Hiring Independent Contractors FAQ
Plain-English answers to questions about hiring independent contractors -- and the differences between contractors and employees.
» What is an independent contractor?
What are the benefits of hiring independent contractors?
What are the risks of hiring independent contractors?
How do government agencies determine whether workers are ICs or employees?
Should I ask freelancers and consultants to sign written independent contractor agreements?
How can I prove that the worker I hired is really an independent contractor?
Who owns intellectual property created by independent contractors?
What is an independent contractor?
Independent contractors (ICs) are people who contract to perform services for others, but aren't legally employees. Because many employment laws and tax rules that cover employees don't apply to ICs, businesses can often save time, money, and headaches by hiring ICs instead of employees.
ICs may call themselves by a variety of names -- freelancers, consultants, the self-employed, entrepreneurs, or business owners.
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