gig economy

12 Stories

Murky New Area of Law: Moonlighting in Adult Content

Teachers have been fired, but do they have legal recourse? The AP explores

(Newser) - At a small rural Missouri high school, two English teachers shared a secret: Both were posting adult content on OnlyFans, the subscription-based website known for sexually explicit content. The site and others like it provide an opportunity for those willing to dabble in pornography to earn extra money—sometimes lots...

Survey: Gig Drivers in Denver Average $5.49 an Hour

Pay comes in well under minimum wage, but companies contest the calculations

(Newser) - The income of gig drivers in the Denver area is running well below minimum wage, a survey has found. Two advocacy groups, Colorado Jobs with Justice and Gig Workers Rising, queried hundreds of drivers for such platforms as Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash from last November through January, the Guardian reports....

Gig Driver Who Missed Car Rental Payments Mauled by K9

Ali Badr is suing city of San Ramon, Calif., for excessive force after being pulled over by cops

(Newser) - A gig driver badly mauled by a police dog is suing a San Francisco area suburb, alleging use of excessive force and violation of civil rights when police stopped him in December 2020 after he'd missed car rental payments, reports the AP . Dashboard and body-camera videos obtained by the...

His Story Sums Up the Agony, Ecstasy of the Gig Economy

Ecstasy in 2014, at least

(Newser) - "To understand how a man could arrive at the point where he abandons his children to chase a phone, you might want to follow him on a journey." So writes Lauren Smiley in a lengthy piece for Wired about Jeffrey Fang, a "ride-hailing legend" who in 2014...

British Ruling Could Affect Gig Workers Worldwide

Country's top court says Uber drivers are workers

(Newser) - A landmark ruling against Uber from Britain's top court could provide the framework for better protection for gig workers around the world, lawyers say. The country's Supreme Court ruled Friday that Uber drivers are workers, not independent contractors, and are entitled to minimum wage and vacation time, the...

Super Bowl Ad Contradicted Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 Message
Dolly Parton Steps
on Her Message
opinion
Feb 8, 2021 5:03 PM CST

Dolly Parton Steps on Her Message

'5 to 9' commercial celebrated going to another job when the whistle blows on your first one

(Newser) - Dolly Parton rarely makes a misstep. The singer and philanthropist has become even more admired in the past few months, donating to a successful coronavirus vaccine development and pulling a child to safety as a vehicle neared. But Parton's first Super Bowl commercial is deeply disappointing, Kim Kelly writes...

Uber, Lyft Spent a Wild Amount, Came Out on Top in California

Proposition 22 passes, so workers can remain independent contactors

(Newser) - There was at least one clear winner on election night: Uber, Lyft, Instacart, and other delivery and ride-share companies, which can stick with classifying their California workers as independent contractors. Voters in the state came out 58% to 42% in favor of Proposition 22, which allows the companies to skirt...

There's an Ugly Truth Behind the Idea of $100K in Uber Pay

Edward Ongweso Jr. says what Uber ends up paying out is a shadow of that

(Newser) - If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And in a piece for Vice , Edward Ongweso Jr. applies that lens to the video story of an UberEats driver who is seemingly on track to make $100,000 this year. The story was shared in a sponsored content...

Why Amazon Drivers Are Putting Phones in Trees

Sources say it's an effort to game the Flex app

(Newser) - In a sign of how cutthroat competition for gig work has become, phones hanging from trees outside Amazon distribution centers and Whole Foods stores have become a common sight in the Chicago suburbs. Sources tell Bloomberg that the "phone trees" are used to game Amazon's system of dispatching...

Uber CEO Calls for 'Third Way' for Gig Workers
Uber CEO Calls for
'Third Way' for Gig Workers
OPINION
Aug 10, 2020 4:08 PM CDT

Uber CEO Calls for 'Third Way' for Gig Workers

He calls for creation of 'benefit funds'

(Newser) - Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is calling for a rethinking of the "outdated and unfair" labor laws so that gig economy workers like Uber drivers can enjoy benefits as well as flexibility. In a New York Times op-ed, Khosrowshahi calls for the creation of a "third way" to stop...

Brash Uber Founder: It's 'the Right Moment for Me'

Travis Kalanick is cutting all ties with the company

(Newser) - Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is resigning from the board of directors, severing ties to the ride-hailing company that he co-founded a decade ago and ran until a series of scandals led to his downfall, the AP reports. The departure, announced Tuesday, did not come as a surprise. Kalanick recently...

State Says Uber Owes $650M for Misclassifying Workers

Company disputes New Jersey ruling

(Newser) - New Jersey is seeking around $650 million from Uber in taxes and penalties, saying the ride-hailing company misclassified its drivers as independent contractors. The decision is the latest setback for Uber and other companies in the so-called "gig economy" that rely heavily on contract labor to deliver the services...

12 Stories