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Perhaps going from independent contractor to proper employee can be an earned upgrade? Those who show consistent performance could become eligible for benefits
by rm_-rf_slash 11y ago
Perhaps going from independent contractor to proper employee can be an earned upgrade? Those who show consistent performance could become eligible for benefits like health coverage, auto repair co-payments (if Uber, for example), and a preferred listing for customers. This way people who are committed to making a living in the sharing economy can coexist with the real independents who only participate to make a little extra coin.
- prostoalex 11y agoA company like Uber doesn't have the economy of scale to get a good rate for benefits. Each state is a different market, so being a top transportation network in California doesn't buy you negotiating power in New Jersey. The rate won't differ much from what the driver will be quoted on an ACA exchange if he were to buy it himself (and might actually be worse, because individuals are eligible for subsidies, while companies aren't). Then you have all sorts of issues of vacation time and coverage meanwhile. If the driver doesn't sign into the network for X amount of days, is he still eligible? Or automatically dropped from employee status and subsequent coverage?
- rm_-rf_slash 11y agoThat's a good point. It would certainly require a rethinking of how a company like Uber considers drivers to be employees. Using Uber as an example, they would have to mandate working hours and other customer service standards. However in Uber's particular case, being a $40bn company and not being able to pay employees like employees is either a reflection of laziness, greed, shamefulness, or all of the above.