I think the fact that we are controlled (schedule, software, equipment, production and exactly how to cross our T's and dot our I's puts us in the category of employee. We have no say in what is in the supposed IC contract. We don't have more than 1 or 2 clients and are economically dependent on them. I even had one MTSO who told ICs not to eat or drink at our computers!
I wonder, at this point, how hard it is for ICs to claim some of the benefits they would have if they were employee status, such as filing for unemployment. Would the labor commissioner decide whether we are ICs vs employees, or would this require a separate suit against the MTSO?
I wonder how long this new requirement will last that new employees be labelled ICs. This may explain why one MTSO requires a business card to work for them.