Business Compliance United States For freelancers & the self-employed

Freelance Isn't Free Act: Freelancer Payment Rights

Freelance Isn't Free Act check: written contracts, 30-day payment and anti-retaliation rights for freelancers in New York, Illinois and California.

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Last reviewed 5 November 2026 against current law.

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Did you know? The numbers behind this check.

$800 over 120 daysWritten contract threshold (New York)
$250Written contract threshold (California)
30 days after completionDefault payment deadline
Double damagesLate payment remedy (NY)

Why this matters.

Late and unpaid invoices are the biggest money problem most freelancers face, and a growing number of US laws now give independent workers real rights against the clients who hire them. New York City’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act (NYC Admin. Code §20-927 et seq.) was the first, and New York State extended similar protections statewide from August 28, 2024 (General Business Law Article 44-A). Illinois’ Freelance Worker Protection Act (820 ILCS 193) took effect on July 1, 2024, and California’s Freelance Worker Protection Act (Business and Professions Code §18100 et seq., added by SB 988) on January 1, 2025. Broadly, if a client hires you for work worth more than a set amount ($800 in New York, $500 in Illinois, $250 in California, counting work over the previous 120 days), they must give you a written contract, pay you in full by the agreed date or within 30 days of completing the work if no date was agreed, and must not retaliate against you for using your rights.

If a client breaks these rules you can usually recover more than the unpaid invoice. In New York City and New York State you may claim double damages for late or unpaid fees plus attorney’s fees, and statutory damages if you were refused a written contract. Illinois and California provide similar remedies and allow state agencies or prosecutors to bring enforcement action. Where you live and where your client is based both matter, so knowing which law applies, keeping a signed contract and tracking payment dates puts you in a far stronger position before a dispute starts.

Have these to hand.

Your contracts, statements of work or emails agreeing each job
A list of unpaid or late invoices, with amounts and dates
Where you work from and where each client is based
Records of when you finished each piece of work

What you’ll get.

1A score out of 100Where you stand today, at a glance.
2Findings ranked by riskWhat could cost you, highest risk first.
3A plan with timeframesWhat to fix first and by when.

Use this free tool to check your rights as a US freelancer under the Freelance Isn’t Free Act and similar laws in New York, Illinois and California, and get a plan for written contracts, chasing late payment and protecting yourself from retaliation.