So, this is a step in the right direction.
We all know that these gig ventures- Uber, DoorDash, GrubHub, etc- all refuse to acknowledge that their “staff” are employees. As such, they are paid as contractors- which really means most of those folks don’t even make minimum wage. In particular, food delivery workers- the ones that were critical for the rest of us to survive the pandemic- have had real problems.
Continue reading Gig workers, unite?
I don’t know about you, but I was pretty darned surprised when the PPP program was modified to let those folks who ran Schedule C (unincorporated businesses) participate in the loan program.
Continue reading An open secret?
I have been listening to folks talk about the California bill (AB 5) that was just signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom this minute. (OK, when this was written.) The provisions take effect on 1 January 2020, setting standards as to who is an employee and who is an independent contractor (such as drivers and delivery folks).
Continue reading Indentured Slavery is Over?
I have been driving a car for some 54 years. Long before I had a driver’s license. I drove to Suffolk County, Westchester, New Jersey… luckily, I never got stopped or had an accident until my 17th birthday. The day my license actually arrived. (I had taken the test two weeks earlier and was told I passed. Whew!)
Continue reading Drive? Or RideHail?
Remember when I spoke about the gig economy? Citing the work of Alan Krueger and Lawrence Katz, among others?
Continue reading The Gig is Up!
Just the other day, I tried to download and use an app that a friend had recommended. I was looking forward to having a few more minutes each day, if this app really delivered on its promises.
Continue reading Psst. Do you want to know a secret?
Today is Memorial Day. Most of you don’t recall that it’s to remember our brave citizens who lost their lives to keep us free. Instead, you consider that it’s a day off, the kickoff of Summer swimming and holidays. Only in that case is it appropriate to discuss a new segment of our workplace.
Ah, the Waffle House. My son fell in love with it. Mostly because there were a slew of things we could eat there- any time of the day. And, we certainly hit this place at odd hours. It was convenient to the location I took my children to view eclipses, meteor showers, and just wonderful astronomical events.
Continue reading This is not your parent’s Waffle House…
So, let’s look really carefully (ok, as much as someone on the outside can) at one of these 1099 economy ‘successes’. Uber. Where drivers can make up to $ 30 an hour (for the hours they work) in Manhattan or $ 17 in DC. (Believe it or not, that DC rate is about what drivers make in LA, too.)
