Court Opinion

ID: 9725013
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 11:25:08.836623+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:09.078912
License: Public Domain

BURKE, J., dissenting in part: I agree that the trial court’s order setting aside the judgments and verdicts for the Hamiltons against Logullo on the ground of contributory negligence should be reversed. That part of the trial court’s order setting aside the judgments and verdicts for plaintiffs and against Family Record Plan, Inc., and giving judgment in favor of this corporation, should be affirmed. The contract between Logullo and Family Record Plan clearly created a principal-independent contractor relationship. Postal Tel. Sales Corp. v. Industrial Commission, 377 Ill 523, 37 NE2d 175, at pages 526, 527, defines an independent contractor as “one who renders service in the course of the occupation, and represents the will of the person for whom the work is done only with respect to the result, and not the means by which the result is accomplished.” Ordinarily no single feature of the relationship is determinative of its nature, but all characteristics of the relationship should be considered together. Hempstead v. Toledo Scale Co., 270 Ill App 299, 302. An analysis of the contract between Logullo and Family Record Plan clearly shows that Family Record Plan was interested solely in the results of Logullo’s services. The “referral lists” which Family Record Plan provided were nothing more than a starting point from which sales could be attempted; Logullo was free to solicit orders from persons other than those named on the list. Merely because the list directed Logullo to make only one call on the persons named therein does not of itself constitute such control over him as to render him an employee. The purpose of this direction was obviously to avoid antagonizing prospective customers and to determine whether a second salesman should approach the prospective customer. Finally, the training course attended by Logullo was merely a program to educate him in salesmanship. In all other matters Logullo was free to do as he pleased, including working and selling for other companies and employing other persons to aid in the selling of the Family Record Plan albums. Logullo used his own automobile in the selling of the albums and was not reimbursed for the expenses incurred in connection with its operation and maintenance. He was paid on a commission basis, and neither withholding tax nor social security were deducted from his check. Under all the facts the realtionship between Logullo and Family Record Plan was clearly that of principal-independent contractor. See Trust v. Chicago Motor Club, 276 Ill App 289.