Independent Contractor Tax Simplification Act of 1998

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Independent Contractor Tax 
Simplification Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that:
            (1) Simplifying the tax rules with respect to independent 
        contractors was the top vote-getter at the 1995 White House 
        Conference on Small Business. Conference delegates recommended 
        that Congress ``should recognize the legitimacy of an 
        independent contractor''. The Conference found that the current 
        common law is ``too subjective'' and called upon the Congress 
        to establish ``realistic and consistent guidelines''.
            (2) It is in the best interests of taxpayers and the 
        Federal Government to have fair and objective rules for 
        determining who is an employee and who is an independent 
        contractor.

SEC. 3. STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT 
              EMPLOYEES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 25 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(general provisions relating to employment taxes) is amended by adding 
after section 3510 the following new section:

``SEC. 3511. STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT 
              EMPLOYEES.

    ``(a) General Rule.--For purposes of this subtitle, and 
notwithstanding any provision of this subtitle to the contrary, if the 
requirements of subsections (b), (c), and (d) are met with respect to 
any service performed by any individual, then with respect to such 
service--
            ``(1) the service provider shall not be treated as an 
        employee,
            ``(2) the service recipient shall not be treated as an 
        employer, and
            ``(3) the payor shall not be treated as an employer.
    ``(b) Service Provider Requirements With Regard to Service 
Recipient.--For the purposes of subsection (a), the requirements of 
this subsection are met if the service provider, in connection with 
performing the service--
            ``(1) has a significant investment in assets and/or 
        training,
            ``(2) incurs significant unreimbursed expenses,
            ``(3) agrees to perform the service for a particular amount 
        of time or to complete a specific result and is liable for 
        damages for early termination without cause,
            ``(4) is paid primarily on a commissioned basis, or
            ``(5) purchases products for resale.
    ``(c) Additional Service Provider Requirements With Regard to 
Others.--For the purposes of subsection (a), the requirements of this 
subsection are met if--
            ``(1) the service provider--
                    ``(A) has a principal place of business,
                    ``(B) does not primarily provide the service in the 
                service recipient's place of business, or
                    ``(C) pays a fair market rent for use of the 
                service recipient's place of business; or
            ``(2) the service provider--
                    ``(A) is not required to perform service 
                exclusively for the service recipient, and
                    ``(B) in the year involved, or in the preceding or 
                subsequent year--
                            ``(i) has performed a significant amount of 
                        service for other persons,
                            ``(ii) has offered to perform service for 
                        other persons through--
                                    ``(I) advertising,
                                    ``(II) individual written or oral 
                                solicitations,
                                    ``(III) listing with registries, 
                                agencies, brokers, and other persons in 
                                the business of providing referrals to 
                                other service recipients, or
                                    ``(IV) other similar activities, or
                            ``(iii) provides service under a business 
                        name which is registered with (or for which a 
                        license has been obtained from) a State, a 
                        political subdivision of a State, or any agency 
                        or instrumentality of 1 or more States or 
                        political subdivisions.
    ``(d) Written Document Requirements.--For purposes of subsection 
(a), the requirements of this subsection are met if the services 
performed by the individual are performed pursuant to a written 
contract between such individual and the person for whom the services 
are performed, or the payor, and such contract provides that the 
individual will not be treated as an employee with respect to such 
services for purposes of this subtitle.
    ``(e) Special Rules.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) If for any taxable year any service recipient or 
        payor fails to meet the applicable reporting requirements of 
        sections 6041(a), 6041A(a), or 6051 with respect to a service 
        provider, then, unless such failure is due to reasonable cause 
        and not willful neglect, this section shall not apply in 
        determining whether such service provider shall not be treated 
        as an employee of such service recipient or payor for such 
        year.
            ``(2) If the service provider is performing services 
        through an entity owned in whole or in part by such service 
        provider, then the references to `service provider' in 
        subsections (b) through (d) may include such entity, provided 
        that the written contract referred to in paragraph (1) of 
        subsection (d) may be with either the service provider or such 
        entity and need not be with both.
    ``(f) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Service provider.--The term `service provider' means 
        any individual who performs service for another person.
            ``(2) Service recipient.--Except as provided in paragraph 
        (5), the term `service recipient' means the person for whom the 
        service provider performs such service.
            ``(3) Payor.--Except as provided in paragraph (5), the term 
        `payor' means the person who pays the service provider for the 
        performance of such service in the event that the service 
        recipients do not pay the service provider.
            ``(4) In connection with performing the service.--The term 
        `in connection with performing the service' means in connection 
        or related to--
                    ``(A) the actual service performed by the service 
                provider for the service recipients or for other 
                persons for whom the service provider has performed 
                similar service, or
                    ``(B) the operation of the service provider's trade 
                or business.
            ``(5) Exceptions.--The terms `service recipient' and 
        `payor' do not include any entity which is owned in whole or in 
        part by the service provider.''
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 25 of 
such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 3511. Standards for determining 
                                        whether individuals are not 
                                        employees.''
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
services performed after December 31, 1998.

Summary: Independent Contractor Tax Simplification Act of 1998 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth standards for determining whether individual service providers are not employees.