Independent Contractor Vs. Employee New Rule Issued By The Department Of Labor
Instructor
Mark Schwartz
CHOOSE YOUR ACCESS
Webinar details
Everything you'll learn in this session
Webinar Description
Overview
Worker classification has become one of the most critical—and risky—compliance issues for employers today. With the U.S. Department of Labor issuing a new rule on independent contractor versus employee classification, organizations must reassess how they classify workers to avoid costly penalties, back wages, and legal exposure.
This webinar provides a practical breakdown of the new rule, what has changed, and how it impacts hiring, payroll, HR practices, and contractor relationships. Participants will gain clarity on how to apply the updated standards and take proactive steps to ensure compliance.
Why You Should Attend
Misclassifying workers can lead to serious consequences, including fines, tax liabilities, benefit claims, and lawsuits. The new Department of Labor rule increases scrutiny and requires employers to take a closer look at how work relationships are structured and managed.
By attending this webinar, you will learn how to reduce risk, make informed classification decisions, and protect your organization in an evolving regulatory environment.
You will learn how to:
- Understand the key changes introduced by the new DOL rule
- Distinguish between independent contractors and employees under the updated standards
- Identify common misclassification risks and red flags
- Apply the rule consistently across roles, departments, and projects
- Strengthen documentation and decision-making processes
Who Will Benefit?
This webinar is ideal for:
- HR Managers and HR Business Partners
- Payroll and Compensation Professionals
- Finance and Accounting Teams
- Compliance and Risk Management Professionals
- Business Owners and Executives
- Legal and Operations Leaders
- Anyone involved in hiring, contracting, or workforce classification decisions
Areas Covered in the Session
- Overview of the new Department of Labor independent contractor rule
- Why worker classification matters more than ever
- The economic realities test explained in plain language
- Key factors used to determine employee vs. independent contractor status
- What has changed from prior guidance
- Common misclassification scenarios and real-world examples
- Impact on payroll taxes, benefits, overtime, and wage compliance
- How the rule affects gig workers, freelancers, and project-based roles
- Steps employers should take to review and reassess worker classifications
- Best practices for documentation, policies, and internal audits
- Consequences of misclassification and how to mitigate risk.
Meet your speaker
Mark Schwartz
Mark Schwartz is an employment tax specialist and has over 15 years of employment tax experience as an independent consultant and as a payroll tax auditor with the State of California. He has managed an audit caseload of 20 ongoing audits, from small home-based businesses to large multi-national corporations. He is expert at defining regulatory and statutory requirements from local, State and Federal government agencies; and helping the average businessperson understand what that means to their business. He has processed weekly and bi-weekly payroll checks plus tax forms for businesses with hourly as well as exempt workers, multistate operations and a wide variety of benefits.
Mr.Schwartz provides consulting services encompassing payroll processing and payroll tax issues. These include payroll tax minimization, payroll tax compliance reviews, independent contractor studies, use of electronic transfers, deductions, benefits, etc. Mark has represented both clients and the State in front of the State Appeals Board. He understands the complexities of local wage laws, unemployment and disability claims, and other wage and benefit issues affecting your employees.
Mark prides himself on his outstanding customer service skills. He listens attentively to his clientele, helping them bridge the gap between the small business world and Government bureaucracy. He eagerly assists with clients needs and feels that educating clients toward faster, accurate and more complete payroll processes provide the most value.
Mark is a participating member of the American Payroll Association. He earned his BA and MBA in Finance at Santa Clara University. He has held Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Investment and Derivatives Auditor Credentials. Mark is currently pursuing a Certified Payroll Fundamentals Credential with the American Payroll Association.