What is fake self-employment (Schein­selbst­stän­dig­keit)?

Some employers hire employees, but treat them like freelancers to avoid paying social benefits. This is called fake self-employment or pseudo self-employment (Scheinselbstständigkeit), and it’s illegal.

Generally, you are not self-employed if…1

  • You only have one client for a long time.
  • You are integrated in your client’s business. You have a company email, company business cards, a uniform, etc.
  • You always work at the same location. You can’t choose where you work.
  • You have a fixed salary.
  • You do not use your own equipment.

What is fake self-employment? – Red Tape Translation

Sources and footnotes
  1. scopevisio.com, Touring Artists