Together We Are Freelancers HR
Built for every independent worker who has ever had to figure it out alone.
Detroit’s HR Department for Independent Workers
Freelancers HR (FHR) is Detroit’s independent research and advocacy organization dedicated to closing the five protection gaps facing independent workers. Whether you are a creative, a consultant, a gig worker, or a one-person operation — if you work for yourself in Detroit, this was built for you.
Detroit has 83,000 independent workers navigating health insurance, taxes, retirement, contracts, and income instability completely alone — without the HR infrastructure that W2 employees take for granted. FHR exists to change that. Not as another networking group, but as a credible, research-based workforce development organization dedicated exclusively to the protection and financial security of Detroit’s independent workforce.
How FHR Works
Three Program Areas
Research & Publications
FHR produces the Detroit Freelance Protection Index and State of Freelancer Protection Report — two annual publications measuring the financial vulnerability of Detroit’s independent workforce. The Freelancer Protection Score is the data collection engine behind both publications.
Free Resources & Education
FHR provides free guides, calculators, and tools built specifically for Detroit’s independent workforce. No paywalls. No affiliate links. No products to sell. These resources close the gap in access to professional financial and legal guidance that most independent workers cannot afford or do not know how to navigate.
Advocacy & Community
FHR actively advocates for a Michigan Freelance Worker Protection Act — the same type of legislation that has passed in New York, Illinois, and Minnesota. FHR Local is our community organizing program building peer circles and events across Detroit. Our long-term roadmap includes Portage, a worker cooperative giving Detroit’s independent workers access to group benefits.
The Long-Term Vision
FHR and Portage
FHR’s long-term vision has two parts. FHR is the mission layer — education, research, advocacy, and community. The second part is FHR Portage.
The HR Infrastructure for Detroit’s Independent Workers
FHR Portage is a worker cooperative in development that will give Detroit’s independent workers access to W2 employment status, group-rated health insurance, collective retirement plans, and the HR infrastructure that makes self-employment financially sustainable for real.
Independent workers pooling together to access the same group benefits W2 employees receive. That is cooperative economics in action. FHR builds the community and the trust. Portage delivers the infrastructure.
Our Principles
How We Operate
Research-Backed
Every claim is sourced. Numbers come from real data. We do not guess — we measure.
Advocate-First
We are on the independent worker’s side. Always. No referral fees. No affiliate relationships. No products to sell.
Detroit-Grounded
FHR is a Detroit organization. Our research, programming, and community are all Detroit-focused.
Educational, Not Advisory
Nothing FHR publishes constitutes financial, legal, tax, or insurance advice. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
Contact
Get in Touch
Sara Hudson founded Freelancers HR in 2026 to build the HR infrastructure Detroit’s independent workforce had never had. She leads all of FHR’s research, programming, advocacy, and community development.
Detroit, Michigan
In Formation
FHR is actively recruiting its first advisory board — professionals with credentials in financial planning, employment law, health insurance, and community development committed to Detroit’s independent workforce.
Board members will be listed here upon confirmation.
Know your protection gaps.
Take the free Freelancer Protection Score — five minutes, personalized results.