Law and the Workplace

Category Archives: Independent Contractor

Subscribe to Independent Contractor RSS Feed

Hearing Scheduled On Proposed Amendments to Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

By Mark W. Batten and Samantha Regenbogen Manelin on Posted in Independent Contractor, Leaves of Absences, Workplace Policies and Procedures
On June 11, 2020, the Department of Family and Medical Leave (“DFML”) will hold a virtual public hearing on its recent proposed amendments to the final regulations pertaining to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (“PFML”) issued in June 2019.  (Instructions for registering for the virtual hearing are available at this link).  A … Continue Reading

Seventh Circuit Reaffirms Test for Employee Status

By Steven J. Pearlman, Edward Young and Caralyn M. Olie on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Independent Contractor, Litigation and Arbitration
On May 8, 2019, the Seventh Circuit reaffirmed its test for determining employee status under federal anti-discrimination laws, holding that a physician lacked standing to bring Title VII claims against the hospital at which she maintained practice privileges because she was not an employee. Levitin v. Northwest Community Hospital, No. 16-cv-3774. Background Plaintiff owned and … Continue Reading

[Podcast]: Recent Developments in California Law

By Tony Oncidi and Harris Mufson on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Independent Contractor, The Proskauer Brief Podcast, Wage and Hour, Workplace Policies and Procedures
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partner Tony Oncidi and senior counsel Harris Mufson discuss key developments in California employment law, including a new test to determine whether workers are independent contractors or employees and what’s new on the #MeToo front. Listen to the podcast.  … Continue Reading

New Rules Implementing the NYC Freelance Isn’t Free Act To Become Effective on July 24, 2017

By Allan Bloom and Laura Fant on Posted in Independent Contractor
As we previously reported, in November 2016, NYC Mayor De Blasio signed into law the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, establishing protections for freelance workers, including the right to receive a written contract for work valued at $800 or more, the right to be paid timely and in full, and the right to be free from … Continue Reading

DOL Withdraws Obama-Era Administrator’s Interpretations on Independent Contractors and Joint Employment

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Employers across the U.S. were troubled by the sub-regulatory guidance issued by the DOL in 2015 and 2016 on independent contractors and joint employment.  Today, the DOL announced the withdrawal of that guidance (Administrator’s Interpretations No. 2015-01 (July 15, 2015, on independent contractors) and No. 2016-01 (Jan. 20, 2016, on joint employment)). As you may … Continue Reading

Connecticut Supreme Court Issues Important Clarification For Independent Contractor Test

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
On March 21, 2017, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued an important ruling, finding that an individual may be still considered an independent contractor under the state’s Unemployment Insurance Act even if he/she only provides services to one business or entity.  In so doing, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed a decision by the Unemployment Insurance Board finding … Continue Reading

Proskauer’s Value Insights Survey is Now Live

By Elise M. Bloom on Posted in Accessibility & Accommodation, Class/Collective Action, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Hiring/Background Checks, Independent Contractor, Leaves of Absences, Litigation and Arbitration, Performance Management, Discipline & Termination, Strategic Corporate Planning, Vacation policy, Wage and Hour, Workplace Policies and Procedures, Workplace Restructuring and WARN
Proskauer’s second Value Insights: Delivering Value in Labor and Employment Law survey is now live and we want to hear from you. Value Insights explores how in-house counsel can maximize the value they provide to their business partners and correspondingly, how they can most effectively partner with outside counsel on managing labor and employment work. … Continue Reading

Appellate Division Rules That Paid Blogger Was Not An “Employee” Entitled To Unemployment Benefits, Signaling Trend Toward More Searching Judicial Review of Agency Decisions

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
One of the recurring themes in workplace law in 2016 was the continued crackdown on independent contractor misclassification.  Both federal and state agencies, as well as the plaintiffs’ bar, invested significant resources to challenge employers in the “gig economy”—as well as in more traditional businesses—that rely heavily on contractors, freelancers, and other third-party service providers. … Continue Reading

Yoga Instructors Can Be Independent Contractors, Says NY Court of Appeals

By Allan Bloom, Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Earlier this week, the New York State Court of Appeals in Yoga Vida NYC, Inc. v. Commissioner of Labor., No. 130 (N.Y. Oct. 25, 2016), issued a rare decision concerning an unemployment determination, reversing the Appellate Division and concluding that the employer yoga studio did not exercise sufficient control over certain of its instructors to create … Continue Reading

Mayor Signs Into Law NYC Bill Protecting Freelance Workers, Effective May 15, 2017

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
On November 16, 2016, NYC Mayor De Blasio signed into law the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, a local law (No. 1017-2015) establishing protections for freelance workers. The law, amending Title 10 of the N.Y.C. Administrative Code, establishes and enhances protections for freelance workers, including the right to receive a written contract, the right to be … Continue Reading

Oklahoma Partners With U.S. DOL to Investigate Worker Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
On September 13, 2016, Oklahoma became the 35th state to enter into a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) to share information and conduct joint investigations regarding independent contractor misclassification.  Oklahoma represents just the latest in a flurry of new participants in the U.S. DOL’s Misclassification Initiative, which was launched in 2010 … Continue Reading

North Carolina and Nebraska Join 32 Other States In Agreeing To Partner With U.S. DOL to Investigate Worker Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Just last month we reported that Pennsylvania had entered into a memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with the U.S. Department of Labor (“U.S. DOL”), agreeing to share information and conduct joint investigations regarding independent contractor misclassification.  Now two more states have joined the U.S. DOL in this effort. In the past week, North Carolina and Nebraska … Continue Reading

New Arizona Independent Contractor Law Now In Effect

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Arizona’s “Declaration of Independent Business Status” law went into effect earlier this month. The new law, which appears to be the first of its kind, aims to provide independent contractors and the businesses that engage them greater certainty with respect to their employment status. Under the new law, independent contractors may sign a Declaration of Independent … Continue Reading

Pennsylvania Department of Labor and U.S. DOL Agree to Work Together Against Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
The U.S. Department of Labor (“U.S. DOL”) and the  Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry recently signed a memorandum of understanding to share information and conduct joint investigations regarding independent contractor misclassification.  The agreement is part of the U.S. DOL’s Misclassification Initiative, the stated goal of which is to “combat employee misclassification and to ensure … Continue Reading

Proskauer Releases Survey Results on Value Insights: Delivering Value in Labor and Employment Law

By Katharine Parker on Posted in Accessibility & Accommodation, Class/Collective Action, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Hiring/Background Checks, Immigration, Independent Contractor, Leaves of Absences, Litigation and Arbitration, National Labor Relations Board, Non-Competes and Protection of Corporate Assets, Performance Management, Discipline & Termination, Strategic Corporate Planning, Vacation policy, Wage and Hour, Whistleblower, Workplace Policies and Procedures, Workplace Restructuring and WARN
Proskauer’s Labor and Employment Law Department is pleased to announce the release of its inaugural Value Insights: Delivering Value in Labor and Employment Law survey, a resource that includes input from in-house decision makers on labor and employment matters and provides in-house counsel with tools to both more effectively help their business partners achieve their objectives … Continue Reading

North Carolina Governor Signs Executive Order on Worker Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
On December 18, 2015, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed an executive order establishing an “Employee Classification Section” within the state’s Industrial Commission.  The Order, which took effect immediately, tasked this new Section with overseeing employee misclassification enforcement by receiving reports of employee misclassification and referring those reports to appropriate state agencies for further action.  … Continue Reading

Governor Cuomo Vetoes Bill Creating Independent Contractor Test For Newspaper Carriers

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed several bills into law on Saturday, November 21, 2015.  However, one piece of legislation that did not make it past his desk was a measure that would have created a special test under which newspaper carriers could more easily be classified as independent contractors as opposed to employees for purposes of … Continue Reading

Vermont Department of Labor and U.S. DOL Agree to Work Together Against Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Yesterday the U.S. Department of Labor (“U.S. DOL”) and the Vermont Department of Labor (“VDOL”) signed a three-year memorandum of understanding to share information and conduct joint investigations regarding independent contractor misclassification.  The agreement is part of the U.S. DOL’s Misclassification Initiative, the goal of which is to prevent, detect, and remedy employee misclassification.  Just … Continue Reading

US Department of Labor Issues Administrator’s Interpretation Aimed At Limiting Independent Contractor Classification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
As forecast in our June 12, 2015 blog post David Weil, Administrator of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has released Administrator’s Interpretation (AI) No. 2015-1, entitled “The Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s ‘Suffer or Permit’ Standard in the Identification of Employees Who Are Misclassified as Independent Contractors.”  The AI provides … Continue Reading

DOL To Issue Independent Contractor Guidance

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
According to an Article in Law360, on June 5, 2015, David Weil, Administrator of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, stated that his Office is preparing to release guidance addressing how to assess whether a worker is properly classified as an independent contractor.  Weil made the announcement at New York University’s 68th Annual … Continue Reading

Third Circuit Nixes EEOC Retaliation Suit

By Joseph O’Keefe, Daniel Saperstein and Matthew Engel on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Independent Contractor, Litigation and Arbitration, Workplace Policies and Procedures
Last week, in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) v. Allstate Insurance Co., No. 2-01-cv-07402 (3d Cir. Feb. 13, 2015), the Third Circuit affirmed that the defendant did not violate federal anti-retaliation laws by offering thousands of terminated at-will employees the opportunity to continue working as independent contractors in exchange for signing a release. By way … Continue Reading

Affordable Care Act Presents New Risks to Employers Who Misclassify Workers

By Katharine Parker on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
As our readers know, federal and state departments of labor have intensified their scrutiny of independent contractor arrangements and are coordinating with the federal and state taxing authorities when misclassifications are found.  There was a great article in the New York Times today by Conrad De Aenlle entitled, “Employee or Contractor? Health Care Law Raises … Continue Reading

NJ Supreme Court Clarifies Independent Contractor Standard under State Wage Laws

By Guy Brenner and Daniel Saperstein on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour, Workplace Policies and Procedures
Last week, New Jersey’s highest court ruled in Hargrove v. Sleepy’s, LLC, No. A-70-12 (Jan. 14, 2015), that the so-called “ABC test” applies when determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor under the New Jersey Wage Payment Law (“WPL”) and Wage & Hour Law (“WHL”).  That test presumes an individual is an employee … Continue Reading

Rhode Island Establishes Tip Line For Worker Misclassification

By Guy Brenner and Carolyn M. Dellatore on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Man using smartphoneRhode Island’s Joint Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification announced earlier this month that it has set up an anonymous telephone tip line for reporting allegations of independent contractor misclassification.  The Task Force was established to reduce worker misclassification.  It consists of representatives from Rhode Island’s Department of Labor and Training (DLT), the … Continue Reading
LexBlog