All you need to know...

[_subgenius]

...is in the last sentence of this italicized quote..

California’s Assembly Bill 5 just went into effect. With some exceptions, the law takes aim at the new gig economy and independent contractors, forcing businesses to choose between hiring contractors as employees or laying them off.


A week before Christmas, Vox Media’s SB Nation, a sports website, sent notice to some 200 of its California-based freelancers that they would no longer be allowed to be paid for their pieces—the new law stipulates that any freelance writers who contribute more than 35 pieces a year must be employees. So SB Nation is ditching its independent contractors in California.

An even more consequential battle over the law is taking place in the courts, where a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on behalf of the California Trucking Association and its 70,000 independent truckers. The judge is considering a permanent injunction on the basis that the wide-ranging California labor law violates federal law as it pertains to the trucking industry, much of which engages in interstate commerce.


There are two main beneficiaries to the California law: unions and trial attorneys

Im curious how posters here view this issue, what say you?

[_Gunnar]

I am in sympathy with people who choose to be independent contractors rather than employees, if that is agreeable to both them and whomever they provide services for. Especially in the case of truckers or others who own and properly maintain their own equipment and tools of their trade.

[_Icarus]

There are two main beneficiaries to the California law: unions and trial attorneys

And millions of workers benefit as well. But you knew that.

[_DarkHelmet]

I don't live in CA, so I don't know much about AB5. Reading the brief summary in the OP it seems the law was passed just to screw over independent contractors, but looking into it a bit, it's more complex than that. It is based on a California Supreme Court decision, Dynamex Operations West, Inc. vs. The Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Apparently there is a problem in California with companies misclassifying employees as contractors. It seems there is some economic benefit for companies to do that. Of course, these government regulations are always just liberal politicians screwing over private enterprise and are never the consequence of private enterprise abusing the system. I'm a gig worker on the side myself who is completely happy with my 1099 status, and it will totally suck if I can no longer find gig work because a few bad apples ruined it for everyone.

[_Gunnar]

As I said before, I am sympathetic with competent and honest people who chose to be classified as independent contractors. But there ought to be adequate guidelines and safeguards against misclassifying employees as independent contractors in order to take unfair advantage of them and limit liability for their safety and protection.