gig economy News

How Gig Economy Is Using Private Arbitration to Win on Labor Classification

Sharing economy workers’ best shot at suing to rewrite the rules of their employment may soon pass them by. As judges last Thursday considered settlements that will leave Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. drivers as independent contractors, two of …

NYC Drivers Group Sues Uber Over Independent Contractor Classification

A group representing 5,000 Uber Technologies Inc drivers in New York City filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the ride-share company of depriving drivers of various employment protections by misclassifying them as independent contractors. The proposed class action lawsuit filed …

Allstate Debuts Insurance Coverage for Homeowners Sharing Their Homes

In a move to serve customers who rent out their homes on a temporary basis, Allstate has filed plans to offer home-sharing protection in six states — Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee and Utah — starting in mid-August. Allstate says …

Labor Unions Searching for Strategies to Join the Gig Economy

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers trumpeted an agreement reached earlier this month to represent New York Uber drivers, saying it “gives organized labor an opportunity to shape the new economy in a way that supports and values …

Uber Settlement Doesn’t Settle Gig Economy’s Independent Contractor vs. Employee Dispute

Uber Technologies Inc. resolved the biggest threat to its business by settling with California drivers suing to be treated more like traditional employees, a move that could have broad-ranging implications for companies across the sharing economy. The agreement calls for …

Survey Shows Many Americans Fine with Lying to the IRS, or Their Insurer

Call it a “little green lie.” A number of Americans apparently find it acceptable to lie when there’s money at stake. A survey of 2,115 American adults from NerdWallet conducted in February shows a surprising number of people will fib …

‘Cool’ Austin Icy Toward Uber, Airbnb, Bristling Tech Sector

Austin, Texas, boasts a reputation as one of most cutting-edge cities in the U.S, but new local regulations on ride-hailing apps such as Uber and rental sites such as Airbnb are stirring discontent in the tech sector, where some entrepreneurs …

Few Rideshare Drivers Have Insurance, But Interest is Growing

A large portion of rideshare drivers do not have the required insurance – but more are buying it, or seem to be more interested in it. According to a recent survey by the Rideshare Guy, roughly one-in-five rideshare drivers have …

Gig Economy Now 6.5% of U.S. Workforce; Provides Extra Income for 10 Million

It’s a job market revolution: an estimated 10.3 million Americans earned income through web-based platforms like Uber and Airbnb between 2012 and 2015. That’s more people than reside in the entire state of Georgia and amounts to 6.5 percent of …

Warming to Alternative Classifications for Gig Economy Workers

Judges and juries around the country are being asked to decide whether Uber and Lyft drivers and other participants in the “gig economy” are really independent contractors or just employees in disguise. But what if they’re something else altogether? Vince …