Legal Question in Employment Law in Illinois

my status as an independent contractor

I am employed as an independent contractor delivering

newspapers for a local publisher. According to my

contract: ''Publisher agrees to make papers available

to Contractor at the agreed upon time. In the event

Publisher is unable to make newspapers available as

set forth above, Publisher agrees to compensate the

Contractor in an amount agreed upon by both parties.''

Later in the contract it states: ''Either party may

terminate this agreement immediately upon written or

verbal notice to the other party ir the latter is in breach of

its obligations hereunder.'' At least 1/2 the time the

papers are not available at the ''agreed upon time.'' My

supervisor informs me that this time is 2:45 AM, but it

fluctuates. She also says that the contract is written in

such a way that the publisher is NEVER in breach of

conrtract. (The contract does not specify an ''agreed

upon time'' or any compensation if the papers aren't on

time.) My question is: is the company in violation of the

contract if the papers aren't on site by 2:45? Would I be

able, with verbal or written notice, to terminate my

contract then and there?


Asked on 4/22/03, 8:43 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Mary McDonagh McDonagh-Faherty Law Offices

Re: my status as an independent contractor

It is hard to tell you what your obligations are without seeing the entire contract. A contract is read as a whole and not in parts. Therefore, although it sounds like you can cancel, I could not tell you for sure unless I reviewed the contract. Have a lawyer look at it for you - it's not expensive and you can ensure you comply.

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Answered on 4/22/03, 10:20 am


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