Why I’m an Independent Contractor: I started part-time freelancing before I even graduated college. But I took the leap into full-time freelancing when we adopted my oldest daughter. It was the best decision we ever made. I’m able to have the flexibility to be there for my daughters, be their class mom and cover sick days and days off. I enjoy the hustle, the opportunity to write about topics I’m passionate about, and getting to learn something new every single day. And through the past decade-plus of hard work, I’ve built up a steady stable of clients that keep me very busy.
Why I’m Worried: The media industry is in upheaval, which has made it difficult to even find full-time work, and my friends are regularly subjected to layoffs. Because I have a variety of clients and avenues of work, it’s rare that I have more than a week or two off — unless I plan a vacation. I don’t want to make less, and lose the flexibility I currently have to be here for my family. While some of my clients are larger and pay me in a traditional W2 arrangement, my 1099 income is what gets us through between larger engagements.
What Lawmakers Need to Understand: Most independent contractors are doing this by choice, and we love what we do. We enjoy the freedom of freelancing and the stability that comes from having multiple clients. We turn down work that doesn’t meet our standards for pay and schedule.
Fight For Freelancers NJ 