Contract Services

[groomingranny]

Hey Gals,and Guys, need some advice here. Have worked almost 21 yrs ate same place ,Kennel with grooming services., in Tennessee. I am tje only groomer there, my daughter has helped me for 3yrs now but will be going off to college in fall so I will be back to just me. Owner has basically turned kennel over to 21yr old son who just now got his first dog,never owned one growing up. I am paid Non-employee payroll, as a contract services. I recently raised my prices ,which were too low for the most part, i keep putting prices on the cards and the son keeps changing them to another price,much lower.He says well "I quoted them such and such'. My feeling on that is well then do it yourself or make up the difference. AS a contract service aren't I the one to set the prices? I never had this problem before and I just can't give over to it, am I wrong? I recently had to do a 85lb saint bernard mix for $25 less than I had put on the card because he quoted her the price for a austrailian shepard strip. I was furious because the dog was so big and was a OAY clip. PLEASE give me your thoughts on this . if I am wrong Please tell me so.

[4Newfs]

Contracted services is a strange way to state it. Are you an IC? Do you supply your own tools, equipment, everything other then space? As an IC you also have to set your own appointments, take your own calls, ect. Pretty much all you do is lease space.

If you don't fall under that category, then you need to be on the payroll as an employee.

Figure out where you really fall, make sure they are following the rules of employment vs IC and then you can figure out where to go from there.

[azoci]

Well, if you aren't sure...do you get a W9 and a 1099 at the end of the year...or do you get a W2? Easy as that...for the first question...like suggested...first determine if you are an employee or an IC (contracted labor) once that is determined, then go from there... if an employee you are basically at the employers mercy...if you are an IC in the true sense of the word...then YOU set the price...if the kid sets the price, hand him the clippers and say , See ya when you are done...and go take a break.


I guess I'd have a screamin' meeme if I were an IC and the "boss" quoted a ridicoulas price for a job and expected me to accept it...Sorry...

[hairdevil]

maybe have a talk with his father. If that is not productive, put your foot down. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. either you set the prices, or he grooms it! or walk!

[astrordog]

contract work

Hey Gals,and Guys, need some advice here. Have worked almost 21 yrs ate same place ,Kennel with grooming services., in Tennessee. I am tje only groomer there, my daughter has helped me for 3yrs now but will be going off to college in fall so I will be back to just me. Owner has basically turned kennel over to 21yr old son who just now got his first dog,never owned one growing up. I am paid Non-employee payroll, as a contract services. I recently raised my prices ,which were too low for the most part, i keep putting prices on the cards and the son keeps changing them to another price,much lower.He says well "I quoted them such and such'. My feeling on that is well then do it yourself or make up the difference. AS a contract service aren't I the one to set the prices? I never had this problem before and I just can't give over to it, am I wrong? I recently had to do a 85lb saint bernard mix for $25 less than I had put on the card because he quoted her the price for a austrailian shepard strip. I was furious because the dog was so big and was a OAY clip. PLEASE give me your thoughts on this . if I am wrong Please tell me so.

Time to look elsewhere ?! for a job. He's ignorant and knows nothing of what he has been put in charge of. Start job hunting or better yet, open your own place and take the clientel with you.

astrordog

[Aussheplady]

I would flat tell him that the price YOU stated is your price for doing the job and you expect payment based upon that price period. If he can't figure out how not to quote prices too low, he can eat his mistake or look for another groomer and lose the grooming income he get all together while looking.

[groomingranny]

general talk

Iget a 1099 at the end of the year. I pay for everything except shampoo cause they give baths to the kennel dogs that don't get groomed. he sets the appointments and if he knows I am working by myself for a day, he overbooks( daughter was off saturday and he booked me 18 dogs,most of which were clips) I get paid 60% of groom ,dematt is all mine and nail trims are all mine. He has a fit when I charge dematt, but I do it anyway. Has $5 coupons behind the desk that if he thinks I charged too much ,he will hand out a coupon over the counter. I lose $2.50 for every coupon but I keep track of it and just take it off at the end of year as advertising. Still gripe me though that they hand out so many. I work 6 days a week ,sunday included. I get wed. off

[Gracy Rose]

can you say MULE? They are working you like a Mule. Since you get a 1099, you must make your own appointments, set you own days to work and furnish your own shampoo.

You can make it REAL simple... Tell him that it is going to be your way or you are calling the IRS. He would then be responsible for all of your taxes for the past 7 years.

[rapuzzled]

Wow girl, it sounds to me like you might need to find yourself a new place to work! That is just not right for him to be undercharging people for YOUR hard work! I sure hope that you can get things worked out!

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

AFter reading this, I am fuming. I really want to give that guy a piece of my mind. Maybe you ought to ask him to "help" you one day. "here, can you blow dry this dog for a minute, I have to go to the bathroom. BAD." Or make him bathe one, etc...

Tammy in Utah

[GriffonsMOM]

The vet I worked for liked to claim me as an Independant Contractor because I got a 1099 at the end of each year but guess what I just learned.......because they required me to go to staff meetings , required me to go to social events such as the yearly fundraiser for the humane society, and since they dictated what I was to wear(no shorts, close toed shoes and so on) and what hours I technically should work.......I was an employee!! Even though I was paid 60% and booked my own appointments and answered my own phone calls everything else points to me being an employee so I was advised by an accountant friend yesterday to actually go to unemployment and put their a$$ in a sling. The whole 4 years I worked for them I worked with issues with plumbing and water heater and mold growing in the tub that simple calking would have fixed a year prior. apparently I was not elegible for workmens comp when I got sent to the Dr for stitches when an unvaccinated cat whom i'd originally refused to groom (but the Vet told me to " do it anyway" ) slashed my wrist open. I ended up with 7 stitches and had to have my rabies tighter checked which of course none of it the Vet paid for and should have. You need to take a step back and figure out just how much your willing to put up with. All the vet had to do with me is tell me once to " take my attitude else where" and I was packing, I didn't even second guess my decision when she came back 3 hours later and said that's not what she meant, she just wanted me to change my attitude. I left that day and have never been happier!!

[groomingranny]

contract services

I really would like to tell him to go but a stump but I am 57 years old, been at the same place for 21yrs ,have built up a pretty impressive clientele and frankly I would be scared to death to go elsewhere. I average $1000 a week , and I am not sure I could make that elsewhere., if I had to share dogs. Husband is disabled and have a 20 yr old handicap child that will always live at home and a 18 yr old daughter that will be going off to college in the fall. Don't know how much longer I am going to be able to keep up this pace though. I was trying to raise my prices enough so that in the fall I could take less dogs and still make the same . My prices aare in line with most of the other kennels except for the OAY shave downs and I get a pot load of those. I guess I am just scared to try anywhere else after being there so many years. I started out with the original owner, then he passed it to hison ,and now he is passing it down to his son., I have stayed there and been faithful through all of that, so much for loyalty.

[katydid]

No need to quit just yet. Have a guiet educational (rather than adversarial) talk with him about IC rules. Give him the option of making you an employee where he'll assume all the legal and financial liabilities involved with having employees so he can legally set your prices and tell you how to work. OR he can allow you to continue as an IC letting you run your own busness, set prices, and book dogs as you have in the past. Remind him that as an employee you'll fall under the workman's comp umbrella and he'll also have to pay half your SS witholding. Dollars speak louder than threats. :-)

Make charts to show him how he'll be better off legally and financially having you as an IC and let him figure it out. If he decides control means more to him than covering his financial assets...so be it. Then you plan your next move.

Remember this is not much more than a kid... and male...he needs to think he made the decision on his own. Finesse it!

[Gracy Rose]

[QUOTE=GriffonsMOM;47468]I was not elegible for workmens comp when I got sent to the Dr for stitches when an unvaccinated cat whom i'd originally refused to groom (but the Vet told me to " do it anyway" ) slashed my wrist open. I ended up with 7 stitches and had to have my rabies tighter checked which of course none of it the Vet paid for and should have. QUOTE]

This is NOT correct: You are only exempt from Workman's Compensation IF you have filed an exemption form with the State. If, you have not SIGNED and had NOTARIZED an emptionion form then you CAN claim on Work Comp... Employee OR IC.

To file this, you just go to your local State Building (generally in or near your Court house).

[katydid]

[QUOTE=Gracy Rose;47495][QUOTE=GriffonsMOM;47468]I was not elegible for workmens comp when I got sent to the Dr for stitches when an unvaccinated cat whom i'd originally refused to groom (but the Vet told me to " do it anyway" ) slashed my wrist open. I ended up with 7 stitches and had to have my rabies tighter checked which of course none of it the Vet paid for and should have. QUOTE]

This is NOT correct: You are only exempt from Workman's Compensation IF you have filed an exemption form with the State. If, you have not SIGNED and had NOTARIZED an emptionion form then you CAN claim on Work Comp... Employee OR IC.

To file this, you just go to your local State Building (generally in or near your Court house).[/

Sorry Gracie, your addendum is not true in all states. State workman's comp laws differ from state to state. Always check your state laws to see what applies in your state.