A person who is hired to perform work on a regular, ongoing basis is called?

• A. Contractor
• B. Consultant
• C. Temporary Worker
• D. Employee

Answer: (D)

The key distinction is the level of ongoing control and integration into the organization. When someone is hired to perform work on a regular, ongoing basis, the employer typically directs what will be done, when, where, and how, and the worker is treated as part of the payroll with wages, tax withholdings, and often benefits. This pattern reflects an employee relationship, where the person becomes a regular part of the organization’s operations.

A contractor, by contrast, is usually brought in to achieve a specific result or complete a defined project, maintains control over how the work is done, brings their own tools, and invoices for their services as an independent business. A temporary worker is hired to fill a short-term need through a staffing arrangement, often with a defined end date. A consultant provides specialized expertise or advice rather than performing the ongoing, integrated duties of the business.

Because the work is regular and ongoing under the employer’s direction, the person fits the employee classification.