Massachusetts Continues to Target Independent Contractor Misclassification

Massachusetts has one of the most employee-friendly independent contractor laws in the country. The Massachusetts law creates a heavy presumption of employee status and makes it very difficult to establish independent contractor status. Many Massachusetts employers have struggled with its application, a task made more difficult by the state’s aggressive enforcement. Recently, the Massachusetts Joint Enforcement Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification announced “the commissioning of a research study to show the current depth and scope of employee misclassification and the underground economy in Massachusetts.” The study is expected to be completed in 2013 and may be a harbinger of more onerous enforcement yet to come.