Misclassification of workers as independent contractors can be a costly and embarrassing event. In an article published in The Journal of Light Construction today 27 Connecticut contracting companies were issued stop work orders for worker misclassification. 

As the summer comes to a close the winds of change are taking the residential construction industry by storm. The law of evolution is culling the dead wood and contractors who are resistant to change are being replaced by the Next Level Contractor. Contractors who embrace and adapt to the changes will survive and those who do not will perish. These new contractors are investing in business coaching, education, sales training, marketing and best practices while things are slow. They know that when things rebound this will insure their prospects of success.

This past week I posted a simple question on the Linkedin NARI group. It was, should contractor organizations and trade publications lead the charge to protect contractors from lead gen companies tactics. Little did I realize, that the thread hit a nerve in a big way with many contractors throughout the country. The responses blew me away and started a strong and passionate debate about the subject. This debate is likely to continue for weeks. The basic problem is how lead gen sites use questionable tactics to sell low quality leads to contractors. There are thousands of verifiable complaints about lead gen firms all over the web on forums.

The recent commotion in our economy is presenting many of us with challenges we haven't faced.