Is a dog groomer an employee or an independent contractor?
25 August 2026·1 min read
Calling someone a contractor doesn't settle their legal status. The arrangement has to match the applicable test and the way the relationship actually works.
The Fair Work Ombudsman's whole-of-relationship guidance says covered businesses consider the real substance, practical reality and true nature of the relationship. Factors include control, financial risk, tools, delegation, hours and whether work is expected to continue. An ABN or invoice doesn't decide it.
Before choosing, write down who controls prices, bookings, methods and hours; who supplies tools; who carries risk; and whether the groomer can genuinely build an independent business. Recheck the arrangement when practice changes.
Check super separately. The ATO says some contractors paid mainly for their personal labour are employees for super guarantee purposes. Paying an extra amount labelled “super” to the worker isn't the same as making the required contribution to a fund.
Adviser fact sheet: legal entity, written terms, actual roster, price control, client ownership, tools, insurance, delegation, rework risk, invoicing, ability to work elsewhere, expected continuity and who carries cancellations.
Seglo note: Team records can support the operating facts your adviser needs to assess.