Anthony writes:
That's what I was thinking. Classifying a worker
as a contractor who
holds substantially the same position as another worker you classify
as an employee, is a good way to rack up a hefty bill with the IRS
(for employment taxes, penalties, and interest).
The Foundation has spent a significant amount of time and money over
the last 10 months reviewing precisely these issues (both internally
and in consultation with outside counsel), and we're taking pains to
be compliant with IRS regs and various state and federal labor-law
requirements. It's complicated work, but we're not quite dumb enough
simply to classify employees as contractors just for convenience.
That said, the outside contractors who are also community members seem
to me to be particularly well-qualified and well-informed enough to
vote in Board elections, if they choose to do so. Even if they
conduct the bulk of their work outside the office (they are, in fact,
outside the USA altogether).
--Mike