Worker Who Claimed He Owned Separate Business Not an Employee

A worker who held himself out to be the owner of a construction company was not eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, even though he was paid by the hour, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled. Case: Bentley v. Jonathan Piner Construction, No. COA16-52-2, 07/18/2017.  Facts: Thomas Bentley and his friend George Tucker worked “side jobs” together in and around Newport, North Carolina in 2014. Bentley had printed business cards in the name of Bentley Construction and Maintenance, placed a decal on his truck with the company name and started a website...