Posted on 03/11/2020 3:34:33 AM PDT by Kaslin
Freelance jobs are "feudalism," says California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez.
She persuaded California's legislature to pass a new law reclassifying freelance workers as employees. That means many people who hire them must now give them benefits like overtime, unemployment insurance, etc. Politicians said it would help freelancers a lot.
Of course, much of the media agreed. Vox called it "a victory for workers everywhere"!
Sigh. Young reporters just don't understand that stifling economic freedom always creates nasty side effects.
Actually, more understand now, because they got a very personal lesson. Once the bill passed, Vox media cut hundreds of freelance writing jobs.
When Gonzalez was asked if she felt bad about that, she sneered, those weren't "real jobs."
The arrogance of politicians! People choose jobs. Freelancers like flexibility. Politicians have no right to say certain jobs aren't good enough.
"You're thinking you're helping us, but you're not," says musician Ari Herstand in my new video. He says the anti gig-work law could "crash the California music economy."
Why? Before the law passed, if he played a gig where he'd hire a drummer, bassist and guitar player, "I just cut (each) a check for $200. Now, I have to take that drummer, put him on payroll, W2 him, get workers' comp insurance, unemployment insurance. I have to pay payroll taxes. I also have to now hire a payroll company."
All to hire musicians for one just night. The paperwork alone might cost more than the music.
The anti-gig-work law originally targeted rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, because unions claimed the companies abuse drivers.
But now many rideshare drivers are upset because the law takes away their freedom.
"I liked being independent!" said one. "I don't want a boss to tell me when or where to drive."
Herstand says Uber and Lyft drivers would often tell him: "I'm a photographer and this is my fourth side gig. I want to do this when I want to do this, and if now I'm an employee, and I'm W2'd, they're going to dictate my hours. I don't want that. (The law is) preventing us from doing what we want to do."
The law upset independent truck drivers, too. After some nosily drove big rigs in front of the legislature, they got an exemption from the law. Other politically connected professions, like lawyers and realtors, got exemptions as well.
Now Herstand's working on getting an exemption for musicians, too.
"Why is that good law?" I asked him. "An exception for whoever is clever enough to get to the politicians?"
"It's definitely not the solution," laughed Herstand. "'Write us out of this law and help us out? Here's money for your next campaign.' No, that doesn't seem like that's a way to legislate."
But that's how it's often done. The more rules politicians pass, the more money they extract from people who are regulated.
Now other politicians want to copy California's law. New York, New Jersey and Illinois have their own versions of gig economy bills. The House of Representatives wants to nationalize the law. And, this week, Democratic front-runner Joe Biden cluelessly said such a law "will give workers the dignity they deserve."
Democrats do what unions ask them to do. Politico points out that just a few years ago, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called gig work "a great service for people, giving people jobs. I don't think government should be in the business of trying to restrict job growth." He even joked that Uber drivers might earn more than he does.
But now he wants to outlaw most gig work and calls it "exploitive, abusive!"
It's no surprise that Gonzalez's biggest political donors are unions. She talks a lot about "protecting our union jobs." But now that her bill is killing jobs, she wouldn't agree to an interview.
Neither would the California unions, or any of 75 law professors, political scientists, sociologists, etc., who published a letter in support of the law.
Yes, we contacted all 75.
Herstand says that's because the law now embarrasses its supporters, but politicians won't repeal it because "no politician ever wants to admit they did something wrong."
Just before 90% of them were laid off?
Ever wonder why politicians are hated so much?
Thereby prompting under the table cash transactions...
Another work around would be for these Freelancers to license themselves as subcontractors, but then they would have to obtain a business license and since they are freelancing it is probably difficult to pin down their business expertise in one narrow field or trade.
Let me guess....H1Bs are exempted from this however.
this is funny, boy some never learn, bet now they are paying attention
Why isn’t it unconstitutional for the government to destroy your job?...
It most likely is ... but the constitution doesn't seem to matter as much as it once did ...
If a state legally condones theft up to $900 with no criminal penalty, they are doomed as a free, capitalist enterprise.
No business, large or small can exist where thieves can walk into a store and walk out with $899 in goods and suffer no criminal penalty.
This is coming to Kalifornikator.
If the worker incorporates and acts as a corporation, he can not be shackled to an employer
Become a corporation
I am
Still got 10% to write propaganda!
And as I understand it, lawyers are exempt from the law
I think it should be greatly expanded to include Lawyers, Doctors, Political Consultants, Accountants,... just to make it fair.
They’ll do it on a national level the moment they get the chance.
Reviving unions as their political slush funders is the real objective here.
CA might rescind the $800 annual fee for a LLC corp
Hint...it's free in Florida.
Socialists want everyone to be an employee.
Socialists want every employee to work for a large corporation. Why? Because large corporations are easier to absorb into socialist government control. This is why socialists love regulations - because regulations put small businesses out of business.
“He says the anti gig-work law could “crash the California music economy.””
Nashville, Branson, and Muscle Shoals are ready when you are.
So, if you hire someone to mow your lawn, shovel your sidewalk, trim your hedges, paint your door....you have to employ them???????
The stupid shoot themselves in the foot. Real idiots aim first. Maybe they didn’t think the gun was loaded? Maybe the legislators didn’t think this new law would kill income for working people, or reduce taxable income for their state. If so, they are stupid. If they had even a lick of common sense, or even a grades school level understanding of basic economics, they have conclusively shown themselves to be idiots. More reason for those who don’t have to live in California, to leave it. They join millions of others heading for the door. The death spiral increases.
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