--- title: Everything you need to know for compliant contracting of AV Freelancers. | AV Industry Pro Sessions description: AV Industry Pro Sessions | Be the first to learn about emerging trends in the AV industry from crew scheduling and management tips, to automation. --- [MertzCrew](http://mertzcrew.com/) [BLOG](http://www.mertzcrew.com/blog) [PRICING](https://www.mertzcrew.com/pricing) [CONTACT](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/contact-mertzcrew) [JOIN THE CREW](http://tech.mertzcrew.com/join) [LOG IN](http://app.mertzcrew.com/) [REQUEST A DEMO](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/book-quality-freelancers) ### Everything you need to know for compliant contracting of AV Freelancers. [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/5%20aV%20Freelancer%20Trends%20For-1.png)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-freelancer-trends-2018) ## [5 AV Freelancer Trends For 2018](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-freelancer-trends-2018) Posted by [Wallace Johnson](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/wallace-johnson) on Jan 15, 2018 3:53:51 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)   Freelancing in the AV industry is continuing to grow as an integral part to the success of almost every AV company.  In general, freelancing continues to be a growing trend in the US economy with [34% of US workers currently freelancing](http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/economy/gig-economy-intuit/index.html) in some form and this number is expected to grow to 43% by 2020.  With those stats in mind, AV companies should stay aware of key trends that may affect AV freelancers.  Below are the top 5 trends I anticipate for 2018:     ##### **#1.) The Debate About Freelancer Classification And Compliance Will Continue To Be An Issue** Many AV companies know Independent contractor compliance is an important topic and most companies have a general idea of what is required.  However, many AV companies fail to consistently manage and execute a fully-compliant process that aligns with the various state & federal compliance laws.   [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-freelancer-trends-2018) Topics: [AV Techs](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-techs), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions), [Technician Training](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/technician-training), [Compliance](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/compliance), [Workforce Development](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/workforce-development) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/June/expanding-gig-economy.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/expanding-gig-economy-how-to-prep-your-av-team) ## [The Expanding Gig Economy & How to Prep Your AV Team](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/expanding-gig-economy-how-to-prep-your-av-team) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Oct 18, 2016 8:00:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The gig economy may be expanding in various industries, but it’s always been a big part of the AV world. Freelancers have long been a part of AV projects, providing specialized skill sets and extra hands on deck when large projects land on an AV company’s desk. [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/expanding-gig-economy-how-to-prep-your-av-team) Topics: [Contracting AV Techs](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/contracting-av-techs), [Working with Contractors](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/working-with-contractors), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/June/employee-or-contractor.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/employee-or-contractor-for-av-companies) ## [Employee or Contractor? Which One Makes the Most Sense For AV Companies](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/employee-or-contractor-for-av-companies) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Oct 11, 2016 7:01:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) AV freelancers have long been a part of executing projects in the AV industry. Yet even with their longstanding role in the AV industry, there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding [how to properly pay AV freelancers](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/a-smarter-way-to-pay-and-insure-your-crew). [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/employee-or-contractor-for-av-companies) Topics: [Contracting AV Techs](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/contracting-av-techs), [Working with Contractors](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/working-with-contractors), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/June/smart-av.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/smart-solutions-av-crew-management-growing-pains) ## [Smart Solutions to Common AV Crew Management Growing Pains](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/smart-solutions-av-crew-management-growing-pains) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Oct 5, 2016 1:38:48 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)     As AV projects become larger and more complex, they require even higher levels of thoughtful project and crew management. The introduction of the right smart technology solutions may allow AV teams to better manage growing crew member numbers, the search for crew members with specialized skills, and evolving project needs. [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/smart-solutions-av-crew-management-growing-pains) Topics: [Crew Management & Scheduling](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/crew-management-scheduling), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/July/SaaS-audiovisual-industry.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-saas-another-thing-to-learn-or-time-saving-solution) ## [SaaS in AV: Another “Thing to Learn,” or a Time Saving AV Solution?](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-saas-another-thing-to-learn-or-time-saving-solution) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Sep 27, 2016 7:30:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) AV companies face an interesting dilemma in 2016: companies in industries all around them are adopting SaaS tools to optimize their projects and workloads while gaining better efficiency, while AV companies themselves struggle to find a SaaS solution that can fit [their processes](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/av-contracting-101-ebook-mastering-av-crew-management) well enough to merit a switch from the disjointed project management tools they’ve used for decades. [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-saas-another-thing-to-learn-or-time-saving-solution) Topics: [AV Teams](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-teams), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/July/optimal-workflow.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/the-optimal-workflow-in-your-av-crew-management-process) ## [Finding the Optimal Workflow in your AV Crew Management Process](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/the-optimal-workflow-in-your-av-crew-management-process) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Sep 21, 2016 6:00:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Process improvements are the key to establishing a workflow that improves your AV team’s productivity and helps your team deliver exceptional work for clients. But before you can make any crew management process [improvements](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/av-contractor-software-automates-workforce-coordination), your organization needs to identify where inefficiencies exist, what possible solutions may fill them, and how to get the rest of your team on board with these new changes. [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/the-optimal-workflow-in-your-av-crew-management-process) Topics: [AV Teams](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-teams), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/hubfs/BLOGS/July/modernized-av-project-planning.jpg)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/when-to-throw-out-an-inefficient-av-project-planning-process) ## [The Right Time to Throw Out an Inefficient AV Project Planning Process](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/when-to-throw-out-an-inefficient-av-project-planning-process) Posted by [Gabe Solomon](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/author/gabe-solomon) on Sep 14, 2016 7:00:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) It’s easy to cling to an AV project planning process that has been with your organization since its start -- your employees are used to it and it works (for the most part) -- but it’s important to consider whether your process is still serving your company as well as it could.   [Read More](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/when-to-throw-out-an-inefficient-av-project-planning-process) Topics: [AV Teams](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-teams), [AV Industry Pro Sessions](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) [![av crew management system software demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1996441/779ac55a-b9de-4004-a0a6-a937c8a65641.png)](http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1996441/779ac55a-b9de-4004-a0a6-a937c8a65641) ### About MertzCrew Since our start in 2001, our goal has been to provide leading Live Event Companies with the powerful tools they need to improve their crew scheduling and payment processing operations compliantly. ### Recent Posts ### Topics - [Crew Management & Scheduling (23)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/crew-management-scheduling) - [AV Teams (21)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-teams) - [Contracting AV Techs (18)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/contracting-av-techs) - [Working with Contractors (14)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/working-with-contractors) - [Innovation (12)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/innovation) - [NEW at Mertzcrew (12)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/new-at-mertzcrew) - [AV Techs (10)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-techs) - [AV Industry Pro Sessions (7)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/av-industry-pro-sessions) - [Workforce Intelligence (5)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/workforce-intelligence) - [Compliance (4)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/compliance) - [Insider (3)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/insider) - [Live Events (3)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/live-events) - [Infocomm (2)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/infocomm) - [Production Insurance (2)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/production-insurance) - [Technician Training (2)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/technician-training) - [Corporate Events (1)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/corporate-events) - [Event Safety (1)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/event-safety) - [Jumpstart (1)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/jumpstart) - [PayrollCrew (1)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/payrollcrew) - [Workforce Development (1)](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog/topic/workforce-development) ### Get new blog posts via email [![scalable-av-crew-management](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1996441/99358b3a-61cb-495d-8955-66cb916dc16e.png)](http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1996441/99358b3a-61cb-495d-8955-66cb916dc16e) [BLOG](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/blog) [CONTACT](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/contact-mertzcrew) [JOIN THE CREW](http://tech.mertzcrew.com/join) [LOG IN](http://app.mertzcrew.com/) [REQUEST A DEMO](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/book-quality-freelancers) [PRIVACY POLICY](https://pages.mertzcrew.com/privacy-policy-mertzcrew) [![](http://mertzcrew.com/img/twitter.svg)](https://twitter.com/MertzCrew) [![](http://mertzcrew.com/img/facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/mertzcrew) [![](http://mertzcrew.com/img/google.svg)](https://plus.google.com/112059975523441946091) [![](http://mertzcrew.com/img/linkedin.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/company/3033908)