You go to work, and the employer pays the cheque into your account at the end of each week or month. That, as far as many people are concerned, is the basic equation of their job. That’s not to say many don’t also enjoy their work.
Yet the wage is just one part of the benefits an employer must provide you with. Time off, sick pay, and the right to overtime are just some of the things they must consider when managing the payroll. Hence, some employers try to reduce their costs by limiting the benefits they are liable for by classifying someone who is really an employee as an independent contractor.
Independent contractors are not entitled to the same benefits
If your employer has misclassified you as an independent contractor, you could lose out on significant benefits. Yet you might not ever notice until you need to use them. For example, you go to the hospital and give them the name of your employer’s health insurer, only for it to come back that you are not actually covered, as you do not figure on the list of employees.
Not only can this feel devastating, as you may not be able to otherwise afford the medical treatment you need. But it can leave you feeling cheated. It may be that the health coverage was one of the main perks that attracted you to the job in the first place.
Another way you might discover you’ve been misclassified is when you put in your request for vacation only for the HR team to turn around and inform you that you are not entitled to any.
Some employers misclassify people intentionally, and some just make a mistake. So it’s worth politely asking for clarification without jumping to conclusions. If you struggle to get a straight answer, or they insist you are a independent contractor when you are sure you are not, it is worth seeking legal guidance to review your options.
