Are Agents Employees or Independent Contractors?

by L.A.S.
Three former agents for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company sued NML in a class-action lawsuit. They claimed that they were wrongfully designated independent contractors, and denied minimum wage, overtime, and other benefits.
The lawsuit is for $200 million.
It has been traditional that agents for almost all insurance companies are independent contractors who receive only commission for whatever they sell. I can tell you now that these agents would have to prove that NML closely supervised and controlled their hours and other details of their work.