The 1099 Work Force Around The Corner For Most Workers. Contract Labor The New Norm.

[TheMastersNemesis]

Even if you have a job with benefits now, in the future you too could become a "contract worker". More and more employers are turning their entire work force into "Itinerant workers". That mean the worker pays ALL the expenses of working. The pay for their own uniforms, transportation, SSA, Medicare, UI taxes, vacation et al that employers used top provide.

Sadly may email a few years ago about the "No Job Jobs Of The 21st Century" is literally coming true. When Reagan talked about the "service economy" in 1981 it was obvious what he was up to. And the American worker let him get away with the crap. During the Bush years I realized that things would go farther with outsourcing, contracting, insourcing etc.

And I saw that all the GOP had to offer economically with deregulation is to let the employer turn work into a "contract labor" market. The anti union schtick has worked for business, the GOP, Chamber of Commerce and other powerful economic interests.

Right now about 40% of the work force worked in this "task rabbit" or "gig" economy. "Be your own boss" has a lot of hidden consequences.

Until unions make a big come back and we pass federal laws regulating or even outlawing the kind of labor abuses we see now workers will be less than slaves.

[IDemo]

1. I'll link to an earlier OP of mine for reference

This is for those questionable cases where the job doesn't fit the legal definition of a 1099 position per the IRS rules.

Are you an independent contractor, or a full-time employee? - http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026395711

[meaculpa2011]

2. I've been a 1099 independent contractor for...

the past 35 years.

Left the Fortune 500 in 1980 to go out on my own.

No boss. No employees. No benefits, except what I provided for myself and my family.

Just the way I like it. Never went a day without health insurance. Kids never went hungry. Funded my retirement account nearly every year. In lean times remortgaged the house. In flush times paid down all debt. 2008 wiped us out. Battled back. Hurricane Sandy wiped us out in 2012. Again, battled back. I wouldn't trade my life for a steady paycheck and spending my work days in a cage. That's truly slavery. Even a "corner office" is still a cage.

If laws are passed "outlawing" my labor arrangement, many very happy freelancers will push back.

Myself included.

[marmar]

3. And that's fine for you if you want it that way......

..... but know that many others don't.

[Sherman A1]

4. Precisely

the 1099 economy may indeed work for some, however I suspect that for the majority it does and will not do so.

[meaculpa2011]

6. My comment was directed at...

the call for outlawing such arrangements.

In 1994, the NYS Legislature "outlawed" several types of health insurance plans designed for freelancers. The legislation was bought and paid for by Blue Cross of New York.

My insurance premium went from $196 per month for a family of four to $680 per month with less coverage.

By 1999 my monthly premium was $990 and there were no competitive plans to shop. Perfect example of crony capitalism disguised as "help" for the people. Luckily for us our kids were in school and my wife decided to go back to work after ten years at home.

However, the health insurance industry (aided and abetted by NYS politicians) sucked nearly $40,000 in added premiums out of my pocket.

As with all reforms, what is done cannot be undone. Not in my lifetime. So beware.

[closeupready]

5. Traditional work in "cages" is all the socialization some people get.

And if it's a nice office in a fun, convenient location with lots of area amenities (like restaurants, shops, parks, etc.), then going to work can actually be a high point of your day. Obviously, who doesn't like to sleep in, but that's the deal with a job - you gotta get up, shower, groom yourself, be polite even when you don't want to be, in exchange for money and benefits.

I've had bad jobs, but I've also had really good jobs where I liked my co-workers, liked and respected my bosses, like the company, and looked forward to going in to work every day.

One job in particular I remember I enjoyed immensely. I can't even figure out quite why, because the money wasn't all that, the benefits were basically industry boilerplate, but we had flex hours and within reason, we were all free to set our work hours as we wanted, there was no screaming or drama, and I just LOVED my bosses. My coworkers were friendly and sociable. I'd probably still be there if I still lived in Chicago, but I moved away, so I had to leave it behind.

[meaculpa2011]

7. Agreed. My last real job was...

at a great company with great people.

I loved my work and was on the fast track, but when I was transferred from New Products Task Force to in-line products back at HQ, I experienced severe adrenaline withdrawal. Going into work every day knowing that I'd be poring over spreadsheets and sales forecasts made my head deflate.

Thankfully, a competing pharma company had a series of product launches in the works and recruited me. I told them that I was only interested in doing the project, not coming on board as an employee.

Did it for 12 months then moved on, and on, and on, and on.......

At times I've missed the creative interaction, but it's still not worth the "caged animal" feeling I get when I'm in an office environment. It's especially true in today's open plan offices. I can't even close the door for my afternoon nap.

[closeupready]

8. I sometimes envy people like you, your freedom and such.

I posted a Cosmopolitan interview the other day with Gloria Steinem, and towards the end, she explains that her father worked freelance and raised her on freelance income, so that's all she ever knew and when she came to New York early in her career, she only wanted to work freelance though she did take permanent work at a magazine on the condition that she could work from home - at one point when they asked her to work from the office two days per week, she quit on the spot. And from that point forward, she only ever freelanced.

I just don't think I could do that, nor would I personally want to deal with the insecurity of it, but the appeal of that kind of working style seems obvious.

[meaculpa2011]

10. I was very fortunate...

I resigned and gave two weeks notice. During those two weeks I tied up all loose ends. Before I had time to contact recruiters, they were calling me. Word seems to get around pretty quickly.

I got my first offer before my two weeks ended and turned it into a freelance gig. Everybody was happy. When my project ended, they made me another offer to go on staff, but by then I had multiple projects in the pipeline.

I don't take projects that require I work on-site. I'll go to meetings and strategy sessions, but I work at my own desk and at convention sites. I also don't take projects that require exclusivity. I'm not going to jeopardize a long-term relationship with Client "A" because Client "B" wants 100% of my time and attention.

Just finished a recognition gala for a non profit in Miami. While there I went back to my room after hours and worked on a speech for an automotive client (for profit).

I'll be 65 in a few months, but I'll keep working until they shovel dirt in my face. I get a tremendous kick out of standing in the back of the auditorium hearing an executive deliver words I wrote or a singer performing my songs.

Again, I was fortunate.

If I had gone months without any projects maybe my history would have been different.

[closeupready]

11. Oh, you're a songwriter? That can be VERY lucrative.

Good for you.

[meaculpa2011]

13. Yes it can be...

but I'm not a songwriter.

I'm a speechwriter and often write parody lyrics.

For example, I was the writer for an LGBTQ Gala this past weekend. One of the co-chairs also sings and he wanted to thank the event sponsors with a song. I wrote lyrics thanking the sponsors to the tune of "How About You" and he performed it live to a recorded track.

It was a showstopper. I also wrote some comedy bits for the emcee and speeches for the VIPs.

I loved every minute of it.

[KamaAina]

12. But if it's an office in north San Jose with no area amenities

(except a McDonald's and a Denny's), then going to work can actually be a living hell.

[closeupready]

14. Yes, lol, or if your commute is bad ...

[KamaAina]

15. It's not great

half an hour on light rail, 45-50 minutes door to door. This is six miles across town. I could bike it faster!

[ileus]

9. I always have 3 or 4 1099 misc to claim at the end of a year.

Comes from doing "side work" for several Clinics and DR offices over the year.


Hopefully my Hospital will not "contract" me out anytime soon. Though they have tried to contract our whole dept out a few times...