Independent Contractor Issues

[progolf4]

I have been working for a city and as an independent contractor I haven't signed a new contract in over 3 years. I have just been suspended by them because a city administrator thought I was rude. I was asked to write an apology letter to him and they will decide this weekend if I can come back. I have been doing the work at their golf course teaching lessons and ringing the money in their til for the lessons everyday for basically three years without a contract. they pay me 75% of the lesson money I ring in and they keep 25% and pay me my share every two weeks like a paycheck then 1099 me at the end of the year. Im wondering what you think. this sounds wrong to me.

[Canary42]

I note 1099 is a US Tax form. This is a UK site, so I'm afraid you are unlikely to get a meaningful response.

[Canary42]

... although for what it's worth it does sound wrong. However employee protection here in the UK is pretty bleak these days, I don't know if the States is any better.

[woofgang]

which bit do you think is wrong? the process or the being suspended?

[Mosaic]

They sound untrustworthy, whichever continent your in. Are you able to use your skills and contacts to find similar work elsewhere?
Meanwhile, if you feel like biting down on it you could just write and apology. This page has some advice: http://www.umass.edu/fambiz/articles/resolving_conflict/meaningful_apology.html
You don't have to make it long, and provided you cover the main points of regret, responsibilty and remedy they can't say you didn't apologise properly. Moreover you don't have to mean it. But it might mean they 'decide to keep you on', giving you time and some money in your pocket while you reassess your options.
And if they do continue your employment, watch your back with that administrator.

[Mosaic]

...and happy 4th July....don't let this spoil your holiday

[Buenchico]

Here in the UK a golf club would lawfully be entitled to suspend the use of the services of a self-employed instructor if there was a complaint about him.

However that's not relevant to you, as you're clearly in the USA. These US-based Q&A forums might be better for you:

https://answers.yahoo.com/

http://www.answerbag.com/

[Peter Pedant]

..
// I haven't signed a new contract in over 3 years.//

or havent ever signed a contract ? old contract might still apply ( " run-on " )

If you dont have a contract ( you probably do actually ) then you can't be suspended by a city administrator for being rude as that would involve a non-rudeness clause in a contract which you dont have ...

"I have been doing the work at their golf course teaching lessons and ringing the money in their til for the lessons everyday for basically three years without a contract. "
like you know one week you decided to pocket 100% of the money and they say o yeah that is ok you dont have a contract ?

you probably have a contract ....

if they 1099 you at the end of the fiscal year then there will be case law in the state where you work telling you whether you are an employee or not.
You would then be covered by their disciplinary code

and from wiki:
Form 1099 series is used to report various types of income other than wages, salaries, and tips. Examples of reportable transactions are amounts paid to a non-corporate independent contractor for services (in IRS terminology, such payments are nonemployee compensation). The ubiquity of the form has also led to use of the phrase "1099 workers" to refer to the independent contractors themselves.

so .. it looks as tho they can .. (dispense with your services)

if you wanna keep your "job" back down as Mosaic suggests