Product: AOR & Compliance

AOR for the work that's legitimately independent.

Keep IC where IC qualifies. Convert to W-2 only when the job demands it. Every determination model-assisted, specialist-reviewed, and backed by real insurance, not symbolic indemnity.

Run a classification →See a sample determination
Classification Determination · v1.0
● Live
Decision
ML-assisted, specialist-reviewedStructured questionnaire · 38 indicia · audit-grade rubric
Output
Defensible classification + defense fileRoutes to IC track, W-2 track, or hybrid
Time to determine
Under 24 hoursMost queries return same-day
Indemnity
$1M default$5M umbrella
Coverage
WC, GL, Media, E&O — all in the IC's nameReal backed policies. Not symbolic caps.
Defense file
Audit-ready · versioned · API-pullableEvery contract, questionnaire, and rubric stored
Underwritten by a top-rated carrier A+ (Superior) AM BestPer-engagement flat
Where it runs

In your onboarding flow. In your team's chat.

Embed determinations into your platform with the REST API, or let your ops team run them from Slack and Microsoft Teams through the 1099Policy MCP service. Same rubric, same specialist sign-off, same defense file, whichever surface asks.

●●●acme-staffing.com/onboarding
1099Policy · Classification embedded
✓ Questionnaire: 38 indicia complete
02 Engine score 84 / 100
03 Specialist sign-off: in review
IC-defensible · defense file ready View →
REST APIEmbedded in your platform

Determinations inside your own onboarding

Drop the questionnaire into the worker flow you already run. Status webhooks keep your records current, with no new tab and no separate portal.

ten99policy.Determinations.create(job, contractor)
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MCP serviceIn the tools your team lives in

Ask for a determination in plain language

Connect the 1099Policy MCP server and your team can classify workers, check status, and pull defense files without leaving chat.

One engine · REST APIWebhooksSlackMicrosoft TeamsDashboard
How AOR is built

Three pillars. One defensible answer.

Choice architecture

Classify the job first, the person second. We surface W-2 vs IC only where both options are legitimately defensible, and route accordingly.

  • Job-first rubric
  • Per-engagement not blanket
  • Worker preference factored

Insurance-backed indemnity

Real carrier-backed policies in the contractor's name, not the $50K symbolic caps EORs and vendor wrappers ship as “indemnity.”

  • $1M default · $5M umbrella
  • WC GL Media E&O
  • Misclassification defense

Light structure

The lightest credible wrapper for compliance. No staffing-firm overhead, no surprise payroll lift, no benefits administration you don't want.

  • Qualified vendor / AOR / 1099
  • API onboarding
  • No payroll mark-up
Tech-powered determinations

Every classification is a signed audit trail, not a memo.

A structured intake feeds a classification engine that maps each engagement to 38 federal and state indicia. A compliance specialist reviews and signs every decision. The output is a versioned defense file you can pull from the API, the same way you'd pull a COI.

01 · Intake

Structured questionnaire

Job, scope, supervision, tools, exclusivity, payment, integration — 38 weighted indicia mapped to federal IRS, DOL, ABC, and state-specific rules.

POST /v1/determinations
02 · Engine

Classification model

Risk-scored against the rubric. Surfaces controlling factors, identifies state-specific friction (CA AB5, NJ ABC, MA), and proposes a route.

score: 0.84 · IC-defensible
03 · Review

Specialist sign-off

A 1099Policy compliance specialist reads every model output, validates the rubric, and signs the determination. Human in the loop — not gone from it.

reviewed_by: J. Carter · CCP
04 · File

Defense file delivered

Versioned PDF + JSON. Contract clauses, questionnaire, rubric scoring, sign-off. Stored, API-pullable, audit-grade.

GET /v1/determinations/:id
Where AOR fits in the stack

The middle path between EOR markup and owning classification alone.

Traditional EOR / Payroll

$$$

Full employment conversion — pay for benefits, payroll, and PTO the worker doesn't want or need.

  • Basic payroll processing
  • Employment screening & benefits required
  • Standard onboarding (2–6 weeks)
  • Worker converted to W-2
  • Pay cycles payroll tax overhead
  • ~20% markup on contractor pay
Recommended

1099Policy AOR

$$

For ambiguous roles, regulated states, and audit-prone categories — structured determinations, real insurance, no payroll overhead.

  • Structured classification + defense file
  • LLC formation & EIN registration support
  • Same-day digital onboarding
  • Insurance-backed indemnity ($1M–$5M)
  • Consolidated invoicing & remittance
  • Year-end 1099 prep & e-filing
  • Optional portable benefits (IC-owned · non-employee)

Self-managed 1099

$

Right when the classification call is clear-cut — you own the determination and the paperwork.

  • Self-managed contractors
  • You own classification & records
  • Best for clearly independent roles
  • Add per-engagement coverage — our core product
  • Manual contract administration
  • Classification risk stays with you

Classification already settled? You don't need AOR. Per-engagement WC, GL, and E&O in the contractor's name is where we started. Explore coverage →

The back office, handled

Classification is just the first step. We handle everything that comes after.

As your agent of record, we own the operational load behind every 1099 engagement: the payments, the filings, and the paper trail that proves it all happened.

Payments & remittance

Consolidated invoicing across your contractor base, direct-deposit payouts, and a payment record behind every engagement.

  • One invoice every contractor
  • Direct-deposit payouts
  • Per-engagement payment ledger

Year-end tax filings

1099-NEC prep, e-filing, and corrections — owned by us, delivered on time, every January.

  • 1099-NEC prep & e-filing
  • Corrections handled
  • Built from the payout ledger

Reporting

Contractor spend, engagement, and coverage reporting you can pull from the dashboard or the API.

  • Spend & margin visibility
  • Engagement summaries
  • Dashboard or API

Records on demand

Every payment, filing, COI, and determination archived and retrievable — audit-ready by default.

  • Payment & filing history
  • COI + defense file archive
  • Audit retrieval in one pull
Outcomes

Lighter than EOR. More defensible than going it alone.

40%
Average cost reduction

vs. defaulting every contingent engagement to an EOR.

100%
Insurance-backed

Every determination ships with real coverage, not symbolic caps.

3x
Faster onboarding

Digital workflows return determinations and bound coverage same-day.

The AOR journey

Four steps. From questionnaire to bound engagement.

Intake & assessment

Worker completes a structured questionnaire. Compliance specialists review responses to determine eligibility against the rubric.

Classification decision

Based on work structure and worker preference, route to the 1099Policy IC track, a W-2/EOR conversion through your payroll partner, or a hybrid.

Business setup

For IC-qualified workers — LLC formation, EIN registration, insurance provisioning, and a versioned defense file.

Compliant engagement

Onboarded as Qualified Vendor / 1099 / AOR with consolidated invoicing, COI delivery, and lifecycle compliance support.

Call to action section for 1099Policy

Bring one engagement. We'll run the rubric live.

Send us the role, scope, and supervision model. On the call, we'll walk the rubric and the likely route with you. Then we'll deliver the signed determination and its indemnity scope within 24 hours.

Run a classification →Read the AOR brief
Built for 1,200+ agencies and platforms managing contractor risk