Independent Contractor v. Employee and Joint Employer Status: How to Differentiate and Avoid Legal Traps

Please join us for a virtual webinar addressing worker classification issues, including independent contractor v. employee, and how to manage temporary or seasonal workers and avoid common legal traps. Misclassification of workers is a costly mistake and can lead to exposure for unpaid taxes, unpaid overtime, penalties and punitive damages. We will discuss how to properly work with and manage independent contractors to make sure they are not classified as employees. We will also address the Department of Labor’s recent final rule regarding Joint Employer Status under the Fair Labor Standards Act and when you might be jointly and severally liable for the payment of an employee’s wages. Specific topics to be covered include:

• Differentiating between different types of workers, including employees, independent contractors, temporary workers and seasonal workers
• Independent contractor factors in the Fifth Circuit (the federal courts with jurisdiction over Texas)
• Do’s and don’ts to preserve independent contractor status
• The Department of Labor’s final rule on the Joint Employer Doctrine under the Fair Labor Standards Act