Contingent workers are outsourced, non-permanent workers that are commonly referred to as Independent Contractors, contract workers, freelancers, gig workers, consultants, temporary talent or remote workers. And while the language describing contingent workers may vary, their purpose remains the same: they are engaged by an employer on a short-term, long term or on a project-by-project basis.
A contingent worker can work on site or remote; however, when the their contract is at an end or the project for which the contingent worker was hired for is complete, the employer has no responsibility to provide continuous work to that worker on a permanent basis – they are not on staff. When engaging a contingent worker, it’s imperative for employers to understand proper contractor classification.