There have been several examples over recent years of companies having to pay back wages, overtime, and penalties due to the misclassification of their employees.
Often times employers will designate their workers as "independent contractors" allowing them the ability to shirk their responsibilities when it comes to safety, overtime, and insurance.
The construction industry is often guilty of trying to take advantage of these loopholes, but the Department of Labor often catches offenders quickly. A report from 2015 showed that in Texas alone, there were more than 500,000 construction workers that were not appropriately classified.
If you are uncertain if you or one of your employees are misclassified at your current position, you can contact your local OSHA office and then will assist you. Misclassification is a direct cause to many safety hazards throughout the US in all industries. Employers have the responsibility for providing a safe workplace and for providing care to employees who have become injured or ill on the job.