Independent contractors, or ICs, are people who contract to perform services for others, but don't have the legal status of employees. Businesses can save time, money and headaches by hiring ICs instead of employees.
Businesses can usually save money by hiring ICs instead of employees.
So even though ICs are often paid more per hour than employees doing the same work, they still cost less. In addition, when you hire ICs instead of employees, you have reduced exposure to some types of lawsuits, such as those alleging job discrimination or wrongful termination. Finally, and most important for many firms, ICs provide a level of flexibility that can't be obtained with employees. You can pay an IC to accomplish only a specific task, allowing your business to get specialized expertise for a short period. Moreover, an experienced IC can be productive immediately, eliminating the time and expense involved in training employees.