[ithinkinstereo]

1) No FTE associated taxes (payroll, unemployment, etc.)

2) No FTE associated benefits (health insurance, 401K, etc.)

3) Easier to terminate

4) (Arguably) Can grind harder

Hopefully, some of the recently laid-off employees can get re-hired as 1099-contractors. Sometimes working as a 1099 can actually be more lucrative (sometimes much more) than being a FTE.

[seibelj]

There are definitely times in life where working by choice as a contractor makes more emotional and financial sense. Sometimes you just don’t want to be “all-in” at a company but still contributing and making a good salary.

If you have a spouse to provide benefits and hire an accountant to setup things properly, you can make very good money as a contractor. Even better if you can work part time for several with a high rate and juggle them around - then you start outsourcing some labor, and before you know it you have a consulting business.

[ithinkinstereo]

Yes, I definitely agree.

If going the contractor route--and if the pay is six 000s+--I would highly recommend getting an LLC and all the great tax benefits that provides. Easily adds 5-10% (if not 20%+) to your bottom line.

[pembrook]

Getting hired as a 1099 contractor at a big tech company in California has become impossible if you work on-site at said company. LLC or not, doesn't matter. You won't pass procurement.

You will most certainly be a W2 contractor through some middleman who takes a nice cut. Even for higher-end consulting talent. No big company is willing to risk contractor misclassification lawsuits anymore.