Independent Contractors: Issues, Practices, and Steps to Successfully and Legally Staff Your Company
Speaker: Melveen Stevenson
Speaker Designation: CEO and Founder of M.S.Elemental, LLC
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Speaker: Melveen Stevenson
Speaker Designation: CEO and Founder of M.S.Elemental, LLC
In the current business landscape, companies are facing numerous challenges in hiring and retaining skilled workers to meet their ongoing business needs and growth objectives. With the unemployment rate in the U.S. at its lowest in almost four decades, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain top talent. Additionally, the rise of the gig economy has led many workers to prefer short-term, freelance work over traditional employment. As a result, hiring independent contractors has become an attractive option for companies looking to fulfill their business requirements while also mitigating recruitment and hiring obstacles.
However, it’s not as simple as the “win-win” outcome would suggest. Indeed, increased regulations enacted by recent state laws as well as existing rules and definitions enumerated by various governmental agencies present an often confusing and multi-layered analysis before an employer can make the best decision for its needs.
Companies meet their staffing needs by using a variety of arrangements. Besides hiring traditional employees, employers can use contingent employees such as temporary, seasonal, and leased workers hired through temporary staffing agencies.
A growing number of companies are leveraging independent contractors, especially because a larger percentage of the workforce is preferencing “’ gigs” or temporary work without being hired as a traditional, regular employee. While the decision to hire an independent contractor may seem like a “no-brainer,” the wrong decision can result in extensive costs to the company.
Join us in this 60-minute session to learn how to hire independent contractors successfully and legally by understanding practical matters, legal issues, and proactive steps.
If you’re thinking about bringing hiring an independent contractor for your team or organization, you need to first understand the obligations that you as the employer must fulfill before that person starts any work.
If you already have independent contractors working for your company, then now is the time to reassess their proper classification as contingent workers.
Misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor instead of an employee can mean tax, workers’ compensation, wage and hour, and several other costs and possible penalties. In some jurisdictions, the status of proper classification and costs does not start in the present time but is actually applied retroactively.
This 60-minute training session will explain not only employer obligations but also how to make the best decision so that you stay within the bounds of the myriad of laws and regulations that exist on this topic. It will also provide the information you need to reassess any independent contractors you currently use in your organization.
Melveen Stevenson is the CEO and founder of M.S.Elemental, LLC, a human resources and business advisory firm based in Los Angeles, California. As a certified HR professional with a background in accounting and finance, she helps companies to navigate the human resources “jungle” of compliance, human capital, and leadership challenges. In doing so, she empowers companies to strengthen their infrastructure from the inside out, specifically through leadership development, operations, training, employee engagement, and executive coaching.
Melveen speaks on key topics to empower companies with the latest research and best practices for increasing engagement, enhancing leadership presence, and optimizing diverse workforce groups. Over the last 18 years, Melveen has held leadership positions in human resources operations, supply chain, and talent management at international companies in food manufacturing, medical devices, and consumer products.
Melveen is certified through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP) and the Human Resources Certification Institute (SPHR). In addition, she is certified in Extended DiSC® for individuals, pairs, and groups.