Questions to Ask Event Staffing Agency
5 Compliance Questions to Ask Any Event Staffing Agency Before You Sign
Key Takeaways
- Worker classification is question one — W-2 vs. 1099 determines whether workers' comp applies.
- A COI without workers' comp tells you everything — if a provider cannot produce one, they are not employing workers as W-2 employees.
- Fill rate is a compliance metric, not just operational — a staffing gap is also a coverage gap.
- Strong answers come with documentation — proof of W-2 status, COI before event day, and written confirmation of EOR status.
Most vendor evaluation guides focus on operations. But they stop short of the compliance questions that determine your legal and financial exposure when something goes wrong.
The five questions below are the compliance layer most event organizers skip. A provider that employs workers correctly should answer each one without hesitation.
Five Questions. Strong Answers Come With Documentation.
Are your workers classified as W-2 employees or 1099 independent contractors?
This is the most consequential question. Ask for documentation: a sample W-2, written confirmation of employment status, or written confirmation that the staffing agency is the employer of record.
"All workers are W-2 employees of our partner agencies. We can provide written confirmation and sample pay documentation."
"Our workers are independent contractors, but we handle coordination." No direct answer to classification.
Can you provide a Certificate of Insurance showing workers' compensation coverage before my event?
Workers' comp is an employer obligation tied to W-2 employment. Request the COI at the contracting stage. Confirm effective dates and that your venue's additional insured requirements are satisfied.
"Yes — workers' comp at statutory limits, employer's liability, and general liability. We can name you as additional insured on the GL policy."
"We carry an occupational accident policy for our workers." Occupational accident policies are not workers' compensation equivalents.
If a worker is injured on-site at my event, who is responsible?
When workers are W-2 employees of a compliant staffing agency, workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy. The answer to this question is largely determined by the answer to question one.
"Workers are W-2 employees of our agency. Workers' comp is their remedy for covered injuries, handled through our policy."
"We have safety protocols in place." A description of prevention without addressing the legal structure of liability.
What is your documented fill rate and replacement process?
Fill rate is where operations and compliance intersect. A staffing no-show is not just an operational gap — it may represent a compliance gap. Ask for a documented fill rate, not a verbal estimate.
"Our documented fill rate is [X]%. No-shows trigger a same-day escalation to a pre-vetted backup. The replacement meets the same vetting criteria."
"We'll find a replacement." No fill rate data, no documented replacement process.
If your workers are later audited and reclassified, who absorbs the exposure?
A compliant W-2 employer should confirm in writing that they are the employer of record and that classification liability sits with the agency, not the client.
"We are the employer of record. Classification responsibility sits with the agency. We can confirm this in writing."
Deflection, inability to confirm in writing, or a contract with client-side indemnification exceptions.
Every TAG provider answers all five questions.
TAG works exclusively with pre-vetted, W-2 compliant staffing agencies across 300+ markets. Every partner carries workers' compensation, employer's liability, and general liability — and can name you as additional insured.