They are — and the distinction matters. Our cleaning teams in Reston are payroll employees, which means we are accountable for their training, their conduct and their insurance. Every one of them is background-checked and reference-verified before a first shift, and the company is fully insured and bonded. If something were ever damaged in your Reston house, there is a real policy behind it rather than an independent contractor's apology. You are welcome to ask for confirmation of insurance before we start.