From Forbes, Jeff Wald offers five great recommendations for improving the gig economy and protecting workers. Jeff recommends:
1. Provide clarity.
Both freelancers and companies should have a clear understanding of the distinction between full-time employees and freelancers. Such clarity is required for companies to avoid unnecessary risks, and for workers to know when they are misclassified. Work Market has proposed a policy framework that relies on quantitative measures to provide such clarity.
2. Extend basic labor protections to independent workers.
Legislation should be amended to extend provisions that today only cover full-time employees. Thus, independent contractors will be eligible for minimum wage, overtime payment, freedom to organize and collectively bargain, and civil rights protections in the same way as full-time employees.
3. Enable portability.
Freelancers should have the option to purchase annual social services which are not tied to a specific workplace. These services could be subsidized for certain income levels, but also allow workers to buy into national and state safety nets to protect them when there is no work. Even though Obamacare is a step in this direction, it is not enough. Any new legislation should enable freelancers to purchase unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and workers compensation as individuals.
Read the full story at 5 Ways To Protect Freelancers And Grow The On-Demand Economy – Forbes
