Ask HN: Disabled 1099 Employee

1 points by pjwal 8 years ago | 0 comments

We have a software engineer just out of college that is adding value. He is a 1099 empoloyee right now and has told us he cannot work more than 20 hours because of his condition.

As his employer, I am willing to support him in any fashion I can. We have HR consultants that seem more concerned with his risk rather than the value I recognize he brings to our company.

Of course, I am concerned with any liability. We are not providing him insurance as he only works 20 hours a week. I have offered him any ergonomic equipment he may need as a software engineer in his remote environment.

How to proceed?

brudgers 8 years ago |

There is no such thing as a 1099 employee.

In my opinion, the way to proceed is to do the right thing without pretending to be doing something else. I'd also consider evaluating an HR consultant that recommends in favor of employment discrimination against a disabled individual. It's easy to rationalize not providing health insurance to someone who might need it...that does not make it the right thing. In the end, the decisions are not decisions about an individual, they are decisions about company culture and values...and perhaps the values of those who have the ability to decide.

Good luck.