Re: Independent Contractor v. Employee Status

["Suzanne A. Hosie" <suzy -at- WOTE -dot- COM>]

At 03:39 PM 3/2/97 -0800, Deborah Rech wrote:
>Anyone out there notice any changes in the way companies deal with
>you?

Companies have always, and will (should) continue to be, careful about who
they classify as independent contractors. I have worked this way for
several years now and take responsibility for proving my independent status
to the company - just in case they have any questions. This tends to make
the client more comfortable with the Independent status. The IRS 20 rules
are a good place to start (disclaimer: they don't cover it all). For
example, I work from my home office, have several clients/projects at one
time, have an employer tax ID number (vs. SSN), and pay my own office
expenses (equipment, software, etc.). However, I have found that if there's
even the slightest doubt in the client's mind, they will prefer to go W-2.
In that case, why argue as long as they're paying the same rate either way?

>I would also be interested in knowing if you prefer working as an
>independent contractor or an employee and why.

Independent!! It's much more fun (variety, freedom) for those who have
entrepreneurial tendencies, and my experience has shown that permanent jobs
can be much more temporary than contract jobs.

Re temp agencies: My policy is to not work for them as I have more than
enough good paying work on my own. However, I make exceptions when they are
trustworthy AND I get the same pay through them as I would on my own. In
that case, why not do it?





Suzy Hosie
Write on the Edge
suzy -at- wote -dot- com

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