What Does It Mean to Be Misclassified as an Independent Contractor?

As an employee, receiving the wages that you have rightfully earned is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, there are situations that may arise where an employee is misclassified as an independent contractor. This can affect many aspects of an employee’s benefits, such as an employee’s overall wages due to being deemed exempt as an independent contractor and therefore being denied overtime pay.

Hodges & Foty, LLP is a Texas law firm with more than 40 years of combined experience helping clients who have been misclassified as independent contractors. Our board-certified misclassification lawyers are proud to offer trusted legal counsel to workers across the state of Texas. To learn more about what it means when you are misclassified as an independent contractor, call our office at (713) 523-0001 or fill out our contact form today.

How Being Misclassified as an Independent Contractor in Texas Can Affect You

An independent contractor is described as a worker who is self-employed and provides work for a company for compensation under the assumption that they will follow their own set of employment rules rather than those of the company who is paying for their services. On the other hand, an employee is someone hired by a company to do a job and follow instructions from the business as to when, where, and how they should perform their duties. 

Misclassification of an employee as an independent contractor can be harmful to the employee for several reasons. If you believe you may have been misclassified as an independent contractor, a trusted lawyer can help you understand how this may affect you and what your legal options are moving forward. If you are misclassified, you may be missing out on the following benefits of being classified as an employee:

• Overtime wages
• Unemployment benefits
• Workers’ compensation
• Hourly rates and salary rates

Your Texas misclassification attorney can help you build a case to help prove you have been misclassified as an independent contractor. 

What Are Your Legal Options After Being Misclassified as an Independent Contractor?

After you have been misclassified by your employer, you have the right to file an unpaid or underpaid wages claim. While many employees or independent contractors may feel intimidated by the idea of taking legal action against an employer, it is important to remember that you have already earned these wages and benefits. Therefore, it is your right to be properly compensated after you are misclassified as an independent contractor.

Not only will you be able to pursue the compensation and other benefits you are owed as an employee in Texas by building a claim, but your employer will also be held responsible through penalties like costly fines and additional business taxes and interest. To begin filing your claim with a trusted misclassification lawyer, contact our Texas law firm today.

Get Help From a Texas Employee Misclassification Attorney Today

Understanding the complexities around what it means to be misclassified as an independent contractor can require extensive legal understanding and guidance. If you believe you have been misclassified by your employer, one of our experienced Texas misclassification lawyers  at Hodges & Foty, LLP can help. 

Our firm offers personalized legal counsel specifically tailored to the intricacies of your employee misclassification case in Texas. We work with you to protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve. To pursue the proper compensation for unpaid overtime after you were misclassified as an independent contractor, contact our dedicated team of misclassification attorney at (713) 523-0001 or through our contact form.