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But that's not how red/green/$color badges work at Google/Intel/Facebook/$company. They're not "3 highly skilled C++ programmers", they're usually slotted into

But that's not how red/green/$color badges work at Google/Intel/Facebook/$company. They're not "3 highly skilled C++ programmers", they're usually slotted into some kind of not as appreciated but still required role, like QA or data entry, and they're not "in two weeks, for 6 months", they're basically at a single host company for the entire time, but they renew the contract in 6 month increments until such time when the host company decides it doesn't need them anymore. Which is basically a form of downsizing. They aren't some form of highly skilled consultants that drop to aid a project in a pinch. Usually they're basically indistinguishable from FTEs.

chaosite 8y ago
P.S. "3 C++ programmers for 6 months", in the context of adding developers to a team, is usually a sign of horrible project management. Software development just doesn't work like that, c.f. The Mythical Man Month.
- nitrogen 8y ago
  If you have an understaffed team with a list of clearly defined tech debt, a temporary addition to the team to address the tech debt could ease pressure on the core team and allow them to "catch up" and work more efficiently.
jpollock 8y ago
This is fixed through tax legislation, where there are "bright line" tests for whether or not someone is an employee. When I was a contractor in New Zealand, I had an external office, my contract allowed me to subcontract, I used my own equipment and I didn't go to the parties. When they wanted to send me overseas? We negotiated a new contract which included paying me hourly rates for the flight hours. Unmentioned in the Canadian and New Zealand documents, they also typically consider length of service as a hint. If the contractor is with a single company for more than 2 years, that's a hint that they're not really a contractor. USA [3]: 1 Behavioral Control (instructions, when, rules, evaluation) 2 Financial Control (equipment, expenses, profit) 3 Relationship (contracts, benefits, permanency) Canada [1]: 1 Control 2 Tools and Equipment 3 Ability to subcontract 4 Financial Risk 5 Outside office and/or staff 6 Able to increase profit New Zealand [2]: 1 Intention test (what both parties intend?) 2 Control vs independence test (who sets the rules?) 3 Integration test (are they part of the team? uniforms/parties) 4 Fundamental/economic reality test (who pays what?) [1]: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4110/employee-self-employed.html https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publi... [2]: https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/who-is-an-employee/difference-between-a-self-employed-contractor-and-an-employee/ https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/who-is-an... [3]: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contractor-designation https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contr...
- chaosite 8y ago
  Yeah, and the training described in the article is a direct result of these tax rules.
sjg007 8y ago
This is de-facto status quo in tech. Usually the carrot is that you can transfer into the company as a FTE in a year or two. I've also seen people go from FTE to a contractor doing basically the same job just with a different title. Honestly, there should be a mass class action by these contractors at Google. Maybe that will put an end to it all. Trump could curry a lot of favor by investigating these issues. It's as big an issue as H1B.

chaosite 8y ago

P.S. "3 C++ programmers for 6 months", in the context of adding developers to a team, is usually a sign of horrible project management. Software development just doesn't work like that, c.f. The Mythical Man Month.

nitrogen 8y ago
If you have an understaffed team with a list of clearly defined tech debt, a temporary addition to the team to address the tech debt could ease pressure on the core team and allow them to "catch up" and work more efficiently.

jpollock 8y ago

This is fixed through tax legislation, where there are "bright line" tests for whether or not someone is an employee. When I was a contractor in New Zealand, I had an external office, my contract allowed me to subcontract, I used my own equipment and I didn't go to the parties. When they wanted to send me overseas? We negotiated a new contract which included paying me hourly rates for the flight hours. Unmentioned in the Canadian and New Zealand documents, they also typically consider length of service as a hint. If the contractor is with a single company for more than 2 years, that's a hint that they're not really a contractor. USA [3]: 1 Behavioral Control (instructions, when, rules, evaluation) 2 Financial Control (equipment, expenses, profit) 3 Relationship (contracts, benefits, permanency) Canada [1]: 1 Control 2 Tools and Equipment 3 Ability to subcontract 4 Financial Risk 5 Outside office and/or staff 6 Able to increase profit New Zealand [2]: 1 Intention test (what both parties intend?) 2 Control vs independence test (who sets the rules?) 3 Integration test (are they part of the team? uniforms/parties) 4 Fundamental/economic reality test (who pays what?) [1]: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4110/employee-self-employed.html https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publi... [2]: https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/who-is-an-employee/difference-between-a-self-employed-contractor-and-an-employee/ https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/who-is-an... [3]: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contractor-designation https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contr...

chaosite 8y ago
Yeah, and the training described in the article is a direct result of these tax rules.

sjg007 8y ago

This is de-facto status quo in tech. Usually the carrot is that you can transfer into the company as a FTE in a year or two. I've also seen people go from FTE to a contractor doing basically the same job just with a different title. Honestly, there should be a mass class action by these contractors at Google. Maybe that will put an end to it all. Trump could curry a lot of favor by investigating these issues. It's as big an issue as H1B.