Hey Barter Barter: The Law Swings for Contractors
Employee vs. Contractor is a critical classification in California barter arrangements
By Judy Malmon, J.D. | Last updated on January 20, 2023Use these links to jump to different sections:

What the Law Says
If you’re interested in a work-for-trade arrangement, the practice is legal, but there are a few things to keep in mind. If you barter services as an employee, Federal Government employment laws require compliance with wage and hour standards. Employers must keep strict records of all hours worked and payments made, providing itemized wage statements to employees. Under federal law, an employer may provide in-kind compensation that has equal value to the minimum wage per hour. However, under state government laws like California’s, there is no provision allowing for non-monetary hourly payment to employees. An important distinction lies in how workers are classified. The Fair Labor Standards Act applies to “employees,” and as such does not govern public sector independent contractor arrangements. To the extent that a barterer retains control of their schedule, location and other terms and conditions of work provided, they would not be an employee subject to wage and hour laws, but rather free to negotiate the terms of payment. If this is an in-kind exchange, the parties may so agree. Note that you may not, however, simply designate an employee as an independent contractor. This was one of the key issues in the CorePower lawsuit.How to Comply
If you choose to go the barter route, cover your bases with a written agreement laying out the terms of the exchange and underscoring the independence of the contracting parties. Ensure that such independence is in fact the case. Make sure that all hours worked are provided an exchange whose value is equal to at least the minimum hourly wage. Finally, as a general rule, be sure that you are in compliance with tax laws related to in-kind payments and income. Ultimately, if you’re looking to barter your services, whether as an individual or on behalf of a business, consult with a law firm or knowledgeable employment law attorney. For additional information about this area, see our overview on labor law.What do I do next?
Enter your location below to get connected with a qualified attorney today.Additional Employment & Labor articles
Related topics
Attorney directory searches
Helpful links
Find top lawyers with confidence
The Super Lawyers patented selection process is peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.
Find a lawyer near you