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How a company hiring in 4 countries avoided $280K in penalties.
Fast growth across the US, UK, India and the Philippines had left one contract template for everyone, dozens of contractors working like employees and handbooks that matched no local law. Skillfi audited every agreement, fixed the risky ones and put compliant contracts and policies in place for each country. It's how our legal & compliance service works: senior expertise that protects you as you grow.
Hiring in four countries, on one US contract.
The agency grew from 60 to 240 people in two years by hiring wherever talent was strongest. To move quickly, most new team members outside the US were brought on as contractors using the same US template.
Many of those contractors worked full-time, set hours, used company equipment and reported to managers, just like employees. Each country has its own rules on worker status, notice, leave and benefits, and none of the contracts reflected them. Handbooks were US-only and three years old, and 42% of the team had never signed an intellectual property assignment. Then a former UK contractor threatened a claim, and a client's due diligence asked questions nobody could answer.
We built a great global team, but on paper it was held together with one contract written for another country.
COO, client
Find every risk, fix it fairly, then make it right for each country.
We worked with leadership and local counsel in each country to fix problems without disrupting the people doing the work. Policies and people processes were rolled out with a fractional CHRO.
Every agreement reviewed
All 240 agreements checked against each country's worker status tests, with every contractor scored on how closely their work matched employment.
Risky arrangements resolved
High-risk contractors moved to employment, directly or through an employer of record, and genuine contractors given compliant agreements.
Contracts and policies per country
Employment and contractor templates, IP and confidentiality terms, and a handbook for each country reflecting local leave, hours and holidays.
14 weeks, step by step
From one risky template to compliant employment in four countries. Here's how the engagement unfolded.
- Week 1–3240 agreements
Full agreement audit
Every contract, offer letter and policy reviewed, with each contractor scored for misclassification risk.
- Week 3–446 cases planned
Risk plan & claim response
A plan agreed for each high-risk case, and the threatened UK claim resolved early with local counsel.
- Week 4–716 templates
Country templates
Employment, contractor, IP and confidentiality templates written and checked for each country.
- Week 6–1046 fixed
Reclassification
31 contractors moved to employment and 15 given compliant contractor agreements, with clear, respectful communication.
- Week 9–12100% signed
Handbooks & sign-off
A handbook for each country launched, with policy acknowledgements and IP assignments signed by everyone.
- Week 13–14Calendar live
Keep it compliant
A hiring checklist for each country, a compliance calendar and training for managers and HR.
One standard, four countries
The same principles everywhere, adapted to each country's employment rules.
Employees by state
- Worker status by state
- Overtime & pay rules
- State leave policies
Status done right
- Contractor status checks
- Written statements
- Notice & holiday terms
Local terms & benefits
- Statutory benefits
- State holiday calendars
- Notice & gratuity terms
Compliant from day one
- Employer of record setup
- 13th-month pay
- Local leave & benefits
Fourteen weeks later
Agreements compliant with local law
Across all 240 team members in four countries.
We fixed years of risk in one quarter, and our people were treated fairly through it. When the next client asked about our employment setup, we had clear answers for every country.
COO, clientGrowing a team across countries on the same contract?
Our legal & compliance team will audit your agreements, fix risky contractor setups and put compliant contracts and policies in place for every country you hire in. Need the people side handled too? Add a fractional CHRO.
- A full employment agreement audit
- Contractor status risk review
- Contracts & handbooks per country
- A compliance calendar & checklists
30 minutes. No obligation.
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