Anyone who provides their own tools and offers their services to the general public may not be an employee. Of course, reporting your employee's income means that he or she must have a social security number. So employing illegal aliens is out. The paperwork is less burdensome than it used to be. Now you need to report your employee's income to the federal government only once a year.
Some states still require quarterly reports, however.
In the short run, paying taxes for your employees will cost you some money. But you could save yourself a big headache in the future. It's not worth messing with. Plus you might get that government appointment you always wanted. Intuit Inc. All rights reserved.