Kansas City Employment Law Firm

Determining Independent Contractor Status

Are you an independent contractor? If so, your status gives you certain rights and responsibilities. At Brady & Associates, we represent independent contractors in a variety of work-related legal issues. If you have experienced a problem with the business you are working for, we can help. For a phone consultation, call our lawyers at (913) 696-0925, toll free at (866) 309-9441, or contact us online.

We can help you determine whether you are an independent contractor or an employee.

Independent Contractor Status

Independent contractors play an important role in their employers' business operations. Employers who hire independent contractors are results-oriented. The independent contractor's employer may not know how the contractor's job gets done, but they make sure that it does get done.

Unfortunately, many employers are unaware of their responsibilities in regard to hiring independent contractors, or how the status of independent contractors differs from other employees. How do you know if you should be categorized as an independent contractor? Consider the following:

  • Are you free to come and go as you please? Do you set your own hours?
  • Does your employer provide the tools you need to perform your job duties, or do you provide them yourself?
  • Do you work consistently for the same company, performing the same functions on different projects, or do you work on discrete projects for different employers?
  • Most importantly: Does your job require the exercise of independent judgment and discretion?

Hiring independent contractors relieves employers from many duties: filing taxes, paying overtime, doing paperwork and more. Whether intentional or not, many employers try to control contractors as employees. Under the law, workers are either employees or independent contractors. Misclassifying a worker can cause any number of legal issues. Therefore, determining employee or independent contractor status is an important business decision.

Find answers to your questions about independent contractor status on our FAQ page.

To talk to our employment law attorneys, or to determine independent contractor status, call us at (913) 696-0925, toll free at (866) 309-9441. We offer confidential evaluation of your case by phone. Contact us online to find out more. We are based near Kansas City, and represent clients throughout Kansas and Missouri.