Revised Independent Contractor Policy

The Independent Contractor (IC) Policy has been revised with an effective date of 7/1/19 (with early adoption encouraged). The updated version has stream-lined the questionnaire and provides guidance and clarification on roles and responsibilities and when and how to classify an individual as an employee or independent contractor. Expanded training materials have also been created to help hiring departments, Human Resources and Finance Offices property classify and pay these individuals.

The current policy is posted on the Financial Policy Office website, with a version date of 07/01/2019 EA (for “Early Adoption”). While we do not expect any substantive changes to the policy, we have marked this version as EA as we are collecting questions and making minor corrections throughout the training and will post a final version (dated 07/01/2019) towards the end of May. These changes will not affect the overall policy requirements. We will also be updating the website with additional training and reference materials as they are available.

The Financial Policy Office and Labor and Employee Relations have scheduled a 90-minute training which will give an overview of the policy as well as explore in more detail roles and responsibilities for those:

  • In the hiring department or unit;
  • In Human Resources who review the IC Questionnaire and classify the worker; and
  • Those processing and approving the contractor payments

Department administrators, others in hiring departments or units, Human Resources, as well as financial approvers should attend these trainings; though others are welcome.

Registration information is below:

Cambridge Campus

  • Monday, 3/25/19 – 2:30-4:00 – Cambridge, CWD – Register in the Harvard Training Portal for the course “Training on the Revised Independent Contractor Policy”
  • Tuesday, 4/2/19 - 1:00-2:30pm – Cambridge, CWD - Register in the Harvard Training Portal for the course “Training on the Revised Independent Contractor Policy”
  • Tuesday, 4/16/19 - 9:30-11am – Cambridge, CWD – Register in the Harvard Training Portal for the course “Training on the Revised Independent Contractor Policy”

Longwood Campus

  • Friday, 4/5/19 - 9:30am – 11:00am– Armenise Amp. – Register in the Harvard Training Portal for the course “Training on the Revised Independent Contractor Policy”
  • Monday, 4/22/19 - 1:00pm – 2:30pm – Armenise Amp. – Register in the Harvard Training Portal for the course “Training on the Revised Independent Contractor Policy”


Please contact Karen Kittredge, Manager Policy and Business Process at financialpolicy@harvard.edu or Polly Scannell, Deputy Director, Labor and Employee Relations at susannah_scannell@harvard.edu with questions.