4 ms·

We need to end employer based health insurance, every other major problem is easily solvable within the gig worker framework (you can have people accrue PTO and

We need to end employer based health insurance, every other major problem is easily solvable within the gig worker framework (you can have people accrue PTO and other standard benefits based on hours worked).

cactus2093 6y ago
Strongly agree. I'll never understand the argument of forcing people to give up the benefits they already have as gig-economy workers and become full-time employees. Despite all the issues with the current situation, there are still a lot of obvious benefits that these workers do get like the ability to set their own hours, not having to work exactly 40 hours every week, and being able to work on multiple platforms. There is a very obvious solution that gives them the best of both worlds, and also helps millions of other unemployed, part-time employed, and entrepreneurial Americans. Let's make it easier for people to get by and meet their basic needs without tying their well being to long-term full-time employment at a large corporation.
- rileymat2 6y ago
  > Despite all the issues with the current situation, there are still a lot of obvious benefits that these workers do get like the ability to set their own hours, not having to work exactly 40 hours every week, and being able to work on multiple platforms. None of those are linked to being an employee or contractor.
  - ytpete 6y ago
    I think they are in some cases. An employee can forbid you from working for a competitor at the same time, for example. This is usually a good thing - e.g. Apple doesn't want their Siri engineers moonlighting on the Alexa team after hours. I don't think contractors can be subject to the same sweeping restrictions. I believe for employees paid by the hour, the employer can also dictate the number of hours per week and even the specific schedule. Employers have much more control over their employees -- that's at the heart of the contractor-employee distinction.
    - rileymat2 6y ago
      What I am saying is that all those are up to the employer. So it is disingenuous, when the company talks about additional benefits of being a contractor because those are all self imposed.
      - cactus2093 6y ago
        I am not "the company", just a spectator that is observing what companies are actually doing in practice. Yes, companies could always choose to give employees better perks out of the goodness of their heart. That's not really relevant, what's relevant is what they're actually doing. And if a company like Uber were to pay all the extra overhead to bring on all drivers as full-time employees, it would be crazy for them not to set their hours much more tightly so they would absolutely do that.

cactus2093 6y ago

Strongly agree. I'll never understand the argument of forcing people to give up the benefits they already have as gig-economy workers and become full-time employees. Despite all the issues with the current situation, there are still a lot of obvious benefits that these workers do get like the ability to set their own hours, not having to work exactly 40 hours every week, and being able to work on multiple platforms. There is a very obvious solution that gives them the best of both worlds, and also helps millions of other unemployed, part-time employed, and entrepreneurial Americans. Let's make it easier for people to get by and meet their basic needs without tying their well being to long-term full-time employment at a large corporation.

rileymat2 6y ago
> Despite all the issues with the current situation, there are still a lot of obvious benefits that these workers do get like the ability to set their own hours, not having to work exactly 40 hours every week, and being able to work on multiple platforms. None of those are linked to being an employee or contractor.
- ytpete 6y ago
  I think they are in some cases. An employee can forbid you from working for a competitor at the same time, for example. This is usually a good thing - e.g. Apple doesn't want their Siri engineers moonlighting on the Alexa team after hours. I don't think contractors can be subject to the same sweeping restrictions. I believe for employees paid by the hour, the employer can also dictate the number of hours per week and even the specific schedule. Employers have much more control over their employees -- that's at the heart of the contractor-employee distinction.
  - rileymat2 6y ago
    What I am saying is that all those are up to the employer. So it is disingenuous, when the company talks about additional benefits of being a contractor because those are all self imposed.
    - cactus2093 6y ago
      I am not "the company", just a spectator that is observing what companies are actually doing in practice. Yes, companies could always choose to give employees better perks out of the goodness of their heart. That's not really relevant, what's relevant is what they're actually doing. And if a company like Uber were to pay all the extra overhead to bring on all drivers as full-time employees, it would be crazy for them not to set their hours much more tightly so they would absolutely do that.