Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR
§ 31.3306(i)-1. Who are employees.
Regulation text, no changes From the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026. The eCFR is an authoritative but unofficial editorial compilation of the Code of Federal Regulations; the official text is the annual CFR on govinfo. Compare it with this section on ecfr.gov (external site) or the official annual CFR on govinfo (external site).
Regulation under 26 U.S.C. § 3306(i)
Cite as 26 CFR § 31.3306(i)-1
At a glance
Read from the text and its source citation. Not part of the regulation.
- Status
- In the current eCFR
- Source
- T.D. 6516, 25 FR 13032, Dec. 20, 1960; 25 FR 14021, Dec. 31, 1960, unless otherwise noted.
- Issued under
- 26 U.S.C. § 3306(i)
- Length
- 525 words · about 2 min to read
- Cross-references
- cites 0 Code sections and 2 regulations; cited by 0
¶(a) Every individual is an employee if the relationship between him and the person for whom he performs services is the legal relationship of employer and employee. (The word “employer” as used in this section only, notwithstanding the provisions of § 31.3306(a)-1, includes a person who employs one or more employees.)
¶(b) Generally such relationship exists when the person for whom services are performed has the right to control and direct the individual who performs the services, not only as to the result to be accomplished by the work but also as to the details and means by which that result is accomplished. That is, an employee is subject to the will and control of the employer not only as to what shall be done but how it shall be done. In this connection, it is not necessary that the employer actually direct or control the manner in which the services are performed; it is sufficient if he has the right to do so. The right to discharge is also an important factor indicating that the person possessing that right is an employer. Other factors characteristic of an employer, but not necessarily present in every case, are the furnishing of tools and the furnishing of a place to work, to the individual who performs the services. In general, if an individual is subject to the control or direction of another merely as to the result to be accomplished by the work and not as to the means and methods for accomplishing the result, he is an independent contractor. An individual performing services as an independent contractor is not as to such services an employee. Individuals such as physicians, lawyers, dentists, veterinarians, construction contractors, public stenographers, and auctioneers, engaged in the pursuit of an independent trade, business, or profession, in which they offer their services to the public, are independent contractors and not employees.
¶(c) Whether the relationship of employer and employee exists will in doubtful cases be determined upon an examination of the particular facts of each case.
¶(d) If the relationship of employer and employee exists, the designation or description of the relationship by the parties as anything other than that of employer and employee is immaterial. Thus, if such relationship exists, it is of no consequence that the employee is designated as a partner, coadventurer, agent, independent contractor, or the like.
¶(e) All classes or grades of employees are included within the relationship of employer and employee. Thus, superintendents, managers, and other supervisory personnel are employees. Generally, an officer of a corporation is an employee of the corporation. However, an officer of a corporation who as such does not perform any services or performs only minor services and who neither receives nor is entitled to receive, directly or indirectly, any remuneration is considered not to be an employee of the corporation. A director of a corporation in his capacity as such is not an employee of the corporation.
¶(f) Although an individual may be an employee under this section, his services may be of such a nature, or performed under such circumstances, as not to constitute employment (see § 31.3306(c)-2).
Cross-references
Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.
Regulations it cites
Where it sits in 26 CFR
- Subchapter C Employment taxes and collection of income tax at source
- Part 31 Employment taxes and collection of income tax at source
- Subpart D Federal Unemployment Tax Act (Chapter 23, Internal Revenue Code of 1954)
Nearby sections
- § 31.3306(c)(16)-1 Services in employ of international organization.
- § 31.3306(c)(17)-1 Fishing services.
- § 31.3306(c)(18)-1 Services of certain nonresident aliens.
- § 31.3306(d)-1 Included and excluded service.
- § 31.3306(i)-1 Who are employees.
- § 31.3306(j)-1 State, United States, and citizen.
- § 31.3306(k)-1 Agricultural labor.
- § 31.3306(m)-1 American vessel and aircraft.
- § 31.3306(n)-1 Services on American vessel whose business is conducted by general agent of Secretary of Commerce.