Independent Contractors...

These laws also protect employees from unscrupulous employers who want to avoid their obligations under labor laws. Employers have certain duties such as paying minimum wage, time & 1/2 for over time, etc. They are also responsible for paying the employer portion of social security taxes. These are things all employees should care about.

I spent 10 years working as an independent contractor for a quasi-governmental agency. I wonder if I'd have any legal recourse for the missed benefits and the FICA which I paid. Any lawyers out there want this one?

Government doesn't care. It just wants taxes and it is harder to collect the taxes from independent contractors. That's all there is to it.

Otto nailed it.

The government can't stand individual thinkers. It's all about control, and money.

We've all read how strippers are suing to be reclassified as employees, and when the club rules are onerous they have won. The rules at my club are extensive; the girls have lots of hoops to jump through. I think the industry is changing, albeit slowly. It's not like club owners can't afford to treat dancers like employees; they just like to cheat on their taxes as much as they imagine they can get away with.

It's Obama's fault.