The Work for Hire Scam: Are You Losing Thousands?
Discover the contract clause that could quietly drain thousands from your VO career, and how to spot it before you sign. Click the image above.
Work for hire is the biggest scam in the voice over industry, and we need to talk about it.
If you’re a part-time voice actor hoping to go full-time, you need to know the truth: work for hire isn’t a badge of professionalism. It’s an exploitative tactic designed to strip you of your rights, your income, and your future opportunities.
And the worst part is many, especially newer voice actors don’t even realize they’re being taken advantage of until it’s too late.
What Does Work for Hire Really Mean?
The Legal Trap
In legal terms, work for hire means the client owns everything you create: your performance, your voice, your likeness, your soul (okay, maybe not your soul, but it feels that way) in perpetuity. You get a one-time payment, and that’s it. No matter how many times your work is used, repurposed, or resold, you see nothing more.
The Industry’s Favorite Loophole
Producers love work for hire because it’s a catch-all. It lets them use your voice in perpetuity, for any and all media, without ever paying you another dime. It’s the same as the dreaded “buyout in perpetuity,” just with a catchier, more confusing name.
WFH is also the acronym for work from home. How many voice actors have skimmed a contract, seen WFH, and thought, “Oh, cool, remote work!”?
It’s a deliberate confusion tactic.
Voice Actor Buyout vs Residuals: The Real Cost
What’s a Buyout?
A buyout is a one-time payment for your work, with no additional compensation, no matter how much the client profits from your voice.
It’s the industry’s way of saying, “Good boy, now go lay by your bowl.”
What Are Residuals?
Residuals are ongoing payments you receive every time your work is used. They’re standard in union commercial contracts for TV, radio, and digital media and the reason many voice actors make a good living. Residuals recognize that your voice has value beyond the initial recording.
For non-union work, we don’t call them residuals, we call them usage fees, but if it’s for broadcast or paid usage, even pro non-union voice actors put an end-date and specific usage terms in our contracts.
The Math Doesn’t Lie
Let’s break it down. Suppose you’re paid $500 for a “work for hire” commercial. That ad runs for two years, across multiple platforms, generating millions for the client. You get nothing more.
Now imagine you put a proper contract together. Every time the ad renews for another usage period, you get paid. Over two years, you could earn $5,000, $10,000, or more… money that’s rightfully yours.
Voice Actor Usage Fees: Why They Matter
What Are Usage Fees?
Usage fees are payments for the right to use your voice in specific ways… on TV, radio, online, in perpetuity, or for a limited time. They’re how you get paid for the value you bring to a project.
For non-broadcast work, like e-learning, explainer videos, medical narration, and others are often licensed in perpetuity, meaning forever, but even then there are very specific terms around how and where the recording will be used.
Why Producers Hate Them
Producers want to pay once and use your work forever any way they want. And I get it. Pricing in our business is not simple. Each genre has its own pricing structure and use cases.
But usage fees force producers to acknowledge your ongoing value. That’s why they push work for hire. It’s WAY cheaper for them, but devastating for you.
How to Negotiate Usage Fees
Ask questions: Where will the recording be used? For how long? In what specific media?
Set limits: Grant usage for a specific time and platform. Charge more for broader or longer use. Us the GVAA Rate Guide, which is the industry standard for non-union voiceover in North America.
Don’t be afraid to walk away: If a client insists on work for hire, run (do not walk), away.
The Psychological Toll of “Work for Hire”
The Illusion of Security
Work for hire offers the illusion of stability… a quick paycheck, a signed contract, a foot in the door. But it’s a trap. You’re trading your future earnings for a fleeting sense of security.
The Reality of Burnout
When you’re constantly chasing new gigs because your old work pays you nothing, burnout is inevitable. You’re working harder, earning less, and wondering why you can’t make the leap to full-time.
The Industry’s Dirty Secret And How to Fight Back
Why Work for Hire Persists
Work for hire persists because it benefits the people with hiring power. Producers, agencies, and clients save money. Voice actors, especially those new to the industry or desperate for cash, pay the price.
Education is Your Best Weapon
The only way to fight back is to get educated. Know your rights. Understand the difference between buyouts, residuals, and usage fees. Learn how to read contracts and negotiate better terms.
Community Over Competition
You’re not alone. The more voice actors who refuse work for hire terms, the less power producers have to exploit us. Every time you accept work for hire, you screw yourself and every other voice actor.
How to Spot and Avoid Work for Hire
Red Flags in Contracts
“Work for hire” language
“In perpetuity” or “all media” clauses
No mention of usage fees or residuals
Unusually low rates for high-profile projects
Questions to Ask Before Signing
How will my work be used?
For how long?
In which territories and media?
What happens if the project expands?
Sample Negotiation Script
“I noticed the contract includes ‘work for hire’ language. I’d like to discuss usage terms and ensure fair compensation for any future uses of my work. We’ll need to adjust the agreement to reflect this.”
Building a Sustainable Voice Over Career
Invest in Business Education
If you want to go full-time and have a sustainable business, you need to think like a business owner. Educate yourself. Take courses on rates, contracts, and negotiation. Learn how to market yourself and find better clients. VO Pro offers just that: business education for the voice actor. Learn more at VOPro.pro/workwithme.
Know Your Worth
Don’t let fear or inexperience drive you to accept bad deals. Your voice is valuable. The right clients will pay for it.
Find Your Community
Join voice actor groups, forums, and networks. Share your experiences. Learn from others. The more informed you are, the harder it is for anyone to take advantage of you.
Your Next Steps
Review your contracts. Look for “work for hire” language.
Start asking for proper usage fees.
Invest in your business education.
Support your fellow voice actors.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short
Work for hire is not your friend. It’s not a stepping stone to a full-time career; it’s a trap. The sooner you recognize it for what it is, the sooner you can start building a voice over business that pays you what you’re worth.
You have the power to change your future. Don’t let work for hire steal it from you.