Misclassification of workers has been in the news a lot lately, thanks to December's permalancer walkout at Viacom and New York Governor Spitzer's task force on the problem. A blog post at Insurance Buzzer, from the employer's point of view, offers some clarity. While it focuses on the need for business owners to properly insure their workers, it has an extensive list of questions to determine if someone's an employee. Some examples:

• Does a contract exist for the person to perform a certain piece or kind of work at a fixed price?
• Does the person furnish any necessary tools, supplies, or materials?
• Does the person receive a paycheck or do they make a profit / loss from the job?
  Read the post for the full list.