1. Vote now! Freelancers Union election
2. Announcing Freelancers Union PAC
3. Freelancers 401(k)—sign up today
4. Your input: Worker misclassification and workspace surveys
5. UBT hearing a success
6. Should I incorporate?
7. Film & TV networking event
8. Art, design, and film—oh my
9. Discount just for you

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1. Vote now! Freelancers Union election

Voting is open through May 17 to elect a Member Representative to the Freelancers Union Board of Directors. Freelancers Union members who joined prior to February 11, 2009 are eligible to vote, so don’t miss your chance. Find out more on our Member Elections page.

2. Announcing Freelancers Union PAC

Over the last decade, Freelancers Union has built the largest grassroots movement of independent workers in the country. During that time, we've won concrete victories for independent workers, including successfully lobbying for the right to offer portable group health insurance and creating more equitable tax policy. Yet despite these wins, major obstacles to freelancing remain.

We formed a Political Action Committee (PAC) to represent independent workers—one third of the workforce—so we can financially support lawmakers that push our issues forward.

Support Freelancers Union Political Action Committee to help us continue to promote freelancer issues.

3. Freelancers 401(k)—sign up today

Low fees, no minimums, and a Roth option are just some the Freelancers Retirement Plan’s freelancer-friendly features. Join us for one of our upcoming webinars (May 20 & May 27) to learn more about this nationally available plan.

4. Your input: Worker misclassification and workspace surveys

We’ve been hearing from our members that they’ve been wrongly misclassified as employees while they’re actually independent contractors (or vice versa). This kind of misclassification directly affects their tax filing status, which has major financial implications for them—a big deal at any time, but especially in the current economic climate. We need to hear from you to help shape our advocacy agenda. Please take a few minutes to share your experiences through our survey on worker misclassification.

We like to joke that freelancing means getting rid of the cubicle, but that may not actually be true for all of our members. We’ve had a few conversations with some of our members about where they work, and we just sent out a survey to gather more information. So what about you? Coffee shop? Home office? Onsite with a client? What can Freelancers Union do to help make your workspace better? Let us know!

5. UBT hearing a success

On April 28, The New York City Council’s Committee on Small Business held a public hearing, “The Effect of the Unincorporated Business Tax on Small Businesses and Sole Proprietors.” Freelancers Union members flooded the hearing room, listening to testimony from government officials; business leaders; and independent workers. Freelancers Union’s Executive Director Sara Horowitz, along with 4 members, spoke about the effects of this unfair tax on the City’s vital freelance workforce.

See our op-ed in the NY Post and our coverage of the event, and make sure you’re signed up for the Get Involved list to hear updates on how we’re pushing forward on legislation to exempt freelancers from paying the UBT.

6. Should I incorporate?

Deciding whether you should officially incorporate your freelance business is a complex decision. The legal entity you choose for your business impacts your finances, taxes, bookkeeping requirements, and personal liability, and everyone’s needs are different. Join Freelancers U for a two-part seminar, “Should I Incorporate,” in New York (June 16 & 23) on the ins and outs of incorporating from both the taxation and legal perspectives.

7. Film & TV networking event

Calling all filmmakers, actors, producers, directors, casting professionals, writers…you get the idea. Join us and the Writers Guild of America, East on June 2 in New York for the opportunity to meet some of the other creative and entrepreneurial folks who work in film and television for drinks, networking, conversation, and a chance to win gold card passes for the Brooklyn International Film Festival screenings and parties.

8. Art, design, and film—oh my

What shapes our world more, art or design? That’s the question we’re asking as one of the sponsors of the Art vs. Design competition. We know there are plenty of you painters, performers, photographers, fashion designers, graphic designers, and typographers out there who could use more exposure for your work, so be sure to make your submissions by May 31. You’ll have the chance to win not only great publicity (including a gala reception at a top modern art museum in NYC) but also cold hard cash ($2009) and your choice of a vintage Vespa, a trip to London, or a MacBook Pro.

June is just around the corner, and with it comes the 12th annual Brooklyn International Film Festival (BiFF). There’s sure to be an excellent line-up this year (and we’re not just saying that as one of the sponsors of the event), with 81 two-hour film programs (selected from a record number of submissions: 2,780 films from 110 countries) beginning on June 5.

9. Discount just for you

Simply Money is led by Down-to-Earth Finance Weekly, a group that uses goal setting, education, and discussion to help women take control of their finances.

Use this special coupon code for our members to begin immediately: SIMPMONFRIEND. Simply Money is extending a special offer of $40 off for the next group starting June 1, bringing the cost to only $160 for 8 weeks! If you sign up with a friend, it is even less – only $150 each. Space is limited.

* Dates: Next session starts June 1 on Monday nights. 8 weeks.
* Time: 6-7:30pm
* Location: New York City, Midtown.
* Special Fee for Your Members: $160 (normally $200). Sign up with a friend, only $150 each.

Read about participants’ experiences.