CONTRACTOR VS EMPLOYEE: GETTING IT WRONG COULD BE COSTLY!

Is that team member an employee or a contractor? It’s important to know the difference, because getting it wrong could be an expensive mistake.

The Employment Court has recently issued three warnings to employers who have tried to label their employees ‘contractors’, in a deliberate effort to avoid their obligations to employees (a ‘sham contracting arrangement’). Others have made this mistake unintentionally. If you do make this error, your business could be liable for unpaid PAYE and holiday pay, as well as potentially being penalised by Inland Revenue and/or the Employment Relations Authority.

What’s the difference?

Employees are more protected than contractors, but have less flexibility. They receive KiwiSaver contributions, PAYE tax is paid on their behalf, and they cannot have their employment terminated without following the correct processes.

Contractors have fewer protections and more freedom. They pay their own GST and tax. They don’t receive holiday pay, sick leave, or parental leave. Often their contracts can be terminated at short notice, depending on the fine print.

Health and safety obligations apply to both employees and contractors.

Defining an employee and a contractor

There are some important distinctions between an employee and a contractor. You can read a more detailed explanation here, but the four main areas to examine are:

1. Intention: What’s in the written agreement –  is it a contract for services or an employment contract?
2. Independence: How much control do you have over the worker’s hours, methods, and activities? The more control you have, the more they’re likely to be an employee.
3. Integration: Is the work fundamental to the business or supplementary?
4. Economic reality: Is the worker in a business on their own account?

Don’t be caught out! Talk to us if you’re in any doubt and we can help walk you through some of the basic considerations, and recommend further assistance if required.