Well that went fast! So fast, in fact, that it would behoove us to sit back and reflect on it a bit – just to remind us of what IWOC has been up to in the last year...and what lays ahead. Please join me in first looking into the rearview mirror – just to refresh our memories of the good times that were had by all.

2023-24 IWOC Programs 

They did it again...

Challenging as it may have been – and always is when it comes to mining for programs and speakers that would capture the interest of IWOC members and friends of IWOC, once again the Program Committee of Betsy Storm, Jay Schwarz and Jeff Steele (with contributions from other IWOC-ers) has jam-packed the year serving up the following. Anyone who came and saw, came out wiser businesspeople and savvier self-marketers, loaded with ideas about adding more “value added” aspects to their writing services. 

• IWOC’S Ever-popular Annual Writers’ Roundtable, where everyone gets their say. (This is the only program notrecorded, so all participants can speak freely.)

• Meet Special Guest Hedy Weiss: The renowned theater and dance critic pulled back the curtain to reveal the thrills and challenges that come with that enviable job. She also gave us a peek at her career as a professional dancer before she leapt over the footlights and into the audience to become one of the keenest observers of the theater and dance world. 

• Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Monetize Your Book(s) via Audiobooks:  Audiobooks expert Kevin Theis spelled out the many avenues for writers to turn their current, printed work into easy-to-download audio projects, sometimes at a cost and sometimes not.

• Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Explained: Friesen Press publishing consultant Christoph Koniczek outlined the ways in which self-publishing differs from traditional publishing, and how the unrestricted nature of the latter path might align better with your publishing needs.

• AI for Writers: What You Need to Know: Many of the questions plaguing writers about how AI will affect them were answered by prolific book author, journalist, guest lecturer and regular contributor to high-tech magazines, Carol J. Amato – an AI aficionado.

• Current Legal Issues Concerning Freelance Writers: Presented by attorney Steven Baron of Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Mr. Baron covered such topics as copyright law, plagiarism, attribution and more.

• Suburban Bigamy author Michael Zimmerman Shares Memoir Secrets: Mr. Zimmerman spoke not only about his heart-wrenching personal story, but offered his take on the best ways to tackle a writing form that is often a challenging, emotional, yet ultimately rewarding journey. 

• Special meeting: How the USDOL Rule Can Affect You:  Of Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Illinois Super Lawyer Lori Goldstein helped us wrap our heads around the recently enacted “Classification of Independent Contractors and Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act," a rule that can affect the way 72+ million Independent Contractors (including writers of all stripes) work and live. And that can impact 45% of the U.S. economy.

• Video Scriptwriting: Give it a Shot:  Ace video scriptwriter / producer / narrator Greg King entertainingly talked about the how-tos of writing video scripts. He also regaled us with stories of what went on behind the scenes in shooting some of his favorites.

• LinkedIn Success Secrets: “LinkedIn Whisperer” Mary Wu, treated us with solid, actionable guidance on how to polish your LI profile, enhance your network, and improve the quality of your online interactions.

• Missed any of the above? No problem. Download the podcasts (except for the Roundtable one) on our Member Resources page to benefit from the info- and advice-packed gems. 

  Got ideas for writing- or business-related programs? Contact the Program Committee. We welcome them all! 

  2023-24 IWOC Parties

  Keep a bunch of freelance writers cooped up in their lairs all year and when given the chance, they come out to play in full force. As is our tradition, last year we gave everyone three chances to let loose and party like it’s – well, 2023. At December’s Holiday Party, we let it all hang out at hands-down fave Star of Siam. For our perennial August Greektown bacchanal, we opa’d at scenic Athena. And to welcome the Spring Equinox, we dove into delectable appies, BBQ ribs, chicken and veggie kabobs at the Weber Grill. Fab-u-licious.

  Events of Interest

  IWOC wasn’t the only one who put on must-see programs. We also passed the word to IWOC members about these world class events:

  
  

• American Writers Festival at the American Writers Museum and Harold Washington Library Center

• Chicago Freelance Business Workshop presented by the Institute for Independent Journalists

• 2023 Writer’s Workshop hosted by IWPA’s (Illinois Woman’s Press Association)

• 6^th Annual StoryStudio Writers Festival

• Television writer/producer Patty Lin discussed her book, “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood” at the American Writers Museum

• Share Your Story on Jacqui Just Chatters podcasts, offered several times throughout the year

• Award winning writer Mark S. King and community leaders representing Chicago’s HIV and LGBTQIA+ communities read passages from Mark’s recently published book, My Fabulous Disease: Chronicles of a Gay Survivor and shared personal reflections. 

• 
  

  Promoting our members

  We’re always telling members to come blow your horn. Or we’ll blow it for them. And so we did...

  
  

• Two States of Single: Essays on Family, Love and Living Solo, a 2020 book by IWOC member Julie A. Jacob, was accorded a glowing assessment by reviewer Victoria Lynn Smith. 

• Heather Kenny landed the plum assignment of writing a monthly column about style for The Midst, a new online publication for women in their 40s and 50s. Fun reading that's really relatable.

• And as we do every year, IWOC participated in the 2023 Printers Row LitFest, displaying and selling our author members’ books at our table while talking to thousands of passers-by on the virtues of IWOC and how we help freelance writers succeed in their careers. (Volunteer to help staff the table and join the fun at this year’s LitFest on the weekend of September 7 & 8. Contact organizer Joseph Wycoff.)

Reflections on the future

While it was indeed an excellent year and IWOC has had a wonderful 40+ year run, it’s no secret that the times they are a-changing. Due to the many factors that I covered in last month’s President’s Post, IWOC will begin the complex process of merging* with the Writers & Publishers Network / Independent Writers of Southern California coalition. But we’re not going away any time real soon. Until that merger is complete – which could take around 9 months, we’ll still be planning programs and parties to educate and entertain all our members and subscribers, starting with our September 10 ever-popular Writers' Roundtable. Hope to see you there!

* Don’t forget: On September 10, we’ll be holding elections on the 2024-25 Board of Directors slate AND a membership vote on the merger. Mark it down and please attend!

-- Laura Stigler

Judging from last month’s President’s Post, this current one could have been funereal in its announcement. In that July post I called upon members to nominate people (including themselves) who they felt qualified to serve as IWOC President or on the Board of Directors. I also called for volunteers who could lend their talents and skills to serve on any of our committees. I warned that having these positions remain unfilled will sound the death knell for IWOC. To ensure everyone “got the message,” I repeated that entire Post in a follow-up eblast to members. The response: Crickets. 

Time to face reality: IWOC simply can’t continue to 

exist if there’s no one managing and minding the store. Most of our officers, directors and committee volunteers have each been serving continuously for the best part of a decade. We are all, quite frankly, spent. Fresh blood is needed. None is pouring forth. 

Piling onto that, consider this: 

• Our membership is declining (we’ll gain one member, lose two); 
• Younger people are flocking to online writer groups;
• Our Writers Line Job Board is on life support; 
• Clients seeking to hire freelance writers are looking to our competition: LinkedIn, Fiverr, etc. Or they’re “hiring” AI. This all hurts on a personal level, because I’ve always promoted IWOC with the idea that I owe my career to this organization. It’s true. For over 3 decades, that is how the majority of my clients found me. Lately? Not so much. I could be wrong, but I’m considering myself a bellwether.
• Attendance at in-person meetings averages 15 people, half of which are usually Board members. (You may ask, “Why not Zoom?” We get pushback when it’s suggested, as most people stress the importance of face-to-face interaction.) 
• When I sent out a simple 2-question survey in April asking how much work members have gotten through IWOC and how many have listened to the podcasts in the past two years, only 15% of the membership responded. Of those, most indicated they had not gotten work nor listened to the podcasts.

Not exactly signs of an organization on the upswing. So what do we do now? Wind IWOC down and allow it to go gently into that good night? How very sad!

But here comes the Good News...

Serendipitously, IWOC was recently invited to join a larger, dynamic organization with similar goals to our own. Here's the skinny:

This past March, Gary Young, president of our sister organization, Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC), contacted me. He explained that IWOSC had been in a situation much like ours: a few people (primarily Gary and vice president Steve Sanchez) doing all the work for several years, with no one to whom they could pass the baton. He then said that last year IWOSC was invited to merge with Writers and Publishers Network (WPN), while keeping IWOSC’s own identity. The IWOSC merger was made official in March and WPN’s logo reflects that. 

After singing the praises of how the merger is now serving IWOSC members, Gary mentioned how he and WPN’s president Kathleen Kaiser discussed possibly bringing IWOC on board. They both were excited about the prospect of how IWOC, with its mission of catering to freelance writers, could add to the WPN/IWOSC coalition and in turn, how the coalition could serve IWOC’s members. It would be a win-win...win. During our conversation, Gary put the suggestion to me that IWOC consider joining the consortium.

I presented the idea to the IWOC Board of Directors and the Board recommended we explore the possibility of such a merger.

The good news: IWOC can survive! Not in the manner to which we’re accustomed. No doubt there would be changes. But members would be served in more ways than they could if we were to continue in our present state. The board directed a committee of myself, our vice president George Becht, and our Treasurer Brent Brotine to meet with WPN/IWOSC to discuss the merger possibility. The three of us met with Young, Kaiser and other WPN Directors. 

In two separate but lengthy Zoom meetings, we aired our questions, concerns, and opinions, discussing all the details of what a merger would involve. To the best of my ability, I’ve summed it up in the following paragraphs.

Now consider all this:

• First, who is WPN? They are a non-profit organization whose mission is “to provide education, information, resources and a supportive networking environment” for small business owners interested in the publishing process and for creative individuals, whether they are authors, freelance writers, or artists. Based in California, they are international in scope. Combined with IWOSC, they are 600+ members strong, with a contact list of 8,000+. WPN’s committees are staffed with volunteers who are extremely active and proactive, whether it involves programming, social media, PR, and more. Their newsletter is chockful of information and kept vibrant with columns contributed by different members. Plus, they are able to attract industrious volunteers to do all the administrative work it takes to keep an organization flowing.

• So what does that mean for us Chicago writers/freelancers? For one thing, it means access across the calendar year to a wide variety of programs, webinars, seminars and networking opportunities mostly held on Zoom and that cover an equally impressive variety of topics. All presented by top speakers hailing from around the globe. 

• The benefits are a two-way street. WPN/IWOSC has largely catered to authors and publishers. But many of their members are freelance writers, and that’s where IWOC comes in. What IWOC will bring to the party is the whole freelance aspect, where we will share the assets that have enabled us to live up to our two-pronged mission: 1) To help writers succeed in the arena of freelance writing and 2) To be a go-to resource for clients in search of skilled, professional writers. Those assets exist on IWOC’s website, essentially all of which will be migrated into what will eventually be the WPN/IWOSC/IWOC website. Such as:
  

o    Most importantly, our Online Directory. All our members’ profiles, specialties, etc. will be listed on the merged website. It will also include WPN’s and IWOSC’s freelance members. And because WPN has such a wide reach, with exposure across the nation and world, the potential for job opportunities for all members can grow exponentially. 

o    All of IWOC’s meeting podcasts will be migrated, so you’ll still have access to those.

o    All of IWOC’s Stet newsletters will be migrated, including all archived issues.

o   Other than anything redundant or outdated, all handouts, links and resources (contract templates, surveys, etc.) will be migrated.

• “What happens to IWOC’s website?” It will still exist, but when visited, will point to what will be the WPN/IWOSC/IWOC site, which will feature a “Chicago Chapter” tab. 

• "Does all this mean IWOC’ers will never meet in person? No meetings? No (gasp!) parties?” Well my friends, that will depend on – yup – whoever volunteers to arrange those right here in the Windy City. I will be stepping down from my IWOC presidency, but I am considering being on a Program Committee. Care to join me? The good news is, all the administrative work that goes along with planning programs will be taken care of by WPN’s various committees.

• What happens to the IWOC fee you’ve already paid? That would transfer over to WPN/IWOSC/IWOC. When it comes time to renew your membership, you’ll pay $65 for renewals. 

• What about a WPN/IWOSC/IWOC logo? It’s a work in progress. For now, WPN has incorporated IWOSC into their logo. IWOC will be included when we join the coalition and other logo designs will be explored.

• When will the transition take place? It’s a complex process. Tons of details. It took IWOSC approximately 9 months to complete, and areas are still being worked out. Fortunately much has been learned in carrying out IWOSC’s transition which will help ours move along more smoothly and perhaps in a shorter period of time. Even so, expect about the same time for our transition to be complete.

• In the meantime and throughout the transition, IWOC will continue business as usual with programs, parties, etc. In the upcoming Annual Meeting on September 10, membership will vote on the new slate for the 2024-25 Board of Directors. For continuity’s sake, I will remain acting as President until the merge is complete, at which point I will be stepping down and all presidential duties will be handled by WPN President Kathleen Kaiser.  

• Should we merge, will we still have a presence at Printers Row Lit Fests in the future?  Yes! But under the WPN/IWOSC/IWOC banner. Kathleen Kaiser is particularly excited about personally flying in and partaking in that.

No doubt you have questions, concerns and opinions. To address all of them, we will be holding a Zoom meeting for members on Tuesday, August 20 at 6:30pm. Stay tuned for details and the Zoom invitation to register. 

On July 31, IWOC’s Board of Directors voted to proceed with the merge. Now it’s your turn to vote.

Before our program (“Writers Roundtable”) begins on September 10, and in addition to voting on the Board of Directors slate, we will be putting the merge up for a vote by the membership. We urge you to attend. If you cannot, you can vote by proxy, vesting in me the power to deliver your vote. Proxy emails will be sent to all members. 

What will happen if the members vote against the merge? We may make a last ditch effort to call for volunteers to populate the various committees and for people to fill the roles of IWOC president and other officers. If we get the same kind of response we did the first time around, then we will begin measures to dissolve the organization. All our resources -- podcasts, profiles and more -- will vanish into the sunset.

I know this news may come as somewhat of a shock to many of you. I, too, feel it would have been optimal for IWOC to continue on and thrive as it did in its storied past. But times have changed. IWOC has changed. And considering the alternative – going belly up altogether, the Board has come to the decision that this is the most fruitful way to keep IWOC alive, maintain and expand its resources, and serve its members to an even more fulfilling degree.

Thank you for reading this far. I hope you’re as excited as we are about this new lifeline presented to IWOC. From what I gathered in the talks we’ve held with WPN and IWOSC, you’ve every reason to be.

Look for the Zoom Q&A meeting invitation. And plan to be involved in IWOC’s Future.

-- Laura Stigler

‘Tis the season again, when we start to assess the past year and begin to make plans for the next. While it’s always a time to toot our horn for what we’ve accomplished in the interest of our members during the previous 12 months, we also have to indulge in a bit of self-reflection as we look forward. Regarding the latter, this year is quite different.

Because in a departure from the last eight years, I’ve made the difficult decision to not run for president of IWOC. I say “difficult” because it means that, in addition to recruiting new Board members, we also have to recruit someone who is willing to stand at the helm and lead IWOC into the future. 

As I’ve stated in many previous Stet posts, volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. Without them, there is no IWOC! Fortunately, there has always been a pool of people who’ve eagerly filled those shoes on the Board of Directors and on our Committees. But when it comes to being president? The pool gets pretty shallow. Understandably so, since it sounds like such an onerous responsibility. But throughout the years, there has consistently been someone who grabbed the baton and served valiantly. 

When I first was recruited in 2016 – or I should say, was pleaded with to fill the position, I begrudgingly accepted. But once into it, I embraced it and have actually come to love it. What I’ve learned about myself, IWOC, and so many of my fellow IWOC-ers who became friends, turned out to be a rich and positive experience beyond what I ever imagined. But the official term for serving as president is only one year. I’ve served 8. So there does come a time when you have to say, “Enough.” It’s not fair to me, but especially not to IWOC. IWOC deserves someone new. Someone with fresh ideas and a vision that could keep us going and growing strong. Without someone taking the reins, could IWOC continue?

IWOC has been a beloved organization since its founding in 1981. A community where writers consider IWOC a welcoming home, a place that could not only benefit their careers, but where they could find common ground with fellow freelancers with whom they could get together to network, laugh and talk– not just about writing. But about practically anything. To see all that vanish would be something to mourn.

So my question to you is, would you be the one to step up as president? Please consider it. I will be there at every step to ensure a smooth transition. Those on the Board and Committees will also help and support. If you’ve any questions at all, please contact me and we can discuss. And if not as president, consider running for the Board of Directors -- it’s not time-consuming (we Zoom for one hour, once a month) --  or serving on a Committee, be it Membership, Program, Public Relations, Social Media, IWOC’s Stet newsletter.  

Or is there someone you’d like to nominate for any of the above whose ideas, energy, and all-around get-along personality you believe would serve IWOC well? Please submit names to the Nominating Committee --  George Becht, Jay Schwartz or me  by July 19. Members will vote on the final slate at our in-person September 10 Annual Meeting.

There have been many factors that can and have threatened the existence of IWOC. Competition from writer groups that solely meet online; a social media zeitgeist that has diminished the desire to join groups and meet in person; the profusion of online networking and job sites. But we’ve managed to remain standing. Heck, we survived COVID! It would be an absolute shame to see IWOC dissolve, simply for the lack of a president and volunteers. Other venerable writer institutions have gone under because of that very reason. Let that not be the case with IWOC. 

As we stand at a crossroads, let’s take the road to survival.

Volunteer. Nominate. Thank you.

-- Laura Stigler

Since IWOC’s inception, coming up with programs for our monthly meetings has always been a challenge. Yet without exception, every month since 1981, our Program Committees have come through. Being that we’re based in the world class city of Chicago, we’ve never had a problem finding speakers for those programs. And thanks to Zoom, we now invite speakers from the world over. 

But there is a treasure trove of talent that we also mine, and it happens to be right here within IWOC. With a membership spanning 60+ areas of expertise, over the years we’ve been able to entice numerous members to speak about their particular field – how they got into it, what it entails – and how to succeed at it. 

Cases in point:

At our June 11 meeting, video scriptwriter/producer/narrator Greg King will be giving his up-close and personal views on – yes, writing scripts for video. Which takes more than an ability to write well. It takes visualization, imagination, and organizational skills. To name a few. Come to that meeting and it may open up a few ideas on how to expand your revenue stream.

In the past, Jeff Steele talked about the in-demand specialty called “Convention Writing.” Chicago is one of the world’s most sought-after Convention towns, where there’s always a big need for fast-thinking writers with reportage-like skills, and the ability to meet tight deadlines. “Piece o’ cake” for writers like Jeff. You wanna piece of that? Hear how to get it on the recording listed on our Member Resources page. 

We’ve also held a program on travel writing, where current members Kathryn Occhipinti and Cindy Bertram, along with longtime IWOC friend Pamela Dittmer McKuen respectively spoke about their trips to Italy, cruises on the high seas and fascinating places of interest nationwide. Listen to them exchange stories and discuss how to nab those coveted travel writing gigs.

And what can be more intriguing than writing about people’s lives? That’s what IWOC member Betsy Storm spoke about – and she should know, having interviewed 50 prominent Chicagoans for her inspiring book, Bright Lights of the Second City. Joined by the aforementioned Ms. McKuen, Mr. Steel and ghostwriter Danielle Perlin-Good, you can listen to the lively discussion covering how to excel at the discipline – and make money to boot!

That’s just a taste of the kind of programs that have been presented by IWOC’s very own in the last few years alone. So why bring this up? For one thing, it gives us a sense of pride to belong to an organization filled with such an array of talents. It’s also to convey our members’ high caliber of professionalism to potential members, all our contacts and clients seeking writers.

Say! If you’re an IWOC member (and even if you’re not), do consider being a Guest Speaker! Come share how you got into your field and what it takes to make a go of it. Not only will we all benefit from your knowledge, but you’ll benefit from the free publicity that’s disseminated to 130+ media outlets, all our social platforms and 1000+ contacts. You’ll also be treated to a post-program dinner as a thank you, compliments of IWOC. 

Interested? Simply contact our Program Committee and we'll get right back to you.

Do it and we’ll all be in for a real treat – so to speak.

-- Laura Stigler

Sometimes a work assignment makes you reflect, and causes you to consider the bigger picture. Nature, people, animals, the food supply, the earth.

While working on a produce packaging assignment, I was asked to inquire about sustainability efforts. The companies that create fruit and vegetable packaging told me they’re using less plastic, or recycled plastic, or recyclable-friendly plastic. This is being driven by consumer/retailer demand and current/future environmental regulations.

As I conducted further research, I found myself overwhelmed by facts about plastics. Soon I was in the territory of Chicago Daily News columnist Sydney J. Harris, who wrote an occasional feature called, “Things I Learned En Route to Looking Up Other Things.” 

In the spirit of that recurring Sydney J. Harris column, here is what I learned:

• 430 million tons of plastic are produced each year. 
• One-third of it is single-use plastic.

• Of the plastic that is produced, 9% is recycled, 19% is incinerated, and 72% is in landfills or the environment.
• In the U.S., about 5% of plastic is recycled (partly due to infrastructure challenges).

• Plastic that is not reused or recycled, breaks apart to form microplastics. 
• Microplastics are plastic pieces less than 5 mm long - about the size of a pencil eraser.

• Microplastics make their way into our fish, meat, tofu, fruit, vegetables, and get into our drinking water, blood and organs.

• 22 million pounds of plastic debris enter the Great Lakes each year. 
• Humans consume a credit card-sized amount of tiny plastics each week. 

On April 20, Earth Day, I realized it’s time to make personal changes. After all, this year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastics,” and the goal is a 60% reduction in production of all plastics by 2040. While I don’t produce plastics, I do consume them. Why not consume less?

So I’m now buying peanut butter and salad dressing in glass jars (not plastic). I’m mixing frozen orange juice with water in a glass pitcher, like my mother once did. I’ll make my own iced tea (rather than buy huge plastic bottles of it), and switch to cat litter in cardboard containers (rather than big green plastic jugs). And although I long for berries in the green pulp cartons from my childhood, those plastic clamshells seem ubiquitous (except at summer farmers markets). 

This writing assignment definitely made me think about our planet. While I don’t plan to revert to “Little House on the Prairie” living, I’ll aim to buy paper, cardboard or glass packages — instead of plastic. Thanks to the facts I discovered, I am inspired to do so. #

-- Sarah Klose

Further reading:

MIT Technology Review, October 12, 2023. “Think that your plastic is being recycled? Think again.”

Chicago Tribune, April 28, 2024. “86% of Great Lakes litter is plastic, a 20-year study shows. And the plastic is 'just getting smaller and smaller.’“ (need subscription to read article)

Earth Day website

Relevant links: 

Fight for Freelancers USA

Everything You Need to Know about the USDOL Independent Contractor Rule

"Are We About to Lose Our Independence?" March Stet President's Post

To subscribe to the Freelancer Dispatch newsletter, please email Lila Stromer

After enjoying a successful career as a freelance writer for over 30 years, could I wake up and suddenly find my clients gone without a trace? Naw! Not in an America where Independent Contractors (ICs) have been freely choosing how they work and live ever since the Declaration of Independence was penned. 

Yet the nightmare of finding our way of life ripped out from under us is about to become a reality. On March 11, the US Department of Labor (USDOL) is launching the  “Classification of Employees and Independent Contractors Under the Fair Labor Standards Act.” 

That regulation is modeled after California’s AB5 law, passed in 2019. As a result of AB5’s reclassification of Independent Contractors as employees, the careers of 4.5 million Independent Contractors and entrepreneurs were destroyed – despite a rescue plan of numerous carve-outs.

All the destruction that AB5 has inflicted on the Golden State can now spread its tentacles nationwide to affect 72+ million Independent Contractors. That's almost 45% of the U.S. workforce, according to MBO Partners. Freelancers in over 600 different fields will be fair game -- everyone from CPA’s, caregivers, hair stylists, landscapers, physical therapists and translators, to graphic artists, writers of all stripes, real estate appraisers, dental hygienists, truckers, musicians, and bookkeepers. To name a few.

Bluntly put, our business is none of the USDOL’s business. What have we IC’s done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing. In fact...

• According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of self-employed workers (62%) say they are extremely or very satisfied with their job, compared to (51%) those who are not self-employed.

• From Upwork: 74% of ICs say freelancing has given them greater control over their life, while other benefits include attention to their physical health and work-life balance.

Given those stats, why are we being force-fed a “solution” for what was never a problem in the first place?

Turns out, a groundswell of pushback is erupting: U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R- LA) will be using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to attempt to repeal the rule. On January 16^th,  Fight for Freelancers USA co-founders have filed the first suit against the USDOL. More suits are following. Ultimately, the rule will be catastrophic to the entire U.S. economy, no doubt necessitating SCOTUS involvement. But that doesn’t mean we can all sit back and hope for the best.

Time is of the essence. The time to act is now. With the USDOL regulation ready to pounce on March 11, it is imperative we all voice our opposition to this deleterious rule by contacting our U.S. Congressional representatives. Tell your U.S. Rep and both your U.S. Senators to support Senator Cassidy’s and Rep. Kiley’s Congressional Review Act that will stop the USDOL rule in its tracks. You can even make it personal in how the rule would/could affect your business.

Even if you’re not an Independent Contractor, you most likely work with or hire them, considering the hundreds of professions ICs represent. Do you really want your hard-earned tax dollars going towards the enforcement of rules that will wipe out millions of jobs and small businesses? 

The clue here is in the name. Think “opposite.” Because there is nothing fair about the “Classification of Employees and Independent Contractors Under the Fair Labor Standards Act.” It is patently unfair. And downright un-American.

-- Laura Stigler 

P.S. Please plan to attend IWOC's Special Meeting on Tuesday, April 16, when Employment Attorney Lori Goldstein will be discussing the USDOL rule, how it can affect you and how you may be able to protect your business.

James T. Ardito, who blazed a shining trail as the co-founder and first president of Independent Writers of Chicago (IWOC), died on December 29 in Evanston.

Ardito, 78, launched IWOC in 1981 for a creative group of mostly local, print-media independent writers. It would grow and develop over the years into what it is today, still standing tall as other local, professional writers groups have withered away and died in today’s difficult environment.

 As a writer, Ardito presented himself in a well-earned confident manner as one who would generate original copy or advertising that he guaranteed would “sell” the products and services of international corporations, as well as for other more modest endeavors.

Ardito offered to write blogs, brochures, E-marketing, newsletters, social media and web content, specializing in multiple areas of topical expertise —advertising (including radio and TV), food, health, medical, marketing and sales. He could also provide employee communications, brand strategies, videos and industrial training films. A man of many facets, to be sure.

After serving as president and remaining many years as a member, Ardito allowed his membership to lapse. Much time had passed until 2017, when he attended “Life in the Freelance Lane,” an IWOC program presented at Evanston’s library by current president Laura Stigler and board member Jeff Steele.  

Reigniting his passion for the organization he first established, Ardito immediately rejoined IWOC with new gusto and once again, brought his enthusiasm to IWOC’s Board of Directors on which he served from 2018 to 2019.

In his profile, Ardito made sure to describe himself proudly as a professional writer who had served as IWOC’s “Charter” President. “What a joy to see it survive and thrive for decades,” he said.

An obituary posted Jan. 1 at Legacy.com pointed out that Ardito had been born in Hamden, Connecticut, earned his B.A. from Franklin Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then earned his Master's degree in advertising at Michigan State University.

“If it had anything to do with selling, he could—and did—write it,” the obit noted. “Jimmy told stories, all kinds of stories, scary stories around camp fires for his kids, funny stories for his nationally syndicated column.” 

"Funny" followed Jim everywhere: He loved looking at life through a humorous prism.

Jim resided most recently in Skokie, Ill., and is survived by his wife Merry Juell, two grown children, Sam and Zoe, and a brother and sister.

No details were mentioned regarding a memorial service, except to say that a “celebration of life” would take place at a later date.

-- Tom Lanning

Editor's Note: Here is link to a funny 2019 Stet article Jim Ardito wrote on rejection letters. Note that he also pays homage to his Italian heritage by including a recipe for Lobster Fra Diavolo (the instructions are not for the squeamish). 

This last November, I sent an e-blast to you all regarding the latest news in the fight against a US Department of Labor (USDOL) job-destroying ruling – the PRO Act (Protecting the Right to Organize) containing the ABC Test. Its aim is to classify Independent Contractors (ICs) as employees. (If you don’t know what I’m referring to, find out here.) In that email, I mentioned that the ruling was poised to be enacted around Thanksgiving. That didn’t happen. While versions of it are currently making their way around various states (IL, MN, NJ, RI, NY, etc.) the ruling is still pending on the national level, with a possible launch in January. In the meantime, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has been taking meetings to hear both sides of the issue. 

Our business is none of their business.

Politicians and unelected officials should not be able to decide how we work and live. It is our constitutional right and responsibility to fight back:

1) Contact the White House and voice your opposition to the PRO Act/ABC Test. 2) Find out where your U.S. and State Congressional Representatives stand on this ruling. If they support IC’s, thank them. If they support the PRO Act/ABC Test, set them straight. And 3) get into the business of those unelected officials in the USDOL and on the National Labor Relations Board. Let them know in no uncertain terms where you stand. 

Make your voice heard. I have.

On November 28, I spoke for ten minutes on behalf of IWOC and myself in a teleconference hosted by the OIRA. There were nine in attendance, representing the OIRA, the USDOL, DOL’s and OIRA’s Offices of Management and Budget, and DOL’s Wage and Hour Division. While backed with stats and facts, my statement was intensely personal. It had to be if I wished to make any impact. If you’re curious as to what I presented, my statement is posted below.  You may even relate to some of it. Or at the very least, be informed and inspired enough to contact your representatives or write an op-ed, and make your own voice heard.

Will my voice – and that of the millions of Independent Contractors expressing their concerns – halt the enactment of this deleterious ruling? We can only hope. But to not fight and just accept what will be forced upon us...is unacceptable. 

Stay tuned, 

Laura Stigler

STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

11-28-23

Thank you for accepting my request for a meeting and hearing me out. My name is Laura Stigler. I’m serving my 8^th term as president of Independent Writers of Chicago, speaking for myself and on behalf of our members. I’ve been a freelance writer for 34 years. Previous to that, I worked as a full-time employee for 14 years – the first 2 years in retail advertising, and the next 12 working my way up to Creative Director at J. Walter Thompson – which at the time, was the world’s largest advertising agency. For 10 of those years at J. Walter, it was glorious. The training and experience I’ve gained I wouldn’t have traded for the world. Everything I’ve learned there I continue to put to use in my freelance writing career. 

But in the last two years working at the agency, there was a regime change, turning my days into nightmares where I experienced the kind of backstabbing that is often depicted in movies and novels about the advertising industry. I went into a deep depression, where I’d go home every night, jump in the tub and read fairy tales to escape, as I didn’t do drugs. After my boss sabotaged my work only to throw me under the bus in front of a client, I was fired. Which ended up being a blessing. I vowed never, ever to work for a jerk again. So I decided to go freelance. This was in 1989.

Nonstop since then, I’ve been happily and successfully making my living as a freelance writer, setting my own rates, hours and picking and choosing my clients. At J. Walter, I wrote TV and radio commercials and print ads. But being a freelancer allowed me to expand my own skill sets exponentially, enabling me to offer an extensive variety of writing services that answer the different needs of a wide variety of clients. Need a website written? A blog? A video script? A press release? I do all that – and more. In doing so, I’ve developed solid, trusting relationships with my clients, in every case giving my all in providing my best work, and rewarded with being paid my hourly rate willingly, eagerly, and promptly. In the 30+ years of freelancing, not once have I been stiffed. And for the very few times payment was late, I handled it, appealing to those clients’ better angels.

To those who believe they’re doing Independent Contractors (ICs) a favor by forcing them into being an employee, thinking that is more secure: My experience should tell you, that is simply not the case. Sure, as an employee you’re secure – that is, until you’re laid off due to budgetary concerns. Or you’re fired by a nefarious boss. Or you’re canceled because of a misspoken word. Or the company simply goes out of business. Oh, by the way, the iconic J. Walter Thompson – the world’s largest ad agency? They no longer exist. 

According to Fiver, “Over 80% of independent workers strongly or somewhat agree that having multiple sources of income provides a greater level of security than relying on a single employer, and 89% agree having control over their work life allows them to adjust to changing economic conditions rather than being tied to the decisions of an employer.” 

Keep in mind, too, that when you lose employment, you lose your health insurance. Poof! Gone. How secure is that?  As a freelancer, even if you lose a client, you still get to keep your health insurance – as long as you keep up your premium payments. 

That’s the thing about being independent. It teaches you responsibility. To find your own health insurance. To be proactive in paying your quarterly taxes. No, you don’t get paid vacation or paid family leave, but what you do get in return are three benefits money cannot buy: Freedom, variety and flexibility. 

An example of flexibility:  I was able to earn a living while helping my dad take care of my mother during the four years she battled cancer. 20 years later, I was able to be the caregiver for my dad for 5 years until he passed away at the age of 99, all the while, taking on writing assignments that I’d work on in between the hours of helping my dad. As an employee, I wouldn’t have been able to do that.

Regarding freedom and variety, that is something you do not get as an employee. Oftentimes – and I speak from experience, you can end up working on the same thing, day after day, year after year. But as a freelancer, I get to be creatively stimulated – and happier – by freely working for a variety of clients on a variety of assignments. So if I were to have to work for one of my clients as an employee – assuming they’d even want to hire me as such, does that mean I’d have to give up all my other clients, and be forced into working in a way that I’ve come to find soul-crushing? Why? Just because you say so? Or because of some ill-thought-out arbitrary rule?

I’m referring here to Factor 5 of the USDOL’s rule, the one that emulates prong B of California’s AB5 ruling that destroyed thousands of jobs and small businesses. The personal stories are heartbreaking. That factor states you will be classified as an Independent Contractor if “The service is performed outside the usual course of the business of the employer.” Well my business would be wiped out, because I’m in advertising and the majority of my clients have been ad agencies. 

You say, “But they can hire you as an employee!” Fat chance. No ad agency will hire anyone my age for full-time employment. Ageism is rampant in that industry. Once you turn 50, you’re out. Happened to my husband and to my dad. But the way to beat that – is to be a freelancer. I get hired – and respected because of my expertise, my experience, and the fact that as an outsider, they count on me for bringing in fresh ideas and an out-of-the-box perspective. In total, I’ve garnered millions of dollars’ worth of business for my clients. My reward? They continue to hire me and pay me more than they would were I their employee.

Corroborating my experience are these facts from Upwork:

·       85% of hiring managers say that working with independent talent allows them to access specialized skills or expertise. 

·   79% agree that working with independent talent has enabled their business to be more innovative. 

·   Nearly 80% of hiring managers who engage skilled freelancers say they are confident in their ability to find the talent they need, compared to just 63% of those who don’t engage freelancers.

Let’s also take into consideration the fact that often, smaller businesses will hire IC’s because they simply cannot afford to take them on full time – they can’t afford the vacation pay, health insurance and countless other expenses that go with hiring full-timers. So what will happen is they’ll drop the IC’s altogether. The IC’s will lose their clients. And their clients will lose someone they’ve depended on to help their business succeed. Which in turn, has caused many small businesses to go under as well, because they’ve basically lost their work force. 

According to MBO Partners (a job sourcing platform for ICs) and Freelancers Against AB5, there are 72.1 million Independent Contractors in the U.S. representing over 600 professions ranging from accounting, graphic artists and language translation to hair styling, physical therapy and writers of all stripes. That’s almost 45% of the nation’s workforce. The destruction these rules will do to the nation’s economy will be catastrophic. 

But what it all basically comes down to is this: Millions of IC’s in professions across the board have been voicing their opposition to this rule. If it provided such great “protection” for freelancers, why are only unions in support of it? As it is, the NLRB is being sued for overstepping its regulatory capabilities (with franchisees) and this USDOL regulation will also be sued in court. The millions who have chosen to be Independent Contractors are living exactly how we want to live – with freedom and flexibility. As Americans, that is completely within our right to enjoy. Any ruling that impinges upon that right is a brazen infringement on our God-given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

And personally, I don’t want my tax dollars going towards rules that will ruin my business and that of millions of others, including the businesses of the writers my organization represents. 

In sum, this so-called Classification of Employees and Independent Contractors Under the Fair Labor Standards Act is patently unfair. And quite frankly, un-American.

Thank you.

Submitted by Laura Stigler

NOTES:

9 people were present in the meeting: Stephen Davis, Robert Waterman -- DOL/Wage and Hour Division; Andrea Reyes, Laurel Havas --  Office of Management and Budget / OIRA; Claire Monteiro- OMB Labor Branch; Amy Hunter, Lyda Harris, Rina Majmudar DOL; Dean Romhilt – DOL/SOL  (represents Secretary of Labor)