Gig worker News

US Trade Groups Sue Over Biden Rule on ‘Gig’ Work, Contracting

Major U.S. business groups on Tuesday filed the latest lawsuit challenging a Biden administration rule that would make it more difficult for companies to treat some workers as independent contractors rather than employees. The groups including the U.S. Chamber of …

Class Action Targets Grocery Delivery Firm for Alleged Unpaid Wages

A delivery driver in Massachusetts has filed a proposed class action against a grocery delivery company and grocery chain for allegedly misclassifying drivers as independent contractors and not paying minimum wage, overtime wages or employee expenses. The lawsuit comes as …

Uber-Backed Group to Reboot Gig-Worker Ballot Initiative in Massachusetts

A coalition of gig economy giants plan to reboot a failed ballot initiative in Massachusetts in a renewed push to cement their workers’ status as independent contractors. The Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work, a group bankrolled by Uber Technologies Inc., …

Attacks on Delivery Drivers Raise Safety Concerns Among Gig Workers

A homeowner fired shots at a couple’s car when they mistakenly turned onto his property while making an Instacart delivery. A Florida man was charged with killing and dismembering an Uber Eats delivery driver who brought food to his home. …

North Carolina High Court Ends ‘Absurd’ Windfall for Comp Insurers on Temp Workers

For years, workers’ compensation insurers in North Carolina have been able to enjoy a windfall in some cases that involved temporary workers or those who gigged for a number of employers. Insurers have often charged premiums based on the worker’s …

Biden’s Labor Chief Walsh Weighs Employee Status for Many Gig Workers

President Joe Biden’s top labor official said most gig workers in the United States should be classified as “employees” deserving of related benefits, in what could be a policy shift that is likely to raise costs for companies that depend …

Uber, Lyft, Other Gig Firms Worried About U.S. Push to Reclassify Workers as Employees

Under growing threat by a new U.S. administration insistent on reclassifying ride-hail and food delivery workers as employees with full benefits, gig economy companies including Uber, Lyft, Doordash and Instacart are pushing to keep drivers’ independent contractor status, albeit with …

California Voters Back Ballot Measure Treating Gig Drivers as Contractors

Uber, Lyft and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services spent $200 million in a winning bet to circumvent California lawmakers and the courts to preserve their business model by keeping drivers from becoming employees eligible for benefits and job protections. …

Labor Department Eyes Simpler Rule for Classifying Independent Contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday said it would soon propose a rule that could make it easier to classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees, a major issue for the “gig economy” and other industries that use …

Judge May Not Grant Injunction Forcing Uber, Lyft to Classify Drivers as Employees

A California judge signaled on Thursday he might be leaning against a request for a preliminary injunction forcing Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc. to classify drivers as employees rather than contractors. In a hearing in San Francisco Superior Court, …