I've been getting work with my own small PA rig (4k to 9k) for the last few years. Now I'm thinking of getting a bit more gear and starting to bring in crew at times. The thing that is swinging it that way is some jobs are coming in batches of regular gigs that overlap with other events and I can't do it all on my own anymore. Plus it would be nice to have occasional crew to fall back on in case of illness etc.
I'm wondering if those familiar with this aspect of the business can shed some light on the legal aspects of bringing in occasional crew. Tax, insurance etc.
I come from a musician background and still work as a musician so my insurance covers me personally for both playing and PA gigs. I'm self employed as a sole trader.
Can I pay freelancers who have their own liability insurance to man one of my rigs without having to go down a route of being a full blown employer with all the tax implications etc? This will only be an occasional thing.
Is there anything else I haven't thought of that needs sorting out?
Many thanks