Employment Matters Blog - A blog about current developments & issues in employment, labor & benefits law

By Martha J. Zackin

On April 10^th, the Department of Labor released its fiscal year 2014 budget request.  As reported in a press release describing the budget request, the DOL has asked for $12.1 billion in discretionary funding to support “President Obama's plan to strengthen the economy and grow the middle class through continued investments in training and resources for job seekers.”  The request seeks significant resources devoted to putting veterans to work, and to creating employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed and low-income adults and youths. 

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By Brandon T. Willenberg

Classifying workers as independent contractors in California- already a difficult minefield to navigate for employers– is about to get a bit harder, more convoluted and, unfortunately, more expensive.  

Under existing California law, a worker is presumed to be an employee, rather than an independent contractor.  The distinction is important because an employee is entitled to certain legal protections, and his or her wages are subject to various employment taxes and withholdings. 

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My colleagues Ivan Blumenthal and Robert Gault just published an Alert describing a recent decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court pertaining to a challenge to a company’s imposition of certain fees and costs on service providers it classified as franchisees/independent contractors. You can read the full alert here.