Setting Up & Managing Contractors

⚡ What are Contractors?

When you add someone to your business, you can create their profile as either an employee or a contractor. Both options let you track and manage the people who work with you—but they’re used in different situations.

Many businesses hire employees when someone works regular shifts, is part of the team long-term, or has an ongoing role within the company. Contractors, on the other hand, are often brought in for specialized work, short-term projects, or to support the business without becoming part of the day-to-day staff.

Because these two groups are treated differently for tax purposes, Push needs to know which type of profile you’re creating:

• Employees: Receive forms like T4s (Canada) or W-2s (USA), which report their regular employment earnings.
• Contractors: Receive forms like T4As (Canada) or 1099-NEC (USA), which report the earnings they received as independent workers.

Choosing the right option ensures the correct information is collected from the start and that their year-end documents can be prepared accurately.

💡| Tip: If someone works for your business as both an employee and a contractor at different times, we recommend creating separate profiles for each role. This keeps earnings and tax reporting clean and avoids issues during year-end filing.

📌 | Note: Contractor profiles require additional identifying information—such as a Business Number or SIN/SSN/EIN—to support year-end reporting. Even if you’ve shared this information with Push earlier in the year, it still needs to be added directly to the contractor’s profile.

🔎 Why Set Up Contractors?

Here are a few ways contractor profiles help your team manage non-employee workers accurately:

• Correct Year-End Reporting: Ensures contractor earnings are captured separately so Push can generate accurate T4A (Canada) or 1099-NEC (USA) forms.
• Required Tax Details in One Place: Stores contractor Business Numbers and identifiers (SIN/SSN/EIN) so you have everything needed for filing.
• Clear Earning Categorization (Canada): Allows you to select the correct T4A earning category, helping the CRA receive the right information.
• Fewer Manual Fixes: Reduces back-and-forth during year-end by collecting the right data up front.
• Supports Mixed Worker Types: Helps businesses manage a blend of employees and contractors without mixing their earnings or reporting.

🔐 Access required

Managing contractor details in an employee profile is available on all subscription plans. 

To have Push generate and share tax forms for contractors (T4A or 1099-NEC), your account must also have the Payroll Add-On.

Who can manage Contractor Details?

• Super Administrators: Full access to update any details under Tax Information, which will include the contractor details.
• Team Administrators: Can update a profile's Tax Information (including contractor details) only if they have permission to edit Employee CRA Info. This permission is further controlled based on Employee Group access under Update Employee Information. If you cannot access, confirm your permissions with a Super Administrator.
• Employees: Do not have access to any Tax Information fields, including contractor details. These fields are not part of the digital onboarding process. If you wish to collect contractor information during onboarding, we recommend using an Employee Attribute and then manually entering the details into the Tax Information section.

📋 Topics covered in this article:

• Setting an Employee Profile as a Contractor (Brand New or Updating Existing)
• Frequently Asked Questions About Contractors

📚 Related articles:

• How to Generate The T4 Summary Report
• T4 Availability Timeline and Access in Push
• How To Find The T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid

Setting an Employee Profile as a Contractor 

Adding a contractor profile ensures you have accurate, up-to-date information for year-end reporting and helps keep contractor earnings separate from regular employee wages. This also gives your team a central place to store contractor details, track work history, and maintain the correct tax identifiers needed for T4A or 1099 filing.

Contractors can be set up through digital onboarding or by manually creating their profile. Digital onboarding collects their standard information, while contractor-specific tax identifiers (such as a Business Number or SIN/SSN/EIN) must always be entered by an administrator afterward.

📌 | Note: If contractor tax details were previously provided to Push by email or Support, they will not appear automatically. These must be entered manually into the profile.

💡 | Tip: If you want to capture contractor tax details during onboarding, create an Employee Attribute and copy that information into the Tax Information section afterward.

How to Add a New Contractor 

Use this option when you want to create a contractor profile from scratch and enter all details yourself. This is ideal when the contractor is brand new, hasn’t completed digital onboarding yet, and you prefer to set up their contractor information directly.

1. Navigate to the Employees tab.
2.  Click Add a New Employee, and the page will load to a brand new profile. 
3. Review the different sections and enter the contractor’s personal details.
4. To set the profile as a contractor, scroll down to the Tax Information section.
5. Under Employment Status, this will default to Employee. Click the drop-down menu and select Contractor. 
   📌 Note: Once you select Contractor, the Tax Information section will update to show contractor-specific options.
6. Check/Uncheck the box that corresponds with Requires T4A (Canada) or Requires 1099-NEC Filing (USA) if applicable. 
   📌 Note: If this box is left unchecked, Push will not process or generate a T4A or 1099 for the contractor. Your business will be responsible for providing the required form.
7. Check/Uncheck the box that corresponds with Payroll Exempt if the contractor should not be included in payroll calculations, if applicable. 
   📌 Note: When Payroll Exempt is enabled, the contractor will not be paid through payroll—even if they have recorded hours, clock entries, or assigned earnings. They will also not be included in T4A or 1099 processing. 
8. If Requires T4A (Canada) or Requires 1099-NEC Filing (USA) is checked, additional identification fields will appear:
   1. For Canada: under Business Number Type, select from one of these toggles and fill in the necessary details: Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Recipient's Program Number (PAN).
   2. For Canada, under Earning Category, click the drop-down menu and select the correct T4A Earning Category.
      📌 Note: This determines which tax box the earnings appear in on the T4A. Confirm with the contractor or your accounting team if unsure. If the contractor requires more than one T4A earning category, please contact our Yearend Team at yearend@pushoperations.com for assistance.
   3. For USA: under Business Number Type, select from one of these toggles and fill in the necessary details: Social Security Number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), Employee Identification Number (EIN), or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN).
      📌 Note: This will determine what is put on the actual tax form so collect from the contractor. 
9. Once done, click Add Employee to save and create the profile. 

How to Update an Existing Profile's Contractor Details

Use this option when the person already has a profile, whether they were added manually or through digital onboarding, and you need to review or update their contractor information. This includes confirming their Employment Status, choosing whether they require a T4A or 1099, setting them as Payroll Exempt if needed, and entering or adjusting their contractor tax identifiers.

📌 | Important: Avoid changing an existing profile’s Employment Status between Employee ↔ Contractor if the person has recorded earnings. These roles are reported differently for tax purposes (T4 vs. T4A or W-2 vs. 1099), and switching mid-year can affect compliance and year-end reporting. If the person has worked in both roles, create a second profile with the correct status instead. This keeps the earnings and tax forms separate and prevents reporting issues.

1. Navigate to the Employees tab.
2. On the left-hand navigation bar, select the appropriate Employee List: Active, Pending, On Leave, or Inactive.
3. Under Search, input the employee’s name.
4. Under Edit, click the pencil icon to open the profile.
5. Scroll down to the Tax Information section.
6. Confirm or update the Employment Status to Contractor only if the profile meets the criteria outlined above.
   📌 Note: Changing the status updates the Tax Information fields that appear below.
7. Review and update whether the contractor requires year-end reporting by checking or unchecking Requires T4A (Canada) or Requires 1099-NEC Filing (USA), if applicable.
   
    ⚠️ | Warning: Ensure this setting is correct before year-end. If it is unchecked during tax season, Push may not generate the T4A or 1099 in a timely manner or by the filing deadline. If you enable this setting after year-end (e.g., in January), contact our Yearend Team at yearend@pushoperations.com for assistance. We recommend reviewing this field before December 1st each year.
8. Review and update whether the contractor is Payroll Exempt, if applicable. 
   📌 Note: When Payroll Exempt is enabled, the contractor will not be paid through payroll—even if they have recorded hours, clock entries, or assigned earnings. Only recorded earnings will be included in T4A or 1099 processing.
9. Requires T4A (Canada) or Requires 1099-NEC Filing (USA is checked, review the additional identification fields to ensure the details are current for year-end processing:
10. For Canada: 
    1. For Canada: under Business Number Type, review and update from one of these toggles and fill in the necessary details: Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Recipient's Program Number (PAN).
    2. For Canada, under Earning Category, review and click the drop-down menu and select the correct T4A Earning Category.
       📌 Note: This determines which tax box the earnings appear in on the T4A. Confirm with the contractor or your accounting team if unsure. If the contractor requires more than one T4A earning category, please contact our Yearend Team at yearend@pushoperations.com for assistance.
11. For USA: under Business Number Type, review and update one of these toggles and fill in the necessary details: Social Security Number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), Employee Identification Number (EIN), or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN).
    📌 Note: This will determine what is put on the actual tax form so collect from the contractor. 
12. Once done, click Update Employee to save.

Frequently Asked Questions About Contractors

Have questions about managing contractors? Have questions about managing contractors? Whether you’re wondering how employees access surveys, what happens after submission, or how to handle common scenarios, this section provides quick answers to help you navigate the process

💡| Tip: Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact our Support Team at support@pushoperations.com, or utilize our AI bot Astra for quick assistance!

💡 | Feedback: Have ideas or requests for managing Contractors? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your suggestions on our Roadmap & Ideas Page to help shape future updates

Q: Can I switch an employee profile to a contractor if they’ve already been paid this year?
A: No. Employee and contractor earnings are reported on different tax forms (T4 vs. T4A or W-2 vs. 1099). Switching a profile after earnings exist can cause incorrect reporting. Create a second profile instead.

Q: What if the contractor worked as both an employee and a contractor during the year?
A:  In this case, the individual should have two separate profiles; one for their time as an employee and one for their time as a contractor. This ensures earnings for each role are tracked separately and reported accurately on their tax forms. Using a single profile for both roles may cause incorrect reporting or delayed year-end tax filing.

Q: If I create two profiles, one for an employee and one for a contractor, can they use the same personal information?
A: Yes. You can use the same personal information (such as name, email, address, and SIN/SSN) when creating two profiles as long as the Employment Status is different. For example, one profile can be set as Employee and the other as Contractor, and the system will allow both to save without error. This setup is recommended when someone works in both capacities within the same tax year.

Q: Why does Push allow duplicate SIN or SSN only when the Employment Status is different?
A: Employee and contractor earnings must be tracked and reported separately for tax purposes. Allowing duplicate SIN/SSN only across different statuses ensures:
    •    The individual receives the correct combination of tax forms (e.g., T4 + T4A, or W-2 + 1099)
    •    Earnings remain separate and compliant
    •    Year-end processing is accurate and avoids amendments

Q: What happens if I try to create two profiles with the same SIN/SSN and the same Employment Status?
A: The system will not allow the profiles to be saved. Duplicate SIN/SSN values are blocked when both profiles share the same status (Employee ↔ Employee or Contractor ↔ Contractor), because this would create compliance issues and duplicate tax reporting. If you encounter this error, verify whether the individual should truly have two profiles. In most cases, two profiles are only appropriate when separating Employee and Contractor earnings.

Q: What happens if I forget to enable “Requires T4A” or “Requires 1099-NEC Filing” before year-end?
A: If this setting is not enabled by year-end, Push may not generate the contractor’s tax form in time for filing. This can delay the contractor’s ability to submit their taxes. We recommend reviewing contractor profiles in November or early December to ensure all required T4A/1099 settings are correct. Administrators will also receive reminders from Push as tax season approaches. If you enable this setting after year-end (e.g., in January), contact our Yearend Team at yearend@pushoperations.com so they can assist with next steps.

Q: We provided the contractor’s Business Number or tax ID to Push earlier in the year. Will it appear automatically in their profile?
A: No. Information provided by email, chat, or directly to the Push team does not sync into the contractor’s profile. For compliance and accuracy, administrators must enter all contractor tax identifiers (such as SIN/PAN or SSN/ITIN/EIN) directly into the Tax Information section. For instructions on updating a contractor’s profile, refer to the section above: How to Update an Existing Profile’s Contractor Details.

Q: What if the contractor needs more than one T4A earning category?
A: Push currently supports one T4A earning category per contractor profile. If the contractor requires multiple categories, send these details to our Year-End Team at yearend@pushoperations.com, who will ensure these are correctly recorded on the T4A. 

Q: Can contractors complete digital onboarding?
A: Yes. Contractors can complete the standard digital onboarding steps, which include providing personal information, entering their banking details, and signing the required forms. However, contractor-specific tax fields, such as the Business Number Type, the T4A Earning Category (Canada), and the T4A or 1099 filing requirements, are not part of the core digital onboarding experience. These fields do not appear automatically for contractors to fill in and must be completed manually by an administrator in the Tax Information section of the profile.

If you want to collect this information earlier, you can add custom fields to your onboarding workflow using an Employee Attribute. An administrator can then review and enter the information into the appropriate fields under Tax Information. This helps streamline setup and ensures these details are captured in a timely manner.
 

Q: Should I collect contractor tax details during onboarding?
A: Yes, to avoid delays during year-end or while completing the contractor’s profile, we recommend collecting their tax identifiers (such as SIN/PAN or SSN/ITIN/EIN) as early as possible. These fields are not built into the digital onboarding flow, so contractors will not be prompted automatically.

If you’d like to gather these details upfront, you can add them to your onboarding process using an Employee Attribute. Once the contractor submits the information, an administrator can copy it into the Tax Information section of their profile during review.

If including contractor tax fields directly in digital onboarding would benefit your workflow, you can submit this suggestion through our Roadmap & Ideas Page.
 

Q: What if I don’t want contractors included in payroll?
A: If you prefer to pay contractors outside of Push, enable Payroll Exempt in their profile.

When Payroll Exempt is enabled:
    •    The contractor will not be included in pay runs
    •    Any recorded hours, clock entries, or assigned earnings will not trigger payment
    •    The contractor will not receive a year-end tax form from Push

Q: Who can update contractor tax details?
A: Only Super Administrators and Team Administrators with the appropriate permission to edit Employee CRA Info. This permission is further controlled based on Employee Group access under Update Employee Information. If you believe you should have access but cannot update these fields, please reach out to your organization’s Super Administrator. Our Support Team cannot modify permission levels on your behalf.

Q: Should I collect contractor tax details during onboarding?
A: Contractor-specific tax fields are not part of digital onboarding. If you wish to collect these details from the contractor earlier, create an Employee Attribute and transfer the information into the profile manually.

Additional Information

Need further help? Contact our Support Team at support@pushoperations.com or utilize our AI bot, Astra, for quick assistance.