Can you tell independent contractors how to dress?

[EGarrett]

Lemme ask you a question. If you hired a company to landscape for you...would you tell them how to dress while they did it? Whenever I've seen independent contractors, they wear their own outfits that advertise their company.

If you want to claim your fighters are independent contractors, that's fine, but it makes no sense to then simultaneously claim that you design their outfits and equipment.

What's the legality of this? I know the distinction is that you can't tell the contractor how to do the job, where does dress apply. Thank you.

 

[Jballer]

Im sure you can stipulate it in the contract.

 

[phipps66]

Yes it's all part of the contract they sign. They are independent contractors but are representing the UFC so they're bound to whatever stipulations the UFC puts forth as to what acceptable behavior and dress is.

Ie. Reebok and jones being cut.

 

[usmctanker242]

This is a very poor comparison. I'm not spending millions of dollars to put on a show when I hire a landscaping company. I'm also not paying out millions of dollars to other entities to film the landscaping process.

The UFC is a business and if independent contractors want to work for them they will follow whatever rules are set forth by the UFC. Just like Taco Bell... I'm independent but if I want to work on their premises I will have to wear their uniform.

Are you truly this absurd?

 

[bartleby929]

Yeah, independent contractors have that contract thing. It's sort of like an agreement on both sides.

 

[wellsdj1]

It's easy. When these independent contractors won't unionize and fight the UFC in court. The US government isn't going to come out on behalf of the UFC fighters and say, " hey Dana, fertitas we see what you are doing making your independent contractors wear uniforms, that's not legal" . If the fighters don't care enough to unionize and bring the UFC to court the US government sure won't care! It also doesn't help when top fighters like chad mendes sign new contracts with the UFC. I'm also guessing the new contracts have wearing the reebok uniform.

 

[finalboss]

Fighters are not independent contractors. Dana just calls them that, because nobody challenges him on that just like on many things.

 

[IndyCovaHart]

Astounding logic.

WITH pictures.

 

[bartleby929]

nah they really are independent contractors.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

Depends on the company subbing the work. Some want you to wear there shirts and put magnetic stickers of their company logo on your vehicle. Atleast thats how it works with in the construction business.

 

[MaulingMyClown]

As a business owner, I've hired outside contractors or "sub" contractors on some of my jobs. And yes, I made them wear my company shirts when working on my job.

 

[bartleby929]

Yeah, you can contract with women to be strippers at a party right? Likewise, you can make contracts with fighters to wear Reebok.

 

[Bearknuckle]

The UFC uses being a sport and running the fight game when its conveinent and uses the business and corporate excuse when they want.

 

[wellsdj1]

As a business owner, I've hired outside contractors or "sub" contractors on some of my jobs. And yes, I made them wear my company shirts when working on my job.

And I'm sure you told them when you hired them they would have to wear your company shirt and they probably didn't have a problem with that. I think the problem is a lot of these fighters in the UFC had sponsors that paid them well before the reebok deal and one day they lost their sponsors without having a say. Now when the UFC fighters are signed I'm sure it's in their contract so they shouldn't have an issue as they knew going in.

 

[EGarrett]

This is a very poor comparison. I'm not spending millions of dollars to put on a show when I hire a landscaping company. I'm also not paying out millions of dollars to other entities to film the landscaping process.

Actually, yes, many people who hire landscapers or independent contractors are in fact building or maintaining multi-million dollar properties. Fortunately though, people much more intelligent than you have made more useful posts here.

 

[Malthian]

Yes. It's common depending on the function and the company.

If you're doing a promotional event it's VERY common to require contractors wear company kit or company defined clothing. For example, if you held a product launch, even though you sub-contracted the promotion company you wouldn't let them wear shirts or jackets with their company name on it.

You would negotiate it in the contract as part of the agreement and once that's done, they don't have a choice. Contractors exist to service YOUR needs, not for you to service theirs.

 

[Gerald Ford]

Yes you can, if they want the job then they will have to wear what you request, if not then don't take the job.

 

[dc007]

Apparently yes.

 

[bartleby929]

I think there are a lot of would-be Sherdog employment attorneys and labor law experts that are going to be disappointed by Zuffa. they have 100 billion to protect, i'm sure they are careful.

 

[wellsdj1]

Yes you can, if they want the job then they will have to wear what you request, if not then don't take the job.

That's fair enough but what about the fighters that had and made a lot of money on sponsors and already signed a contract with the UFC way before this Rebook deal was talked about? The fair thing would be to make all the fighters free agents and the UFC would have to resign them and wearing reebok would be in the new contract.