Your Boss Calls You a "Contractor." The Law Calls You an Employee.
Many California employers label staff as "independent contractors" simply to avoid paying overtime, benefits, workers' compensation, and taxes. If you are controlled by your boss but denied the rights of an employee, you have been misclassified. We fight to reclassify your status and recover the wages and benefits you were denied.
Being an "independent contractor" sounds like freedom, but for many California workers, it’s just a trap. If your employer sets your schedule, provides your tools, dictates how you perform your work, and controls your paycheck, you are an employee—period. By calling you a contractor, they are cutting corners at your expense. They are dodging the law to avoid paying for your overtime, rest breaks, and insurance. If you feel like an employee but aren't being treated like one, it’s time to level the playing field.
If your boss tells you when, where, and how to do your job, you are likely an employee, not an independent business owner.
If your work is part of the employer's "usual course of business" (like a driver for a delivery company), you are an employee under the ABC test.
If the company provides the software, tools, and office space you use to perform your duties, you are likely an employee.
If you are not in business for yourself and don't work for other clients, you are not an independent contractor.
Independent contractors usually work on a project-by-project basis. If you work a set schedule indefinitely, you are an employee.
If you can be fired at any time for not following company rules, you lack the independence required for contractor status.
Employers often pressure workers to sign contracts that say "Independent Contractor." They do this to protect themselves, not you. California courts and the Labor Commissioner have made it clear. Your actual day-to-day reality matters more than a contract signed under duress. We look past the paperwork and analyze the reality of your work to force reclassification and payment.
“A title doesn't change the law. If you work like an employee, you are entitled to the legal protections of an employee. We hold employers accountable to the ABC test.” — Avi Gholian, Founding Attorney
We work on a contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we successfully secure your status and your unpaid wages.
We are experts in California’s landmark "ABC Test," which dictates exactly when someone must be classified as an employee.
We know how to expose the discrepancy between your contract and your reality to force employers to pay the back-wages they owe.
You do not need to figure this out alone. We keep the process clear, explain what matters, and help you understand what comes next.
No high-pressure sales. Just an honest talk about your situation and how we can help.
We evaluate your job duties, your level of control, and your relationship with your employer to see if you meet the "employee" criteria.
We gather your contract, pay statements, and evidence of how the company dictates your work to document the misclassification.
We quantify the overtime, meal breaks, and benefits you should have received as an employee, adding in all legal interest and penalties.
We challenge your status with your employer or the state to secure the compensation you were illegally denied.
Legal News & Stories
Fired After Reporting Illegal Conduct? California Whistleblower Retaliation Rights If you reported something illegal at work and were fired soon
Misclassified as a 1099 Contractor in California? You May Actually Be an Employee Your employer may call you a “1099
Sexual Harassment in California: Texts, Videos, Remote Work, and Workplace Rights Sexual harassment does not have to happen behind a
Caregiver Rights in California: When Sleep Time Must Be Paid Many caregivers are told the same thing: “You can sleep
Your Overtime and Meal Break Premiums May Be Too Low Here is the hidden wage issue many California employees never
Employer’s Duty to Engage in the Interactive Process in California If you told your employer you needed help because of
Stop paying for your employer's shortcuts. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. We fight for your rights on a contingency basis—you pay nothing unless we win.
No. Even if you signed a contract saying you are an “independent contractor,” that document does not override California labor law. If the reality of your job proves you are an employee, the law treats you as one.
That is very common. Most workers don’t know they have a case until they speak to an attorney. You can still file a claim for past misclassification, provided you are within the three-year statute of limitations for wage claims.
Being misclassified often means you paid “self-employment” taxes that your employer should have shared. Part of our work is ensuring you are made whole for the financial damage caused by your employer’s illegal classification.
