The Weekly Independent: May 23, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

• MBO Partners CEO Gene Zaino writes about the new proposal calling for Certified Self-Employed workers in the latest issue of Workforce.
• New rules governing what workers qualify for overtime pay made huge news late last week. Everyone from SIA and The Hill to The Washington Post and Fast Company weighed in, each highlighting the various implications that the new ruling would have on employees and independents alike. The general reaction has been strongly negative, ranging from concerns that more workers than included in the DOL’s estimate would be impacted to concerns that employers would cut hours to avoid paying workers overtime and thus cause more people to reluctantly enter the pool of independent workers to seek extra income. We look forward to seeing how this develops.
• The IRS is hiring 600 to 700 new “enforcement agents” to fight misclassification. Here’s why you should care.
• MBO has often covered the “second career” of independent work for Baby Boomers – and new data also supports this theme. More than one in five people over the age of 65 work, the new study finds.
• Freelancer’s Union has become a paid consultant of Uber. They “will advise Uber on how to best bring flexible benefits to independent workers in the on-demand economy,” Uber board member David Plouffe said at a press conference on Tuesday.
• Speaking of Uber, drivers are pushing back on the recent settlement deal made for $100 million.

Should you have any questions, we’re always here for you.

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