10 ms·

Closing the loophole in the law that lets them treat workers as "contractors" rather than employees is going to torpedo their whole business model.

microtherion 7y ago
In my book, it's not a "business model" until it's consistently profitable.
- citrablue 7y ago
  I agree with some of your underlying sentiment, but this is a textbook "no true scotsman" example.
- pat87 7y ago
  There can be a bad “business model”
  - turc1656 7y ago
    Exactly. It's just a model of how to piss away money and look bad doing it. Haha.
jdhn 7y ago
I'm not sure why people think that drivers for Uber & Lyft shouldn't be treated as "contractors". I know I'm in the minority on this, but to me it seems that you can jump in and out of employment with Uber & Lyft quite easily, to the point that it does seem more like contract work. As an anecdote, I took a Lyft to the airport with someone who had stopped driving for 6 months in order to get started with a new full time job, and had just started driving again to pick up a little more cash on the side. No full time employer would tolerate a 6 month break to start up another job, and then allow you to come back.
- 8note 7y ago
  My current full time employer would be fine with that -- specifically withing 6 months, I'd keep my RSU grants too
- fungiblecog 7y ago
  Contractors can set their own rates. These drivers are employees.
  - gwright 7y ago
    Your conclusion presupposes that the employee/contractor dichotomy is a useful construct in its typical form. But the current dichotomy limits the freedom of individuals to contract out their labor on terms that work form them. It replaces the free choice of individuals with the "wisdom" of bureaucrats and politicians.
  - listenallyall 7y ago
    Taxi drivers don't set their own rates. What's the proper categorization?
    - turc1656 7y ago
      The taxi analogy isn't the same. The rates are being set by the local government, not some non-government third-party whom they work with like perhaps the people who actually own the medallions (most are loaned out) or the people who lease out usage of the vehicles, etc. If those places were setting rates on what could be charged then I'd say there's an argument to be made. Also, let's not forget why the government put in those rules on setting the rates in the first place - consumer protection. Cabbies were routinely ripping people off. Furthermore, it's not just one thing. It's a set of criteria/tests that for certain states like CA and NJ are defined in the law. Taken in aggregate and not just on one single characteristic of the employment a determination can be made.
      - darkwizard42 7y ago
        This isn't wholesale true. Some areas are highly regulated (see Tokyo) and some are not regulated at all. Also, local government sets a MAXIMUM rate in some jurisdictions. The taxis then choose to set the rate the driver can get paid.

microtherion 7y ago

In my book, it's not a "business model" until it's consistently profitable.

citrablue 7y ago
I agree with some of your underlying sentiment, but this is a textbook "no true scotsman" example.
pat87 7y ago
There can be a bad “business model”
- turc1656 7y ago
  Exactly. It's just a model of how to piss away money and look bad doing it. Haha.

jdhn 7y ago

I'm not sure why people think that drivers for Uber & Lyft shouldn't be treated as "contractors". I know I'm in the minority on this, but to me it seems that you can jump in and out of employment with Uber & Lyft quite easily, to the point that it does seem more like contract work. As an anecdote, I took a Lyft to the airport with someone who had stopped driving for 6 months in order to get started with a new full time job, and had just started driving again to pick up a little more cash on the side. No full time employer would tolerate a 6 month break to start up another job, and then allow you to come back.

8note 7y ago
My current full time employer would be fine with that -- specifically withing 6 months, I'd keep my RSU grants too
fungiblecog 7y ago
Contractors can set their own rates. These drivers are employees.
- gwright 7y ago
  Your conclusion presupposes that the employee/contractor dichotomy is a useful construct in its typical form. But the current dichotomy limits the freedom of individuals to contract out their labor on terms that work form them. It replaces the free choice of individuals with the "wisdom" of bureaucrats and politicians.
- listenallyall 7y ago
  Taxi drivers don't set their own rates. What's the proper categorization?
  - turc1656 7y ago
    The taxi analogy isn't the same. The rates are being set by the local government, not some non-government third-party whom they work with like perhaps the people who actually own the medallions (most are loaned out) or the people who lease out usage of the vehicles, etc. If those places were setting rates on what could be charged then I'd say there's an argument to be made. Also, let's not forget why the government put in those rules on setting the rates in the first place - consumer protection. Cabbies were routinely ripping people off. Furthermore, it's not just one thing. It's a set of criteria/tests that for certain states like CA and NJ are defined in the law. Taken in aggregate and not just on one single characteristic of the employment a determination can be made.
    - darkwizard42 7y ago
      This isn't wholesale true. Some areas are highly regulated (see Tokyo) and some are not regulated at all. Also, local government sets a MAXIMUM rate in some jurisdictions. The taxis then choose to set the rate the driver can get paid.