Owner Operators having difficulty finding drivers.

You may not be able to offer insurance but you can reimburse the employee’s premiums and it’s tax free to both of you, that’s what I did. If they’re driving your equipment, they aren’t an independent contractor. You need to pay them on a W2, to mis-clasdifybthem as a contractor is illegal.

 

we ARE helping you, by telling you that a 1099 job, no benefits isn't going to get you the quality driver(s) that you want.

yes, being a "small outfit" as you say you are, is tough, but frankly, you are not going to get what you want, unless the drivers get what THEY want.

someone earlier said that some carriers are paying .40¢ per mile, which isn't much, but they also have health benefits, paid vacations, etc,etc..

also, i cannot recall seeing (and i went back to re-read) you make no mention of what you have as equipment, age wise in particular, and who makes repairs, like is it required the drivers make repairs..????

even as little as greasing the rig/trailer..???

i know i WILL NOT do ANY SORT of repairs or PM service, given the salary you want to pay...even if you paid an extra $100 per hour to make repairs or do a PM service, my "free time" is just that, i do no extras on my off time, and why should i..??

i don;t own the equipment..

again, many company's have shop mechanics, do you..??

i bring up the PM/maintaining the truck, cuz one time, long, long ago, when i was younger, i had applied for a job, and the wife, (yup) o/o operation asked if i'd have any problem doing work on the truck on my day off.....please re-read what i said to you, is what i had said to her....



i wish you and your husband well, and again, we ARE trying to help you, by :educating you" on why it is as difficult as you say it has been...

 

You can not legally offer these positions as 1099 contracting work, it is unethical.

 

Lots of folks want to be paid on 1099 only. I personally don't see anything wrong with that, if that's what they want. IRS was looking the other way, if that's a few trucks owner.
Their thinking is "give me cash,I'll take care of IRS". Even if they are given a choice: I'll pay you 55 cpm on 1099 or 45 cpm on W2 many of them will take 1099. They could not care less about Workers Comp. Some owners buy them an occupational insurance as a substitute.

 

Lots of people want lots of things. This is not a choice. You're either a 1099 contractor or a W-2 employee.

 

And as a contractor, you can refuse work.

 

As long as it is not IRS-clear and not enforced, it is a choice and nothing else but a choice. If that was not a choice, half of Chicago hires would not be on 1099. I don't even care but saying what I see. Hard to find a owner of a few trucks who would would hire drivers on W-2.
Well, let's call it a choice to break the law.

 

Just because people get away with it does not mean it's legal. The main issue is offering a choice. If you offer a choice then there has to be major differences in the job between the two.