Independent Contractors

Independent Contractor Checklist and Resources

Any department planning to contract with an individual to provide the University with professional, technical, administrative, or unique services that cannot be performed by existing employees within the department must obtain approval prior to the individual providing services.

The IC Approval Request Form is available through Hilltop Shop.  All IC Approval Requests Forms submitted through Hilltop Shop must be initiated by the Business Officer of the department making the request.  Please contact your Business Officer for assistance in submitting an IC Approval Request Form. 

The I.C. Approval Request Form must be completed for submission to the Office of Internal Audit and Tax Compliance for review and approval before any services are performed by the individual.

For more information, please see the Independent Contractor Policy or Hilltop Shop article for instructions.

Individuals who do not meet the qualifications to be classified as an Independent Contractor can be referred to HR Options (HRO), the preferred vendor for this purpose.  Please reach out to an HRO representative at tempstaffing@usfca.edu or (415) 422-TEMP (8367) for more information.

Please note, non-employee individuals providing the following categories of services are deemed to be independent contractors; hence, prior approval to hire these workers is NOT required unless the service provider being hired has previously been an employee of the University within the same calendar year the contemplated services are being performed:

• Close Captioning
• Freelance Writing
• Copy Editing
• Proof Reading
• Translation
• Transcription
• Graphic Design
• Film Editing
• Photographer
• Videographer
• Sports officiating
• Nursing Teaching Models
• Nursing/EMT Skills Testers

If you would like to hire a speaker or an entertainer/performer, such individuals do not require I.C. approval, provided the individual signs the following standard University agreement:

• Speaker Agreement
• Entertainment Agreement

The following Virtual Speaker Agreements have been developed and approved by General Counsel for use with online speakers:

• Virtual Speaker Agreement (compensated)
• Virtual Speaker Agreement (not compensated)

Before Starting form:

• Ability to complete Checklist
• Have proposal letter ready for submission

If approved as I.C, the form will come back to you and require you attach:

• W9
• Signed Independent Contractor Agreement
• Proof of Insurance- Please see the Certificate of Liability Insurance (Certificate of Insurance) as a template for what is required to be provided by the vendor. For more questions regarding our contractor policies and insurance, please see the Contractor/Vendor guide.