Put every relief job in writing, even for a practice you know well. The agreement should cover scope of work, exact dates and hours, pay and payment timing, cancellations, follow-up on days you aren’t working, insurance and liability, the nature of the working relationship, and how either side can change or end the arrangement. Then talk through workflow and fit before the first shift, because a contract can’t fix a mismatch in expectations. This guide answers the question an AAHA Trends reader posed: how can I be sure this doesn’t happen again? It also covers what to do when a mismatch shows up after the contract is signed and more shifts are booked.
One caution first: nothing here is legal advice. Whether a relief veterinarian counts as an independent contractor or an employee, and how enforceable a clause is, depends on your jurisdiction and on how the work is actually done.
What a strong relief contract covers
In the AAHA Trends column (published November 18, 2025), Cindy Trice, DVM, founder of Relief Rover (now part of Hound), answered the reader’s question by saying: “The core pillars of a strong relief contract are:” Her list covers scope of work, schedule and hours, compensation, cancellation policy, professional boundaries, liability and insurance, and the relationship of the parties. AAHA notes that Trends content is not an official AAHA or Board position. The table below expands those pillars, drawing also on the FlexVet guide “Contracts: Relief Veterinarians” (IVIS, updated December 30, 2019).
| Term | What to spell out |
|---|---|
| Scope of clinical work | Whether you will consult, provide urgent care, perform specified surgery or dentistry, do ultrasound, or provide other defined services. Avoid an open-ended promise to do all work unless both sides truly intend that. |
| Dates, hours, breaks | The actual calendar dates, start and end expectations, breaks, overtime, on-call or emergency coverage, and who takes over active cases at the end of a shift. |
| Compensation | The rate and its basis (hourly, daily or production-based), how and when you’ll be paid, what the fee includes, and any pre-agreed travel, housing, equipment or other reimbursable costs. |
| Cancellation | What counts as a late cancellation, who owes what, and whether the fee depends on the date being rebooked (example below). |
| Follow-up on non-working days | Whether you are expected to handle client or patient follow-up, callbacks or records work when you aren’t scheduled, and whether that time is paid. |
| Liability and insurance | Each party’s coverage and obligations, including professional liability and any workers’ compensation issues that apply where you work. No standard coverage amount is established in the sources reviewed, so don’t assume one. |
| Relationship and clinical autonomy | An accurate description of the working relationship, and how your clinical judgment operates within the hospital’s standards. |
| Modification and termination | How either side can change or end future shifts, the notice required, and what happens to commitments already accepted. |
Treat the older FlexVet guide’s sample rates and mileage figures as historical illustrations. They are not current market rates. Agree on your own numbers for your region and role.
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An example cancellation structure
Trice offered one way to structure cancellation fees:
- More than 30 days before the shift: no fee.
- Between 30 days and two weeks before: half the daily rate if the date isn’t rebooked.
- Within two weeks: the full daily rate if the date isn’t rebooked.
This is one example from her interview. It isn’t a market statistic, a legal requirement or a universal standard, so negotiate windows and percentages that fit both sides.
Have the fit conversation before the first shift
The contract settles the terms. A short conversation settles whether the day will actually work. Trice’s guidance points to topics worth raising in advance:
- Typical caseload and how appointments are scheduled.
- Staffing levels and who will support you (technicians, assistants, front desk).
- The records system and how much orientation you’ll get.
- How communication works during the day and with clients.
- Client-service expectations.
- Your comfort zones, including procedures you’d rather not do, and your preferred workflow.
If an answer to any of these would change your willingness to work there, write it into the scope section instead of leaving it as an assumption.
Contract wording does not decide your classification
Calling yourself an independent contractor in the agreement doesn’t make it so. The FlexVet guide on determining independent-contractor status (updated December 30, 2019) says a contract alone cannot guarantee that status. The question turns on the real working arrangement. It points to features of an independent business such as these:
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- You can accept or decline jobs.
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- You control when, where and how services are delivered.
That guide is older practical context, not current legal authority. Christopher J. Allen, DVM, JD, writing in dvm360 (around 2021), also recommends written contracts. He distinguishes limited relief work from relief as a primary gig occupation and discusses classification and state compliance risks. Treat it as expert commentary, not agency guidance.
Why jurisdiction matters: Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association describes a three-part state test. It says relief veterinarians generally perform work in the usual course of a practice’s business, and so generally should be treated as employees under that law. This is a Massachusetts-specific rule and shouldn’t be applied nationwide. Check the current rules in your state with local counsel or the relevant labor or tax authority. Don’t rely on old tax thresholds in older guides.
Two common engagement shapes
| Comparison axis | Occasional independent relief | Recurring part-time schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Control of schedule and methods | Relief vet keeps substantial control of when, where and how work is done | Practice typically sets the schedule and workflow |
| Accepting or declining shifts | Free to decline and to work for other practices | Expected to appear as scheduled |
| Withholding and benefits | Depends on classification in your jurisdiction | Depends on classification in your jurisdiction |
| Workers’ compensation and unemployment | Rules vary by jurisdiction | Rules vary by jurisdiction |
These are explanatory axes drawn from the guides above, not a legal test that applies everywhere. If your “occasional” relief work becomes a standing weekly slot at one clinic, the arrangement may look different in practice than it does on paper. Revisit the paperwork, and the classification, when that happens.
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Trice’s advice for relief vets or practices in this spot, with more shifts already scheduled, comes down to a sequence:
- Speak up promptly. Raise the mismatch as soon as you see it, before more shifts accumulate and resentment builds.
- Reread the signed agreement. Check the modification, cancellation and termination terms to see what each side can do and what notice is required.
- Honor signed commitments or negotiate changes. Either complete the booked shifts or agree on adjustments, such as a narrower scope, fewer days or a transition date.
- Consider the team and the patients. Cancelling at the last minute leaves colleagues short and can disrupt cases in progress. Plan handoffs and give as much notice as you can.
- Write down whatever you agree. A changed arrangement should be as clear in writing as the original.
Get the agreement reviewed
Because enforceability and classification vary by state, a veterinary-focused attorney can review a relief or independent-contractor agreement before you sign it. Do this especially if you work regularly for one practice or in a state with a strict classification test. The FlexVet guide on relief contracts is one optional further read; the sources reviewed don’t confirm the current edition or availability of the book it comes from.
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