This week, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris began their terms as president and vice president. Both Biden and Harris have expressed views on a range of technology policy issues that are bound to be discussed in Congress as well as state legislatures over the next few years. In the coming days, we will analyze Biden’s and Harris’ comments on three technology policy issues (the gig economy, online speech, and algorithmic bias). Below is the first entry of the series.
The “Gig Economy”
Gig economy workers have become an increasingly visible segment of the labor market. Amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, gig workers have performed essential tasks, such as providing an alternative to public transportation and delivering groceries and other household goods. When unemployment skyrocketed last year, alternative work arrangements provided a source of income for many Americans without steady employment.
Since there is no universal definition for gig work, this entry uses the same definition as the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Contingent Worker Supplement. Gig work, also referred to as “electronically mediated work” and “online platform work,” describes an employment structure where workers:
- Use a company’s website or mobile application to connect with customers and source short, temporary jobs (“gigs”);
- Receive compensation from the company that owns the website or mobile application; and
- Have autonomy to decide when they complete gigs.
Examples of such workers include ride-hail drivers, delivery drivers, and housekeepers who use mobile applications and websites to find customers and receive payment.
Gig work differs from the traditional employment model in both functional and legal terms. Workers are not considered employees of the company that runs the website or mobile application. Rather, they are classified as independent contractors under federal and state laws and consequently do not follow conventional employment constraints, such as a set salary, work schedule, and structured tasks.
The rise of gig work has raised questions about employment classifications, civil rights protections, and benefits. As policymakers move forward to create a safer and more secure workplace, they must equally consider the qualities that make gig work appealing to millions of Americans.
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