10.9.19 - New York Said to Become Next Battleground for Gig Worker Law
'The debate over gig worker rights could soon move east, as lawmakers in New York consider following California in making it harder for companies like Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. to classify drivers as independent contractors.'
'Uber and Lyft’s costs per driver could jump by more than 20% if they have to reclassify workers as employees, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence analysis.'
'Savino said New York’s in a different position than California, where a state Supreme Court ruling spurred support for the law. The court last year adopted the “ABC” legal test for worker classification, which makes it significantly more difficult to classify workers as independent contractors. A.B. 5 codified the decision in state law. The worker advocate coalition wants New York to follow suit.
New York has a “fresh landscape,” Savino said. “I think we’re in a better position to come up with what I hope to be a clear definition of what employees are and what independent contractors are.”'