Employee Vs. Independent Contractor?

The IRS uses the 20 Common Law factors as a guideline when determining if sufficient control is present to establish an employer-employee relationship. This guide lists each factor and provides elements characteristic of both employee and independent contractor. The degree of importance of each factor varies depending on the occupation and the scope of work being performed.

Under the common-law test, an employer-employee relationship is present when the person for whom services are performed has the right to control and direct the individual who performs the services as to both:

         1. The result to be accomplished by the work, and
         2. The details and methods used in achieving the end result

It is not necessary that the hiring firm overtly direct or control the means and methods by which a result is to be accomplished - all that is required is that they have the right to do so.

1. Instructions
A worker who must comply with another persons' instructions about when, where and how he or she is to work is ordinarily an employee. If the service recipient has the right to require compliance with instructions, or require completion of a different scope of work using specified guidelines, it is likely that an employer-employee relationship exists.

2. Training
Training a worker to complete the task at hand or requiring a worker to attend meetings and receive direction are factors indicative of an employer-employee relationship. Training a worker in specific methods indicates that the service recipient wants the services accomplished in a certain manner. Voluntary uncompensated training may not be an indication of an employer-employee relationship.

3. Integration of Services
When the success of a particular project is dependent upon the performance of certain services, especially for a lengthy period in ongoing manner, the worker who performs those services must necessarily be subject to a certain amount of control by the service recipient. Integration of the worker's services into the business operations generally shows that the worker is subject to direction and control.

4. Services Rendered Personally
By requiring a worker to perform the contracted services personally, presumably the service recipient is interested in the means and methods used to accomplish the work in addition to the results.

5. Hiring, Supervising, and Paying Assistants
If the service recipient supervises the hiring process and paying of assistants, that factor generally shows control over the workers on the job. However, if the worker performs the hiring, supervision and pays assistants and is responsible only for the attainment of a result, this factor is indicative of an independent contractor.

6. Regular and Continuous Relationship
A continuing relationship not based on projects between the worker and the person or persons for whom the services are performed indicates that an employer-employee relationship exists.

7. Set Hours of Work
Requiring the work to be performed at set hours indicates control by the service recipient over the worker and is indicative of an employer - employee relationship.

8. Full Time Required
If the worker must devote substantially full time to the business and is not working on a project basis, the worker may be limited from performing services elsewhere and to some extent is being controlled. An independent contractor is free to perform work for other clients as he or she chooses.

9. Doing Work on Employer's Premises
If the service recipient requires the worker to perform the work on-site and the work could be done elsewhere, this factor suggests control.

10. Order or Sequence Set
If a worker must perform services in the order or sequence set by the service recipient, this factor shows that the worker is not free to follow the worker's own pattern of work. The worker should maintain this right. Adherence to an established industry or technical standard is generally not regarded as control on the part of the service recipient.

11. Oral or Written Reports
Requiring the worker to submit regular oral or written reports indicates a degree of control. Quality assurance checks with no evaluation system may not indicate an employer-employee relationship.

12. Payment by Hour, Week, Month
Payment by the hour, week, or month generally points to an employer-employee relationship. Contracts structured with payment made by the job or on a fixed fee basis indicates that the worker is an independent contractor.

13. Payment of Business and/or Traveling Expenses
Ordinarily employees are reimbursed for travel or business related expenses. An employer, to be able to control expenses, generally retains the right to regulate the worker's business activities. An independent contractor incurs and pays travel and incidental costs as part of his/her ongoing business expenses.

14. Furnish Tools or Equipment
The furnishing of significant tools, materials, and other equipment, tends to reduce the workers risk of loss and lean towards the existence of an employer-employee relationship.

15. Significant Investment
If the worker invests in facilities that are used in performing services that factor tends to indicate that the worker is an independent contractor. Particularly if part of this investment requires ongoing overhead or maintenance costs. Lack of investment in facilities indicates dependence on the service recipient for such facilities, and accordingly, the existence of an employer-employee relationship.

16. Realization of Profit or Loss
A worker who can realize a profit or suffer a loss as a result of performing the contracted services is generally an independent contractor. Independent contractors are considered businesses. A business inherently incurs certain financial risks and can realize profits while employees do not.

17. Major Source of Income (Working for more than one firm at a time).
Training a worker to complete the task at hand or requiring a worker to attend meetings and receive direction are factors indicative of an employer-employee relationship. Training a worker in specific methods indicates that the service recipient wants the services accomplished in a certain manner. Voluntary uncompensated training may not be an indication of an employer-employee relationship.

18. Making Service Available to General Public
The fact that a worker makes his or her services available to the general public lends itself to independent contractor status.

19. Right to Discharge
An employer exercises control through the threat of dismissal, which to some degree can cause the worker to comply with the employer's instructions. An independent contractor, on the other hand, cannot be fired so long as he or she produces a result that meets the contract specifications.

20. Right to Terminate
If the worker has the right to end his or her relationship with the service recipient at will and not incur a liability, that factor indicates an employer-employee relationship

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