Employment law is changing rapidly across the country.  The argument between employer and independent contractor are hard to define. 
If a company has 2 people doing the same job, one is on payroll, receives a W-2 at the end of the year, eligible for benefits, etc. vs. the other receiving a 1099 they are walking on a slippery slope.  Worse yet, is where a the company gives, or provides at a steep discount, their product to promote.  The company is benefiting from the individuals contribution no differently than the individual contributors at the company headquarters that are receiving full benefits.  Once someone becomes classified as an "employee" they have to be offered benefits. 
Staff members are likely thought of as independent contractors since they have the opportunity to take their talents to different companies and benefit (tournament winnings) from their arrangement with the company.  The problem with that thought is exclusivity.  Once you sign you cannot take your talents elsewhere until the end of your contract.  That makes it easier for the staffer not getting paid to make the argument they are an "employee". 
California AB5 was signed by Gov. Newsome in September.  https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_independentcontractor.htm  CA has always been the state companies look toward for trends in employment law.  I suspect if staff players are being offered benefit package it is not to entice them to jump ship but rather in preparation for changes in the employment law landscape.  Storm/RG/900 Global, Big B, Motive, etc. have some really smart people behind the business decisions they make.  There isn't any ROI by offering benefits.  Couple that with the fact that they can't offer player A benefits without offering the same benefits to players B-Z.  Sure, they can pay them differently based on their level of talent but you have to treat them equally in all other ways if they become classified as an employee under the law.
 
If it is fact that companies are offering benefit packages to staffers it will certainly be interesting to watch unfold.

I see Tommy Jones was still wearing an Ebonite shirt, but was throwing Brunswick in the Amateur vs Pro event that he won

Sooo who is coming over to Utah next?

Is it Colin Kaepernick?