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Payroll Fraud & Underground Economy

Commonwealth Magazine logo

1099 Nation spreads its tentacles: Employees in every sense of the word — but without the benefits

April 10, 2018

 MARK ERLICH
Commonwealth Magazine

For the past 40 years, employers have pursued a strategy of shedding obligations to their employees as part of a broader outlook that views labor as one more risky liability to move off a balance sheet. For some, this has meant the purposeful misclassification of employees as independent contractors, a tactic adopted by Beldi’s disreputable construction contractors as well as more high-profile and celebrated firms such as FedEx and Uber.

think progress logo

Lost wages, serious illness and poor labor standards: The dangers of rebuilding Texas and Florida

September 11, 2017
By CASEY QUINLAN, Think Progress
[Sharon] Block is also worried about whether there are enough resources at the agency. In addition to the proposed cuts and business-friendly approach of the administration, there is no OSHA chief. She states, “Based on their level of staffing and resources and everything else about their approach on worker protection issues, I’d be worried about how workers post-Harvey and post-Irma are going to be effective.” 
Inc, logo

How Gig Economy Businesses Can Create Good Jobs--or Destroy Them

September 7, 2017

By Leigh Buchanan, Editor-at-large, Inc. magazine
"A congressional hearing Wednesday explored how the sharing economy must evolve to ensure fair wages and stability for workers....Yes, flexibility is desirable. But it is no substitute for security, said Sharon Block, executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School."

Also reported in: shrm logo"Are Federal Regulations Needed for Today's Sharing Economy?" By Kathy Gurchiek
Sep 12, 2017, Society for Human Resource Management

Also reported in: jd supra logo "September 2017 Independent Contractor Misclassification and Compliance News Update: Legislative Initiatives: CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE HOLDS EXPLORATORY HEARING ON CHANGES TO LABOR AND TAX LAWS AFFECTING THE GIG ECONOMY" by Locke Lord LLP and Richard Reibstein
October 10, 2017, JDSupra

... Read more about How Gig Economy Businesses Can Create Good Jobs--or Destroy Them
ILSA logo

Sharon Block addressed the 2017 Interstate Labor Standards Association

August 24, 2017
LWP Executive Director Sharon Block addressed the 2017 Interstate Labor Standards Association in Little Rock, Arkansas on LWP’s new project on Payroll Fraud and the Underground Economy.  Block previewed for ILSA members a survey that LWP fellows Terri Gerstein and Mark Erlich are developing to gain insights into new frontiers in misclassification and effective strategies for combatting it.