How to compare independent contractor vs full-time employee salary

As a contractor, it’s a definite advantage if you have an outgoing personality and good at meeting new people. Over the past few years, I’ve watched friends and colleagues get laid off from jobs they thought they’d be in for life. Layoffs and salary and benefit cuts are a reality in this economy and your future is tied closely to the fortunes of the company you’re working for. Assess your company’s financial health and find out where you really stand. Your new contract job may pay more money and give you more challenging and exciting work, but you’ll need to be comfortable with not knowing what will happen at the end of your contract. It could end up being a stressful time when you’re out of work and the bills start piling up.

They will be able to tell you what types of jobs are in high order and get you on the right track for a fulfilling career. If you engage in a traditional hiring process, you can only hope for the best. Contract-to-hire employees prove themselves long before you have to make a long-term commitment.

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She was, like many other contract workers, originally hired just to help out with a special project. She started out working just three days a week, and after a few weeks was asked to continue coming in five days a week—though she was still considered a freelancer. In certain sectors, contractors are paid significantly more than permanent employees in similar roles. It is not uncommon for contractors to earn up to twice as much as their permanent counterparts, with the bonus of overtime pay for every extra hour worked. This does, however, need to be balanced against no paid sick leave or annual leave. The recruitment scene in Singapore has seen rapid growth in the number of contract opportunities over the past few years.

This type of employee usually fills a salaried position in an executive, administrative, professional creative, computer or outside sales role within a company. It’s true that the general definition of a full-time worker is someone who works at least 30 hours a week or 130 hours a month for more than 120 days in a row. However, federal laws and agencies can define “full time” and “part time” differently. If the resulting number is 50 or more, you are considered an applicable large enterprise (ALE) and you must provide health care benefits for your full-time employees and their dependents to meet the ACA requirements.

Why is classifying full time or part time important?

Hourly employees typically work a preset schedule, then punch a time clock or use a timesheet to log hours. Salary employees might be paid a set amount per period, regardless of the exact number of hours they work. Either way, however, both employee types will receive their paycheck in accordance with a consistent weekly, bi-monthly or monthly schedule. It isn’t unusual for an independent contractor to be working on projects for several clients at any given time.

• This type of employee usually fills a salaried position in an executive, administrative, professional creative, computer or outside sales role within a company.
• If you are searching for a career that is both challenging and rewarding, then this just might be the industry for you.
• When you work for yourself, you can’t fall back on a performance review when it comes time for a promotion or raise.
• Written contracts set out the rights and obligations of each party, and reduce the risk of uncertainty.
• To determine which employment structure best suits your business, you need to understand the nuances of these employment structures.
• If you answered yes to one or several of these questions, it’s likely that, from the IRS’s perspective, your worker should be classified as a W2, or full-time employee.

If you do not provide affordable coverage for your full-time employees and you are an ALE, you must pay a penalty (called a shared responsibility payment). The penalty equals $2,000 per full-time employee above 30 full-time employees in your company. For employees who claim the premium tax credit for not receiving contract vs full time salary affordable health care from your company’s coverage, you must also pay $3,000 to the IRS. The current job market is full of various opportunities, no matter the type of employment you’re looking for. Two of the currently most popular types of employment include being hired full-time or contract work.

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If you’re working on a contract basis, you’ll need to factor in the cost of these benefits when negotiating your rate of pay. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that employees who work 30 hours per week (or over 130 hours per month) must be given the option to receive health insurance benefits, or the business may risk fines. The cost of benefits impacts your operating costs and how many full-time and part-time workers you can hire for your small business.

Blueprint is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service focused on helping readers make smarter decisions. We receive compensation from the companies that advertise on Blueprint which may impact how and where products appear on this site. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Blueprint. Blueprint does not include all companies, products or offers that may be available to you within the market. When you work for yourself, you can’t fall back on a performance review when it comes time for a promotion or raise. You need to sell yourself by networking, meeting new people and being good and talking up your skills and know-how.

You’ve earned a solid job offer, now let’s make sure you get paid exactly what you deserve

As a result, you are empowered with the flexibility to work on projects that interest you, and also the ability to balance your work and personal life more easily. In addition, you also have the flexibility to take on new projects as they become available. Contractors can only work 1,040 hours (roughly 4 months) for any one employer each year. If you find a freelancer indispensable to your operations, consider offering them full-time or contract-to-hire employment. The below table summarizes the key differences between employees and contract workers.