Understanding Worker Classification Crash Course

Understanding Worker Classification is a crash course that will help business owners learn the factors used to determine whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor.

The additional bonus resources included with the course are:

• Independent Contractor v. Employee Self-Assessment questionnaire (one for each test covered in the course: 20 factor, IRS Test and Economic Realities Test);
• Independent Contractor Worksheet (one for each test covered in the course: 20 factor, IRS Test and Economic Realities Test);
• 5 Step Guide to Conducting your Self-Audit;
• 20 Factor Cheat Sheet with examples;
• 50 State Survey that sets forth the worker classification tests used in each state; and
• IRS Independent Contractor Information Sheet
• Form Independent Contractor Agreements for Single Projects and Recurring Projects

There is about 2 hours of learning material including videos, power point presentation, and audio recordings.

I will discuss some background issues on worker classification and then dive right into the 20 factor test. I will define each factor and discuss a comparison of two cases: one where the worker was determined to be an independent contractor and another where a class of workers were found to be employees. That way, you can see real situations that these factors were applied and learn common "do's and don'ts." After every 5 factors, I will do a brief recap and discuss important take-a-ways. Once we conclude the 20 factor test, I also address the IRS Test and the Department of Labor Economic Realities test. I will then go through next steps for your business and the 5 simple steps to conduct your self-assessment. After that, I do a lecture where I discuss the key provisions of the form contracts that are included in the course and then I give a course wrap up.

Worker classification is a hot issue for the federal government and state agencies which have increased audits in this area. Understanding these issues will help your business get proactive and hopefully stop a problem before it starts.

Please remember that the information in this course should be used as a general reference and you should not solely rely on this information for making legal decisions. You should consult an attorney for employment law issues.