2024 IC Legal News Update‎

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Class action independent contractor misclassification cases continue to be filed and most seem to settle, often for large sums, as we have reported in our blog posts on legal developments each month. But some industries have...more

Littler

Effective July 1, Minnesota Employers Face Increased Scrutiny and Possible Liability for Using Independent Contractors Versus...

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Governor Tim Walz has signed into law significant changes to Minnesota’s independent contractor and employment laws.  Effective July 1, all employers, as well as their owners, risk significantly increased penalties for...more

Littler

Oregon DOJ Ramps up Child Support Reporting Requirements for Payments to Independent Contractors

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Many companies with independent contractors working in Oregon recently received correspondence from the Oregon Department of Justice’s Division of Child Support (“Division”) reminding them of new reporting obligations with...more

Venable LLP

New York State Freelance Isn't Free Act

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Vetoed in 2022, subsequently signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul last year, and rolled out with a delay, New York State's Freelance Isn't Free Act (FIFA) finally goes into effect on August 28, 2024. The legislation is...more

Sands Anderson PC

Understanding the New Rules of Independent Contractor Classification Law

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There are few areas in employment law that remain in a greater state of flux than the question of who a business can properly classify as an independent contractor.  The differences between federal and state law can make the...more

Gray Reed

More Guidance on Worker Classification for the Energy Industry

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This post is a summary of a more detailed Client Alert prepared by Gray Reed’s labor and employment practice group. Recall our recent post on the Department of Labor’s new “Economic Realities Test” for classifying...more

FordHarrison

Department of Labor’s New I.C. Rule No Longer on Ice: What Employers Need to Know About Determining Independent Contractor Status...

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Introduction - After receiving over 55,000 comments regarding the proposed rule introduced in 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finalized a new independent contractor test under the Fair Labor Standards Act...more

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