b'Independent Contractor SurveyMost voters in Illinois dont see a problem with the way independent contracting jobs are currently handled in their state, and there is support across the board for protecting the right for independent contractors to work these kinds of jobs because of the flexibility they provide. As a result, voters in the state oppose potential changes that would reclassify independent contractors as employees. Voters also see real potential for these rule changes to cause significant harm,March 4, 2024not just to the financial wellbeing of independent contractors, but to the state as a whole. To: Interested PartiesJust 21% of Illinois voters believe the way independent contract- Fr: Brian Stryker, Luke Martin, ing jobs are currently handled is an issue that needs to be addressedand Cassie Castro; by the government. This view is shared across partisan lines, in- Impact Research cluding just 31% of Democrats, 17% of Independents, and 10% ofRe: Illinois Voters Oppose Republicans who want to see the government intervene. Changes to Independent Less than 4-in-10 voters would support reclassifying indepen- Contractor Rulesdent contractors as employees (38% support / 47% oppose / 14% dont know). The 14% of voters in the state who currently work as independent contractors oppose being reclassied as employees theThese findings are based on the most strongly (63%) and the 40% of voters that have had some previ- results of a multi-modal poll ous experience working as independent contractors are also opposedof registered voters in Illinois outright (55%), but even those who have no experience working asconducted by Impact Research. independent contractors are divided (41% support / 42% oppose).The sample consists of N=600 By double-digit margins, current independent contractors are alsoresponses, collected utilizing the least likely to agree that the Governor, State Legislature, or locallandline, cellphone, and text-to-officials listen to their concerns about employment issues. web interviews between August Voters believe that reclassifying independent contractors as3-9, 2023. The margin of error employees would ultimately hurt the states economy, cost jobs, andfor a sample of this size is +/- 4.0 result in independent contractors making less. By a 34-point margin,percentage points at the 95% level of voters believe that reclassifying independent contractors as employ- confidence.ees would cost jobs in Illinois, believe it would decrease pay for inde-pendent contractors by a 27-point margin, and by a 24-point margin believe it would hurt the states economy.Independent contractors are just as satisfied with their current employment situation as full-time employees. 65% of current inde-pendent contractors say they are satisfied with their current employ-ment compared to 64% of current employees, and current indepen-dent contractors are more likely to be extremely satisfied (40%) with their employment situation than full-time employees (34%).MARCH 202417'