A few years ago my son was hired for his first job out of college to work in the IT department of a large Boston company.
"Mom, there's a pool table in the lobby! They throw us paintball parties, pot luck parties and take us out for beer and pizza on Fridays after work!"
They also verbally promised him a trial period of 9 months, then full time employment with benefits. Excellent evaluations didn't help when he and most of the rest of the IT workers were outsourced 8 months later.
The Obama administration is pushing back on these corporate cheaters. Via the New York Times
Many workplace experts say a growing number of companies have maneuvered to cut costs by wrongly classifying regular employees as independent contractors, though they often are given desks, phone lines and assignments just like regular employees. Moreover, the experts say, workers have become more reluctant to challenge such practices, given the tough job market.