National Labor Relations Board v. United Insurance Co. of America

In its insurance operations respondent United Insurance Company uses “debit agents” whose primary functions are collecting premiums from policyholders, preventing the lapsing of policies, and selling such new insurance as time allows. The Insurance Workers International Union, having won a certification election, seeks to represent the debit agents, and the question before us is whether these agents are “employees” who are protected by the National Labor Relations Act or “independent contractors” who are expressly exempted from the Act. Respondent company refused to recognize the Union,…