In 2020, a California certified general appraiser filed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo in state court under a special section of the California Labor Code called the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Essentially, PAGA enables private parties and their attorneys to step into the shoes of the State of California to Read more…
California’s AB 5 – the anti-independent contractor law – was “overturned” for appraisers by a new exemption created under the fix-it bill AB 2257. It went into effect last September, but . . . the problem is that many appraisers and appraisal firms in California misunderstand the exemption it created from Read more…
I’ve had many questions from appraisers, appraisal management companies (AMCs) and attorneys about independent contractor classification of appraisers under AB 5, California’s new “gig worker law,” and in relation to my earlier article on the subject. Is the work of independent contractor appraisers outside the “usual course of business” of Read more…
Note: Readers can now find cases, laws and articles relating to appraiser independent contractor classification in the “AB 5 Center.” Appraisal firms and appraisal management companies utilizing independent contractor appraisers in California need to get familiar with Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) – California’s new “gig worker” law. As was Read more…
Classifying “staff appraisers” as independent contractors, rather than as employees, is a very common business practice among real estate appraisal firms. And, of course, appraisal management companies (AMCs) use a business model that depends entirely on panels of independent contractor appraisers who fulfill orders for appraisals that managed by the Read more…