I don't want to invite them here. THEY are already here and we as an industry, need to do SOMETHING to protect ourselves from non-professionals stealing the food off our tables. They take advantage of the fact that the government is in our business but yet doesn't enforce any of the regs that have been set on us.
My stance is simple...... Let me get away with not paying Workers Comp, Unemployment Insurance, Matching FICA, Abiding by OSHA rules, complying with Clean Water Act, and all the other annoying rules I am expected to play by. Or Hammer :got-hooligan: the ones that don't play by the rules. (Or remove the rules that say I can't hammer them for stealing from me) ........
As highlighted in red above. Which of those highlighted "annoying rules" has been the golden key to removing hacks and protecting homeowners? WC? UI? FICA? Osha? CWA? My point it licensing is just another rule to be broken.
Look how much sense the rules make now.
I use temp labor. I've used the same guys for years. Their WC is paid by the staffing company, Yet I have to pay $1000.00 per year to for WC even though I and the other board members have exempted themselves. There is NO LIABILITY on the part of the insurance company but I still have to pay $1000 per year because the Government requires it. The insurance company tells me they understand but it is out of their hands. Stupid.
What about UI, and Fica? Who cares. I sleep well because I play by the rules. I've been audited twice for two three year periods and came out smelling like a rose because I play by the rules. Who cares what some other guy does. Eventually he will probably be audited.
Osha is the same way, We've been hit once by Osha, not because we were breaking the rules but because the local (ignorant) osha guy didn't understand the law that clearly states as a business owner I am exempt from Osha Regs. Just another example of the Government stepping in with one of their finest only to be sent limping home.
Now, so you don't get the wrong idea UI, Fica, and Osha are put in place to PROTECT the worker, not the consumer. I'm not "against" them. They are already there. They apply to everyone, and not just one industry.
I'm for the second part of our paragraph, get rid of the rules. It's just not possible once the government has a hand in it.
Please sit down and count up how much all of those things including any licensing you might have that a hack does not have and post how much more per hour you REALLY have to charge to make up the difference. It won't be as much as you think.