From Reuters, Nandita Bose reports that a proposed rule from the Department of Labor for determining if a worker is an employee or independent contractor is under review by the White House. Nandita writes:
WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) – After weeks of lobbying the White House on how gig workers should be treated, the rideshare, delivery and retail industries are bracing for a new rule that is likely to make it easier to classify them as employees, multiple sources say. A proposed rule from the Department of Labor, aimed at defining whether gig workers for companies including Uber (UBER.N), Lyft (LYFT.O), DoorDash (DASH.N) and retailers such as Amazon.com Inc are misidentified as independent contractors, is under review at the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and is expected to be released in coming weeks.
While the details of the new rule are not known, the department could model it on legal guidance that says people economically dependent on a company are employees, or go even further to expand the pool of workers who should receive benefits, legal experts said. read moreGroups representing employers, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The National Association of Home Builders, The National Retail Federation and the Associated Builders and Contractors have met with officials at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, according to White House records and sources.
Some of the groups have been trying, and failing, to convince the White House that any broad rule would hurt workers who want to remain independent and have flexibility, people familiar with the discussion said.
Read the full story at Rideshare, retailers brace for tough U.S. independent contractor rule | Reuters
