SherpaShare reports the results of a survey of 201 on-demand workers in June. SherpaShare reports:
“Nearly 2/3rds of workers considered themselves independent contractors when asked if they considered themselves “an independent contractor or employee?” Only 2 selected ‘Other’ with one saying they were both an IC and an employee, and the other suggesting a new third option…”
Read the full story at 63% of on-demand workers consider themselves independent contractors
Surveys like this raise questions about the role of the government and courts in classifying workers as employees or independent contractors. If both the hiring party and the worker consider the worker to be an independent contractor, one might suggest that the government should let the parties enter into a contract freely and without government intervention. At the same time, one can argue that neither companies nor workers should be able to avoid payroll taxes, unemployment taxes or other tax obligations simply because they consider the relationship to be an independent contractor relationship. Surveys that show workers in a job consider themselves to be independent contractors add another factor to the discussion about the proper classification.
