Freelance Nation - Employee Status Could Be on the Way (and the Creator Economy might not welcome it)

 "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." - Reuters Legal, September 28, 2022/

The implications, of course, are game-changing. 

For businesses, that could be the beginning of the end of their ability to operate with a contract labor force. No longer would they have the business model of not being saddled with having to deal with the rights and benefits legally due employees. 

According to the rule a way of determining classification of "employee" is if the workers depend on one company for their living. Trade associations ranging from the American Chamber of Commerce to the National Retail Federation are lobbying against the proposal. 

For current gig workers the new rule could mean the same access to the legal system which employees have as well as the ability to receive benefits. Those range from paid time off to employer-contribution to medical insurance. 

From my intuitive career coaching I know that not all who exchange their labor for payment want to be employees. They treasure the absolute freedom of being independent. 

In a sense they view themselves as a version of entrepreneurs. A dominant role is being part of the Creator Economy - that is, earning income by software-facilitated content-production. Freelance influencers making big money on social networks representing brands probably don't welcome what the employee classification entails.  

Upwork documents that during the past 12 months 60 million have earned all or some of their living from what's called "freelancing." Their status could shift to employee, causing an earthquake in the future of work. Both management and labor would have to think and behave differently. 

You may need to change jobs, careers, or from being a worker to entrepreneurship. You are not alone. So many are at a crossroads. Complimentary consultation for coaching, job-search materials, and interviewing. The menu of services includes Tarot readings, both spreads and one-card pulls. Please contact janegenova374@gmail.com or text 203-468-8579.