That may change thanks to
Though app-based ride-hailing drivers and other gig workers have traditionally been considered independent contractors, a movement to reclassify them as traditional employees – affording them benefits like unemployment insurance, paid sick leave and health insurance – has grown in recent years. Most notably, California
And while New York so far hasn’t taken any steps that big, there’s
There have been some piecemeal advances for gig workers in New York, however, including
Even before the pandemic,
Tuesday’s ruling is a preliminary win for Uber and Lyft drivers, but the broader issue of how those workers – not to mention delivery cyclists, on-demand task workers, and other kinds of gig workers – are classified remains on the table. That’s not to say other lawmakers aren’t thinking about it. New York City Council Members Brad Lander and Ben Kallos