From CalChamber Alert,, Jennifer Barrera discusses on the California Chamber of Commerce’s position on the recent California Supreme Court case that set forth the new standard for independent contractor classification. Jennifer reports:
During an interview with KPCC radio this week, Jennifer Barrera, senior vice president of policy for the California Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the urgent need for the Legislature to pause the application of a recent court ruling to allow time to decide the best test for determining whether a worker is an independent contractor.
The California State Legislature returned from summer break this week and will adjourn for the year in just four weeks.
To listen to the entire August 6 interview on AirTalk, visit the KPCC website.
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Employer Concerns
Barrera explained that for California employers, the court ruling has produced a lot of concern and confusion on how this new standard will be applied, how broadly it will apply, and the different industries that will be affected.
“A decision like this, that is going to have such a significant impact on so many industries in California, we really feel like it’s the Legislature’s role to intervene, pause the application of this decision so that they can take into consideration all of the different professions and industries that are impacted… and really look at whether or not this ‘ABC Factor’ is appropriate and should be applied across the board to all these different professions that could be impacted and jeopardized as a result of this decision.”
The show, AirTalk, took live calls from employees, employers and independent contractors from an expansive list of industries explaining how the new test could affect them.
Toward the end of the show, Barrera said that all the calls from various affected industries are the prime example why this ruling is not just a one-size-fits-all situation.
“The Legislature really needs to step in and identify what is the appropriate standard for California,” she said.
CalChamber Coalition
A CalChamber-led coalition is working to build support for workers’ ability to work independently.
Through its website at imindependent.co, the coalition explains why state lawmakers need to suspend putting a recent court decision into effect so that there can be a robust legislative discussion about how best to balance worker protections with a flexible work model.
Read the full story at Independent Contractor Test: Legislature Should Act | CalChamber Alert
