Independent Contractors

Campuses must comply with State/Federal laws and CSU policies regarding the proper classification of employees and independent contractors. Misclassification of a worker as an independent contractor can result in considerable wage and benefit obligations, financial penalties, tax consequences, and other liabilities.

For more information, refer to the CSU Independent Contractors Guidelines [pdf]

Department Responsibilities

When departments are considering using a current vendor in our system or onboarding a new independent contractor, we ask that you:

1. Review the ABC Test provided by the State of California.

2. Complete the following documents:

3. Submit these documents to University Personnel for review and authorization

Verified as Independent Contractor

Once the department confirms the supplier qualifies as an independent contractor, they can proceed with onboarding and/or submitting their request in FTS.

Verified as a SJSU or CSU Employee

If the department determines the supplier qualifies as an SJSU or CSU employee, then they must proceed with a different payment option:

  • For SJSU employees, contact your Payroll Representative for guidance.
  • For CSU employees, submit a IFT through Accounting Services.