Workers describing their experience being misclassified as an independent contractor in their current or former workplace.
- The story may highlight the rights a worker was deprived of as an independent contractor. E.g. They were a victim of wage theft and didn’t receive minimum wage or overtime, they weren’t receiving workers’ compensation or health insurance through their employer, their employer was misclassifying the workforce as a union-busting tactic, etc.
- The story may highlight how the worker was forced to rely on public assistance because they were misclassified. E.g. They relied on food assistance, social services, emergency rooms for basic medical care, etc.
- The story may highlight reasons that demonstrate the worker clearly was not an independent contractor who had full control over their work conditions. E.g. They had no control over their hours or rate of pay, they could not reject work assignments or work for another company, etc.
- If the story is from a previously misclassified worker, it’s even more powerful if the worker can contrast their prior experience with the benefits of being an employee now (and a union member, if that’s applicable).
Workers highlighting how they benefit from being an employee.
- The story may come from the perspective of an employee explaining the rights and benefits they have access to, unlike the independent contractors in their field who perform similar work. E.g. “A misclassified Amazon Flex driver doesn’t have the right to join a union and the ability to bargain for retirement security, more paid time off, etc. the way I do as a UPS driver.”; “A misclassified traveling nurse doesn’t have access to PPE or health and safety protections in the workplace, the way I do as an employee.”
- Stories that demonstrate employees can have flexibility on the job are especially helpful.
- Stories that highlight the importance of employment status during the pandemic due to unsafe working conditions are helpful. E.g. “Because I was an employee and qualified for COVID paid sick leave, I was able to stay home when I contracted the virus without losing my paycheck, instead of being forced to come into work and exposing my coworkers.”
- “Because I’m an employee, when I injured myself at work, I was able to take disability leave and stay home, without jeopardizing my family’s financial security.”
- “If my employer could get away with classifying me as an independent contractor, I would lose out on my right(s) to…”