Kind of contract job where he basically works for you full time but you have him on contract to not get benefits? Maybe this is his way of saying he doesn’t get compensated enough for the work he does to also not have benefits.
Even looking at it from his lens I mostly agree with you. I mean either way it’s kind of on him, maybe it’s in his best interest to work elsewhere and get benefits. Do you think you pay him well enough hourly to make up for no benefits? Or is this the type of thing where he is only working a few hours?