Words on the Page

Monday Bits

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Inishfallen Fare Thee Well by Sean O’CaseyWhat’s on the iPod: Roll Away Your Stone by Mumford & Sons How was your weekend? We managed to get nothing done on Saturday (amen) thanks to heavy rains. Our trip to Macy’s for their sale proved to be the repeated thought of thousands of other…

Randomness on a Friday

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Inishfallen, Fare Thee Well by Sean O’Casey What’s on the iPod: Sweet Sophia by Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers Yesterday was gorgeous. Sun was out, birds chirping, flowers in bloom…. too bad I was stuck inside working. I did manage to get to the park at lunchtime and put in a mile…

One More Day

Posted on by lwidmer

If you haven’t picked up your copy of The Worthy Writer’s Guide to Building a Better Business, do it today. Remember, the $2 discount is good until April 15th. Then the price goes up to $11.95. Still a bargain for info that could help you boost profits (and is tax deductible). To order, click here.

First the Cart, Then the Horse

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Hick Town by Jason Aldean Unless you’ve been unconscious the last few days, you’ve probably heard about the lawsuit filed by angry writers against Arianna Huffington, demanding $105 million in payment from the Huffington Post’s founder. The writers, upset over Ms. Huffington’s deal with AOL to sell the online venue for…

Whatever Works for You

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: How To Save a Life by The Fray Yesterday it rained, it was cooler, and the car was getting its inspection – a perfect day for me to get some work done. I managed a great deal of research and writing on my article, which barring major writing catastrophes elsewhere, I…

Beware the Gurus and Experts

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Into the Mystic by Van Morrison Before I forget, I have a post up over at About Freelance Writing. Please give Anne some comment love. Let’s blame the fact that the weather yesterday was delicious. It was sunny, 85 degrees, and hardly a drop of humidity. I took that as a…

New: Query Writing Bootcamp

Posted on by lwidmer

Date: April 21, 2011Time: Self-pacedPrice: $29.95 Ever wanted to pump life into your queries? Here’s your chance – I’ll be hosting an online query-writing boot camp to help you increase the effectiveness of your proposals. In my Query Writing Bootcamp, you’ll learn how to craft each section of your query. You’ll also be able to…

Blooms and Sprouts

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Nothing Like You by Frightened Rabbit What a weekend! We walked Manhattan (just 40 blocks or so, not the entire thing), hung out with many kilted comrades, and enjoyed the Tartan Day Parade from the center of it looking at the crowds for a change. The MacBean clan was represented by…

Why You Should Be Freelancing

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m reading: One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding by Robert GoverWhat’s on the desktop Zune: The Story by Brandi Carlile Another day, another announcment – stay tuned at 7:12 am EDT for yet another “What Lori’s been up to” update. Yesterday was somewhat productive. I managed a nice chunk of work on my article. I’m taking…

Addendums and Oddities

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Strange Condition by Pete Yorn It must be a week of best-laid schemes flying out the window. Yesterday was no exception. I had what I thought was a smallish project in the morning that turned out to be much more complicated than it presented itself to be. There went three hours….

Cathy

I haven't come across it. They would have to remove the workers comp language before I would consider signing it.

Strange.

Devon Ellington

When a company hits you with this b.s., you push back and you push back HARD. EITHER you are a freelancer, jobbing in OR you are an employee with full benefits. None of this "you're responsible for everything on our end, including paying for it, but no benefits." Tell them it's unacceptable and be prepared to walk away.

It is NOT their business to have information on all your other clients. They can look at the resume, but a list like that is NOT proof of IC — it's away to try to poach clients and/or suss out competition, while being underhanded about it.

Walk away. And make it very, very clear why.

This whole "you have to buy insurance" is BS. The entire insurance industry is a scam anyway, and now companies want freelancers to buy even more? No.

Krista

I once had a contract where I was asked to reveal all non-compete agreements I had with other clients. And there was a section where I had to identify work I claimed ownership to. Very weird. I just told them I wasn't comfortable and wouldn't be signing.

Lori

Likewise, Cathy. I can't see how this information is relevant OR their business.

It is BS, Devon. These companies don't have the right to require such things from freelancers. We're business entities, contractors. We're not pseudo-employees dying to jump through hoops. I'm okay with signing a waiver so they feel their asses are covered, but I would refuse their application process and their insurance requirement. And they'll be hard pressed to find ANY writer who can afford WC insurance. It's not necessary for our line of work.

Krista, that's crazy! Why did they need to know all that? I wouldn't have signed it, either.

Susan Johnston

I get them wanting to verify that you have other clients to ensure that the IRS views you as an independent contractor (and couldn't you send 1099s or pay stubs instead of giving them a phone # to call?). I sort of get why in some situations they might be worried about worker's comp or other types of insurance.

But I've come across outrageous requirements like this in the past and it's really frustrating. If it in fact this in one of many clients, how the heck are you supposed to find time to jump through all these ridiculous hoops?

I had a contract that required me to purchase $2M in liability insurance and I pushed back, saying it wasn't relevant to the type of work I do. The editor told me none of the other writers had a problem with it. I told her, "based on how much you're paying, I wouldn't be able to cover a policy of that scope and still make a profit on this project, so I'd be curious how your other writers do it." She told me she didn't know, to which I said those writers are probably signing the contract without reading it. Then someone in legal emailed me to say, "we're willing to compromise with a $1M policy." Again, not relevant to the work I do, so I continued to push back and eventually they dropped that clause.

Kimberly Ben

Wow, I've had companies request me to sign some pretty off the wall documents, but I've never seen anything like this. Interesting…

Jake P

Round peg, square hole. I echo the sentiments that you need to push back (politely) and explain why. Unless your state law requires it (and according to this article in Entrepreneur, some do), there's no reason for a solo proprietor with no employees, working offsite, to have worker's comp.

That said, for peace of family mind, I personally spend about $350 a year for a basic disability policy. I imagine that would be a way of meeting the requirement.

With other client names and numbers, I'd simply state that the best you can do, due to confidentiality agreements, is supply the links as you've done in the past.

A few years back, one of my partner-designers had us close to an advertising deal with a Fortune 500 company. The liability insurance they wanted us to have would have cost a good chunk of the "trial" project revenues, with no guarantee whatsoever that we were going to get a second job. Um, no thanks.

Gabriella F.

I wouldn't sign that info, either.

I'd push back, and if it didn't work, I'd walk.

paula

like susan, a few years ago i had a public facility ask me to sign a form stating i had a $2 million in liability insurance or a waiver accepting liability for any injuries or property damage – down to 'normal wear and tear' – for a two-hour writing workshop. i refused, pointing out how i had given a presentation in the past without signing any such form, and knew several other individual who regularly give presentations and workshops there who have never been asked to sign such a form. they still insisted, so i walked away.

if devon were a lawyer, i'd want to have her on retainer.

Anne Wayman

proving you have other clients has absolutely nothing to do with your independent contractor status – what if they are your first and only client? And no one is entitled to a list of your clients except, maybe, the IRS.

Once you're established as an independent contractor the workers comp stuff is utter nonsense.

And as an independent contractor if you want to hire me or your favorite job to help with the assignment that is also none of their business.

Preprinted invoices and letterheads are also none of their business… your business name and address and your ein or ss number if you're in the US are, particularly if they plan on paying you more than $600 a year.

And an affidavit? No clue about that really, but they've already struck out on so many things I wouldn't do that either… unless it was a simple affidavit that I was an independent contractor… and I probably wouldn't go that far.

Bet they've hired a new law firm.

I'm with Devon, push back, hard.

Not that I have an opinion or anything 😉

Lori

LOL! Anne, I love your opinion. 🙂

I think it's as you say – new law firm. And either the law firm or the company itself has no idea how to work with contractors. Or maybe they see the word "contractor" and run to the Internet for the standard contract language covering construction workers. If that's the case, fire that law firm.

Paula, I remember that! It was strange given the public facility itself. VERY strange!

Kim, I've never been asked to sign anything like this, either. And I wouldn't.

Susan, good for you! I wouldn't have agreed to that, either. My taking on risk – or covering it with insurance – is my business entirely. Not theirs. I get that there are people who would sue over a hangnail that developed in the company's parking lot, but the law already dictates enough rules to separate staff from contractors.

These are people who shouldn't be doing business with contractors.

Lori

Sorry, Jake. Just rescued your comment from the Spam folder. If it's any consolation, I found my own there, too. 🙂

I'm all for freelancers having coverage if they need it and can afford it, so thanks for the link. But my back goes up the instant a company requires it of freelancers. I don't blame you for not falling in line with what the F500 client wanted. The status of the job wouldn't pay the bills. 🙂