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In most cases, contract employees are considered self-employed and not employees of the company. Instead, the company hires contractors to perform a specific job, usually for a set period of time. Some contract positions last for as little as a day or a single project, while others can extend for months or years.

Independent contractors provide goods or services ing to the terms of a contract they have negotiated with an employer. Independent contractors are not employees, and therefore they are not covered under most federal employment statutes.

An independent contractor typically has more control over their work than an employee – they decide their own hours and working conditions, often being able to negotiate their own timelines and defining their own pay rate.

Compared to other states, Virginia's contractor license requirements are generally straightforward. Anyone performing or managing a project — or removing, repairing, or improving a project valued in excess of $1,000 — requires a license. That means general contractors need to carry state-issued licenses.

A contractor can work for a company and is paid for their services but is not technically on the organization's payroll. They can also do work for multiple companies at one time. A contractor is a self-employed worker who operates on a contract basis for clients.

Be 18 or older with a valid Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. Have had four years of qualifying experience (journey-level, foreman, supervisor or contractor) within the past 10 years. Pass a two-part exam through the California Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB).

Contract employees, also called independent contractors, contract workers, freelancers or work-for-hire staffers, are individuals hired for a specific project or a certain timeframe for a set fee. Often, contract employees are hired due to their expertise in a particular area, like writing or illustration.

At a minimum, the total cost for a California contractor's license is $699. That does not include any extra fees for additional fingerprinting or rescheduling an exam. The application for licensing is $450. The fee for the actual license is $200 (and it's valid for two years).