UFC Fighters Should Be Employees - Not Independent Contractors

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Blackjack

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UFC fighters are independent contractors but they should be employees. As employees they'd be eligible for benefits such as health insurance which is crucial. Do you realize how expensive it must be to buy health insurance if your profession is an MMA fighter? They even have to pay their entire Social Security Tax. They pay the whole 15%. If they were employees, The UFC would pay 7.5% and the fighters would pay 7.5% of their income to Social Security.

How are they "independent contractors"? They are told when to fight, where to fight, they can't fight for another company, and they can't even wear what they want and advertise sponsors they want to advertise. There is nothing "independent" about that.
 
Blackjack said:
UFC fighters are independent contractors but they should be employees. As employees they'd be eligible for benefits such as health insurance which is crucial. Do you realize how expensive it must be to buy health insurance if your profession is an MMA fighter? They even have to pay their entire Social Security Tax. They pay the whole 15%. If they were employees, The UFC would pay 7.5% and the fighters would pay 7.5% of their income to Social Security.

How are they "independent contractors"? They are told when to fight, where to fight, they can't fight for another company, and they can't even wear what they want and advertise sponsors they want to advertise. There is nothing "independent" about that.
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They really aren't "told when to fight, where to fight," though... or who to fight, for that matter. They are simply offered fights that they can choose to take or not. Like an independent contractor.

And they can fight for another company... when their contract runs out. Like an independent contractor.

And they can wear whatever they want and advertise for whomever they want... on their own time... when they aren't in the process of doing contract work. Like an independent contractor.

None of which is to suggest that they can't or shouldn't be employees. Just that as things stand they didn't accept jobs as employees. They signed contracts. Like an independent contractor.
 
jeremyemilio said:
They really aren't "told when to fight, where to fight," though... or who to fight, for that matter. They are simply offered fights that they can choose to take or not. Like an independent contractor.

And they can fight for another company... when their contract runs out. Like an independent contractor.

And they can wear whatever they want and advertise for whomever they want... on their own time... when they aren't in the process of doing contract work. Like an independent contractor.

None of which is to suggest that they can't or shouldn't be employees. Just that as things stand they didn't accept jobs as employees. They signed contracts. Like an independent contractor.
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/thread
 
UFC fighters dont care about my shitty job so I don't care about whether or not they're getting exploited tbh.
 
Blackjack said:
UFC fighters are independent contractors but they should be employees. As employees they'd be eligible for benefits such as health insurance which is crucial. Do you realize how expensive it must be to buy health insurance if your profession is an MMA fighter? They even have to pay their entire Social Security Tax. They pay the whole 15%. If they were employees, The UFC would pay 7.5% and the fighters would pay 7.5% of their income to Social Security.

How are they "independent contractors"? They are told when to fight, where to fight, they can't fight for another company, and they can't even wear what they want and advertise sponsors they want to advertise. There is nothing "independent" about that.
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I thought the ufc gave them health insurance,there was a big hoopla about it a few years back
 
ZuffaExecutive said:
I thought the ufc gave them health insurance,there was a big hoopla about it a few years back
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They did quite a while ago but some idiots need things to complain about so they do not bother doing any research
 
Ladies golfer get paid more than male ufc fighter
 
What happened to that MMAAAAA union that GSP was in because he cared so much about fighters rights.
 
100th best female golfer make more than a 25th best male ufc fighter
 
UFC kinda want it both ways

wanna appear like a legit org and make their fighters wear "jerseys" like a regular sports team which will negate the sponsorship thing because ReeBork paid big money to have their brand featured. But don't wanna offer benefits like a legit sports org or have fighters form a union.

But as max says, it is what it is.

The UFC just fucked over fans, one of their stars is an obvious PED cheat, moved an event for him, made up ridiculous excuses for a failed PED test, treated journalists like shit if they did not tow the line and have the nerve to talk shit about other Orgs.

And yet people still bought their product. They'll do what they want till the power shifts or they're out'd for their shady dealings.
 
Why? They don't have fixed hours or employment terms. They are clearly not employees, they have contracts for ad-hoc fights. They are clearly self-employed contractors.
 
Blackjack said:
UFC fighters are independent contractors but they should be employees. As employees they'd be eligible for benefits such as health insurance which is crucial. Do you realize how expensive it must be to buy health insurance if your profession is an MMA fighter? They even have to pay their entire Social Security Tax. They pay the whole 15%. If they were employees, The UFC would pay 7.5% and the fighters would pay 7.5% of their income to Social Security.

How are they "independent contractors"? They are told when to fight, where to fight, they can't fight for another company, and they can't even wear what they want and advertise sponsors they want to advertise. There is nothing "independent" about that.
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Alright there Carlos Marx, are you a lawyer, to be discussing the distinction between IC and employee?

In reality, UFC fighters are quite clearly independent contractors.
-They fight only occasionally
-They train themselves
-They have independent management (employees do not, generally)
-They pick whether they fight or not
-They promote themselves to the general public
-They independently negotiate their contracts

You want to take issue with their status as exclusive independent contractors? Fine, that is reasonable. I think it benefits the fight fans to have fighters fight for one promotion, and not like boxing.

But when you say that "the UFC could pay half of the fighters' social security payments", you ignorantly say that as if everyone agrees that is a good thing. Many of us (probably more than half on Sherdog) do not. I would venture a guess that you have never owned a business or even a venture in your life, and you think its great that someone else, someone smarter and more organized, should provide your lazy ass with benefits and a path to happiness.

Go jerk off to pictures of buck-tooth Ocasio-Cortes; you are as misguided and rapacious as she is.
 
Blackjack said:
UFC fighters are independent contractors but they should be employees. As employees they'd be eligible for benefits such as health insurance which is crucial. Do you realize how expensive it must be to buy health insurance if your profession is an MMA fighter? They even have to pay their entire Social Security Tax. They pay the whole 15%. If they were employees, The UFC would pay 7.5% and the fighters would pay 7.5% of their income to Social Security.

How are they "independent contractors"? They are told when to fight, where to fight, they can't fight for another company, and they can't even wear what they want and advertise sponsors they want to advertise. There is nothing "independent" about that.
Click to expand...
They do get health insurance from the UFC

https://www.mmamania.com/2011/5/9/2...ls-emerge-about-the-ufc-health-insurance-plan

When you prove in just your second sentence that you don't know what you're talking about, there's really no reason to go any further with this discussion.
 
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