The Difference Between Employee vs. Independent Contractor Doulas

If you’re a doula working with an agency, or considering it, understanding whether you’re classified as an employee or an independent contractor isn’t just a technical detail… it directly impacts your pay, taxes, legal protections, and overall work experience. In this episode, I sit down with fellow doula agency owner, Allison Coleman, to break down the real differences between employee and contractor roles in the doula world. We go beyond surface-level definitions and dig into how these classifications actually show up in your day-to-day work. We talk about what control agencies can (and can’t) have, how compensation structures differ, what benefits or protections may apply, and some of the biggest misconceptions doulas have when entering agency work. Whether you’re brand new to agency life or have been working as a contractor for years, this episode will help you better advocate for yourself, ask the right questions, and make informed decisions about your role. Allison Coleman trained and worked in midwifery and as a birth doula for several years before finding her true home in postpartum doula work, where she gets to watch new families grow through those early weeks and months. She owns Austin and Asheville Baby Guru, postpartum doula agencies serving both Texas and North Carolina. Allison also runs the ABG Postpartum Doula Certification Program, a hybrid training she delivers both online and in person. She mentors doulas who are building their own businesses. Mom to four grown kids who were unschooled, Allison lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside Asheville, NC, and brings the same grounded, real-world perspective to her clients that she brought to raising her own family and building her business. Websites: www.ABGdoulaTraining.com use code CIARRA5OFF for a discount! www.AustinBabyGuru.com Instagram handles: @‌babyguru.doula @‌abg_pp_doula_training Get access to discount codes for our favorite products and check out our Amazon Storefront lists for "Must Haves" during the Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Newborn phases HERE. Are you a parent interested in learning more from Ciarra? You can check out her class offerings HERE. For the pre-recorded, self-paced Birth Basics Class, click HERE. For the pre-recorded, self-paced Newborn Sleep Class, click HERE. Are you interested in training to become a birth doula? Check out Ciarra’s Birth, Baby! Academy Birth Doula Training and Certification HERE.  Online, self-paced Birth Doula Training and Certification Program with Birth, Baby! Academy This podcast episode is also on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with close captions, you can find the channel HERE. Thank you for all of your support and don't forget to follow and leave a review on your favorite place to listen to podcasts. www.BirthBabyPodcast.com Send an email if you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, you'd like to be a guest, or you have a recommendation for an episode idea! Email: [email protected] Follow on Facebook Follow on Instagram The information provided on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Birth, Baby! Podcast was originally produced by Ciarra Morgan and Samantha Kelly. Ciarra Morgan: www.EmpoweredBeginningsATX.com www.BirthBabyAcademy.com Samantha Kelly: www.beautifullymadedc.com