I am in the state of Ohio. I work for an employer who pays their 1099 contractors hourly, but will not allow them to use the company timeclock. Their hours are recorded by hand on a time card by the receptionist. She has to record their time and initial it in order for the IC to get paid. The company routinely docks the ICs if they get lost on the way to a job, or if they make any mistakes. The ICs used to use the timeclock, but one day after a meeting with their accountant, she told us that ICs are not to use the timeclock anymore, and that they were advised by the accountant that if they ever got audited, to run the timeclock over with a truck. Something about this smacks of impropriety. Am I way off here? And if I'm not- who should I contact. I plan on leaving this job because they are already in financial trouble, but I worry about the people who will be left- they don't deserve to be bilked out of their money, or their rights.

There are specific tests for whether an independent contractor is actually an independent contractor. Check with your state's department that oversees unemployment benefits. Usually they are the ones that would be able to tell you whether you are actually an independent contractor in the eyes of the law, or if you have been cheated out of being paid as an employee. The time clock is one of the tests... I personally believe that your employer is cheating you.