When a contractor gets fired or laid off, can he/she collect unemployment?

Question

Or is that only for salaried employees?

Answer 1

It all depends. If he was an actual employee of the company and was paid by payroll yes. If he is an independent contractor and in business for himself and pays into unemployment yes. If he is an independent contractor working for another company that was hired to do the job yes. If he's an independent contractor that does "side jobs under the table for cash" then no. It also depends on the circumstances he was fired. Laid off yes.

Answer 2

Not unless it was written as part of the contract.

Unemployment is paid for by the company that let's the employee go. The government writes the check but invoices the company. Contractors have no employer, they have something different. They have a contractual agreement for employment.

Answer 3

By definition, a contractor is not an employee and is therefore not eligible for unemployment.

Answer 4

I don't think so because they contract out the jobs,no benefits what so ever. This is why they need to learn to put the money away themselves,which I know is next to impossible.