Across the podiatry profession, there is no “one size fits all” approach to engaging practitioners. Some clinics operate with podiatrists as employees, while others use independent contractor arrangements. Both models can work well, but only when they are set up correctly. For podiatry businesses, it is essential to understand the most up-to-date practical differences between employees and contractors – and to make sure you don’t carry out any of these three mistakes.
The difficulty for many clinic owners is that the label used in an agreement is not what determines the relationship. Calling someone a contractor does not automatically make them one. Regulators and courts will look at the entirety of the arrangement, and if it does not reflect a genuine contractor relationship, a clinic may face claims relating to unpaid entitlements, superannuation, payroll tax, workers’ compensation, and penalties for sham contracting.
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