The internet continues to change the workplace landscape
– most recently, in the form of more non-traditional
career opportunities or a gig economy. What is this gig economy,
you ask? The term "gig economy" refers to the growing
business practice of hiring independent contractors and short
term-workers to do small, part-time jobs, which are often done
remotely. Think project-based, demand-dependent, no frills/no
benefits gigs. The rapid development of this new economic sector
has been fueled largely by the increasing availability of workers
to fill these short-term engagements.
It sounds easy enough, but this push toward more freelance,
gig-based work has not come without its share of problems –
the biggest being the classification – or rather,
misclassification of workers. The proper classification of workers
as either employees or independent contractors determines whether
an employer is responsible for paying payroll taxes, providing
workers' compensation
