What Are the Implications of California’s Prop. 22 on National Labor Law?

Abstract

The November passage of Proposition 22 in California had labor advocates, legislators, and experts agreeing that the companies behind its enormous campaign funding—including Uber, DoorDash, and Lyft—had just succeeded in buying themselves a law. The proposition, written with the growing gig economy in mind, allows companies that hire independent contractors to skirt labor laws which would otherwise require them to provide employees with health care and standard benefits. As other U.S. states struggle with how to classify independent contractors, experts say that Prop. 22 will likely shape the future of the gig economy and set a new precedent in labor law.