3 ms·

a company that behaves this way should be run out of town It's literally illegal to treat contractors too well.

gumby 3y ago
But remember that is because these companies were exploiting the use of contractors to deny them employee protections. True contractors won’t care: they work for themselves and have multiple clients anyway. But these "red" people are employees in all but name, so that the companies can save money and other protections. A small slip up by Google (Apple/FB/MS/tons of others) and these folks get the protection they deserve.
- ethbr1 3y ago
  Exactly. The mistake was thinking that the responsibility stemmed from the employeeing entity. It shouldn't. It's clearly more linked to the type and structure of work performed.
- bentt 3y ago
  Yeah being an actual contractor/consultant should feel GOOD. You should not be married to a single company for too long. You should have a sense of freedom. There should be a simple test that if a person is working at only one client for too long (3 mo?) then they are to be converted to an employee. There's no reason for these middleman employers to exist except to make people disposable to companies. If that's the case, then they should be cycled in and out with a higher frequency. Nobody should remain a "red badge" at Google for any significant length of time.
  - unixhero 3y ago
    Yes the reason is high risk high reward for the contractor - much higher salary.
- saagarjha 3y ago
  > True contractors won’t care: they work for themselves and have multiple clients anyway. Some companies will even go as far as to prevent you from having multiple clients. Try asking anyone who contracts for Apple if they have any side work…
mikeyouse 3y ago
It's not illegal - they'd just have to provide them employee-like benefits which would be expensive. So it's just costly to treat contractors too well.
- eloisant 3y ago
  I think the way it works is that if they provide some benefits, then they would have to make them into FTE and give them all the benefits.
  - thomasahle 3y ago
    Exactly. And that's perfectly legal to do.
    - lazide 3y ago
      Sure, but then those folks wouldn’t likely be employed.

But remember that is because these companies were exploiting the use of contractors to deny them employee protections. True contractors won’t care: they work for themselves and have multiple clients anyway. But these "red" people are employees in all but name, so that the companies can save money and other protections. A small slip up by Google (Apple/FB/MS/tons of others) and these folks get the protection they deserve.

ethbr1 3y ago
Exactly. The mistake was thinking that the responsibility stemmed from the employeeing entity. It shouldn't. It's clearly more linked to the type and structure of work performed.
bentt 3y ago
Yeah being an actual contractor/consultant should feel GOOD. You should not be married to a single company for too long. You should have a sense of freedom. There should be a simple test that if a person is working at only one client for too long (3 mo?) then they are to be converted to an employee. There's no reason for these middleman employers to exist except to make people disposable to companies. If that's the case, then they should be cycled in and out with a higher frequency. Nobody should remain a "red badge" at Google for any significant length of time.
- unixhero 3y ago
  Yes the reason is high risk high reward for the contractor - much higher salary.
saagarjha 3y ago
> True contractors won’t care: they work for themselves and have multiple clients anyway. Some companies will even go as far as to prevent you from having multiple clients. Try asking anyone who contracts for Apple if they have any side work…

mikeyouse 3y ago

It's not illegal - they'd just have to provide them employee-like benefits which would be expensive. So it's just costly to treat contractors too well.

eloisant 3y ago
I think the way it works is that if they provide some benefits, then they would have to make them into FTE and give them all the benefits.
- thomasahle 3y ago
  Exactly. And that's perfectly legal to do.
  - lazide 3y ago
    Sure, but then those folks wouldn’t likely be employed.