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Workers & Their Families

Partners and Counsel of Costello, Mains & Silverman, LLC

What are your rights as a contractor?

On Behalf of | Sep 6, 2019 | Wage & Hour Laws |

With the gig economy growing by leaps and bounds, more people than ever are working as independent contractors.

As a contractor, it’s easy to believe that you don’t have many rights. While you’re not treated in the same manner as an employee, you still have legal rights that you should work to protect. These include the following:

  • Right to a contract: An independent contractor agreement can outline everything from the work you’ll complete to how much you’ll earn. With an agreement in place, both parties understand what’s expected of them.
  • Right to work: As a contractor, you’re 100 percent in charge. Sure, you want to do a good job for your client, but you have the right to decide when and where you work. You can also terminate the agreement at any time.
  • Right to receive payment for your work: Just because you’re not classified as an employee, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get paid fairly. Your payment is determined by the terms and conditions of your contractor agreement, so make sure this is written out in black and white.

With a contractor agreement in place, both you and your client will have a clear idea of what’s expected from your arrangement. If anything goes wrong along the way, such as your client violating the terms of the contract, you have the right to take legal action.

Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to take the client to court or attempt to settle the dispute through mediation. Either way, it’s a must that you protect your legal rights at all times.