The Weekly Independent: March 27, 2017

March 27, 2017

Staying on top of your field means staying ahead of the biggest news stories. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

• If the new health care bill passes, freelancers are bound to feel an impact. A new article from Inc. that looks at the pros and cons of the bill cites MBO’s State of Independence data about the size of the independent workforce.
   
• Senator Mark Warner is preparing legislation regarding portable benefits, Bloomberg BNA reports. MBO is quoted discussing the need for a multi-faceted solution regarding the problems independent workers and their clients face.
   
• More and more retirees are considering a post-retirement career in independent consulting. Here are three considerations to keep in mind when planning for your future.
   
• Building a virtual talent bench is quickly becoming a key part to being a best-in-class organization. Here’s how to do it.
   
• These three tips can help you land higher paying work as an independent professional.
   
• Are you hiring a freelancer for the right reasons, and in the right way? This Forbes piece details how (and when) a freelancer is the best move.
   
• Is the gig economy making the office obsolete? Harvard Business Review ponders the answer to this question and the conclusion is murky, at best.
   
• MBO Partners is quoted in an article from the Society for Human Resource Management about when and how companies can offer benefits to gig workers. (Hint, not often, and it’s not easy.)
   
• Peter Thiel and Max Levchin, major Silicon Valley investors and co-founders of PayPal, have invested in Lystable, an app for freelance collaboration.
   
• Are you prepared for an audit as an independent professional? Nobody is, but the pros suggest the best way to be prepared is to assume for the worst and plan ahead.
   

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