Q. What is the standard for determining whether a worker is an independent contractor for purposes of federal wage and hour laws and union organizing conduct?
A. Recently, both the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued documents supporting independent contractor status, evidencing the more pro-employer stance of the Trump administration as compared to the Obama administration. Although those documents — an opinion letter from the DOL and an advice memorandum from the NLRB’s Office of General Counsel — apply only to misclassification claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), respectively, they provide helpful guidance to companies on structuring their independent contractor relationships to minimize the risk of a misclassification claim. Companies should be mindful, however, that other laws — such as state wage and hour, unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation statutes — may impose higher burdens for proving that individuals are independent contractors.