PHOENIX, AZ – July 28, 2021 – Openforce, the leading software technology platform for managing commercial relationships between contracting companies and their 1099 independent contractor (IC) workforce, today announced Openforce IC University. With more than a third of U.S. workers working as independent contractors (Gallup), the new platform was created for ICs to gain access to on-demand and ongoing safety education, small business resources and contractor insights. Particularly in the transportation and logistics field, where work-related traffic crashes cost businesses $72.2 billion, ongoing education helps to build a culture of safety for ICs on the road.

“Driving and transportation are big business that have a ripple effect on organizations and consumers across the globe,” said Wendy Greenland, CEO of Openforce. “Our goal with Openforce IC University is two-fold: to provide education so drivers can safely complete their work, and to give them the tools they need to grow their businesses. We are seeing tremendous growth in the gig economy workforce and it is smart business to make sure these workers have what they need to succeed.”

By enrolling in Openforce IC University, independent contractors gain:

  • Access to a platform for ongoing, on-the-job safety education courses, including hundreds of job safety education videos, powered by SambaSafety;
  • Exclusive access to Openforce’s partner network that offers services and discounts on products that can help them maintain and grow their small business; and
  • Awareness of news and topics that affect them such as upcoming changes to labor laws, tax filings or small business management insights

“Openforce is synonymous with independent contractors; where ICs have a need, we want to be able to provide them with a solution. One of the biggest needs is maintaining compliance and making sure to not be misclassified as an employee rather than an independent contractor,” said Deborah Stevens, chief compliance officer at Openforce. “Openforce IC University not only informs, educates and connects ICs to the resources and tools they need, it provides these services through a third party, reducing the risk of misclassification.”

Openforce is invested in building a culture of safety, having recently introduced Continuous Driver Monitoring and Training as part of its offerings. Openforce’s platform delivers onboarding, settlement, compliance and risk mitigation and driver recruiting. Openforce makes certain contracting companies and ICs alike are empowered to work under a smarter, simpler 1099 workforce model. For more information on safety education, visit Openforce’s information page, contact Openforce directly at sales@oforce.com, or visit Openforce at the NHDA Annual Forum in San Diego, August 2 – 3, 2021.

About Openforce

Openforce® is the leader in technology-driven services that reduce operating costs and mitigate compliance risk for companies using independent contractors. Openforce frees contracting companies from the burden of onboarding, contracting, and settlement processing while helping contractors build their business. Our cloud-based applications help businesses achieve more sustainable, profitable growth by removing financial, operational and compliance barriers to getting business done. Openforce is a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm Riverside Partners. Learn more at oforce.com.

About Openforce

Openforce is the leader in technology-driven services that reduce operating costs and mitigate risk for companies using independent contractors. Our cloud-based applications help companies and contractors alike achieve more sustainable, profitable growth by removing financial, operational, and compliance barriers to getting business done.