Today saw about 20 mystery shopping representatives meet in Dallas to oppose the legislation proposed in 2008 regarding the classification of independent contractors by the US Department of Labor, and how they are taxed by the IRS. Mystery shoppers are currently known in the industry as independent contractors and provide a valuable service for small and large businesses by offering customer experience assessments through more than 150 Mystery Shopping Provider’s Association (MSPA) Companies across the country.
The legislation was meant to be passed last year, but due to presidential opposition was stalled. Now, Congress has reinstated the proposal for the Independent Contractor Proper Classification Act, with the intention of reducing the “tax gap” that improper classification is causing. While this Act is meant to offer tax relief, the MSPA is concerned about a number of the clauses that will negatively affect the more than 1.5 million mystery shoppers that are currently making their livelihood from this much needed industry.
These concerns include the Bill:
- Obstructing a person’s ability to earn extra money at a time when it is most needed.
- Imposing new compliance costs for small businesses and those who rely on independent contractors.
- Making mystery shopping providers more costly for businesses to use.
The Director of the MSPA, John Swinburn, mentions that the service provided to companies via secret shoppers helps them to actively evaluate their companies and better train their staff. Ron Welty, the owner of a mystery shopping company in Ohio adds that it will severely impact the ability for average people like moms, dads, and grandparents to supplement their income. This bill has been deemed as negative for everyone involved in the mystery shopping industry, and the MSPA hopes to prevent the bill from being passed at the moment until the necessary revisions are made to ensure the job security of millions of secret shoppers. To find out more about secret shopping and how to become a mystery shopper visit the Mystery Shopper Job Finder website.
Related employment posts:
