Fix the Massachusetts Freelancer Law!

Are you an independent contractor? Do you know that as an artist who agrees to “work-for-hire”, you lose all copyright to your work? In Massachusetts it is very difficult to work as an independent contractor. Your client is almost always required to hire you as an “employee”. Not only does this automatically give your employer the copyright to your creative work, taxes will be withheld and you will be reported as a W-2 employee. This means you will not be able to deduct work related expenses at your studio, among a number of tax “gotchas” that artists unfairly endure.

You can do something NOW. Sign the Care2 petition, Fix the Massachusetts Freelancer Law, then pass the word along to your friends.

And, for extra credit, you can show up at the State House, Jan. 27th in Room A2 at 10:30 to give testimony. (Sign-in by 10am if you want to give verbal testimony.  Testimony is taken in order of signing-in.)

You can also send or drop off written testimony.  Send your testimony to Ryan.Whalen@state.ma.us.

Then thank yourself!

Note: In addition to signing this petition, you may also contact the chairs of the committee directly (State Senator Thomas McGee, 617-722-1350, Thomas.McGee@state.ma.us and Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, 617-722-2014, Rep.CherylCoakley-Rivera@Hou.State.MA.US).