Information About Independent Contractor Agreements

By | February 13, 2012

Any one of us who has struggled with a contractor in the past – whether they were redoing our floors, our kitchen, or tiling our roof – knows that a good working relationship starts at the beginning. This means having the right independent contractor agreements to establish not only payment terms, but the expectations of the job and labor involved in general.

These independent contractor agreements don’t only apply to the world of masonry, however. They can refer to any type of work-for-hire possible: writers, graphic designers, programmers, consultants, and business experts all can enjoy the benefits and freedom that come with these independent contractor agreements.

Even these people will not be exempt from having the documents in place to establish a solid working relationship between two parties, however. That’s why independent contractor agreements need to have at least a few elements from the very beginning.

First, they need to include basic information, such as the names of individuals or companies who are participating in the independent contractor agreement.

Second, these agreements should lay out the work that is to be completed, or at least make reference to another agreement that details this work to be finished. Both sides should know what is expected –numerically, if possible – as a result of this working relationship.

Third, independent contractor documents should include any types of NDAs or non-compete forms that might be necessary to protect a business or individual from leaking their privileged information. People who have hired these types of contractors in the past know just how crucial these agreements – or at least clauses – can be in establishing a solid working relationship.

Once the contract is in place, the contractor should strive to live up to their end of the bargain while the other party ensures prompt payment. Both sides of the coin should be sure that the contract they’ve signed holds each party responsible for their end; an independent contractor agreement that doesn’t do so really doesn’t stand on solid ground.

To download an independent contractor agreement, CLICK HERE.