If you have a business then there may come a time when you need to either turn down work or take on additional people to help you. Many self employed people or smaller businesses do not want to have to employ someone or it may be that they just need help over a busy period. This is when using a freelancer or sub contractor can come in handy.
If you are going to be using a freelancer then you need to be sure that they can be reliable upon. You may need to ask them to sign a contract in which it states that they will not do any work for your customers unless authorised by you and also to sign a confidentiality agreement to say that they will not divulge your business details to a third party. This will cover you against some of the risks involved. It is vital to be able to tell a freelancer exactly what you need them to do and agree not only the amount but the terms of payment. Always keep in contact with a freelancer and make sure you have a back up plan should they let you down at the last minute.