Policy and a Pint: How California Is Changing "Gig Economy" Employment

Is the jig up for the “Gig Economy” in California?

Governor Gavin Newsom just signed California’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) legislation into law — and it’s one of the most contentious bills this year that we’ll probably still be talking about (and voting on) during Election Year 2020.

AB5, which kicks in on January 1, changes the test used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The legislation will affect at least one million workers, ranging from ride-hailing drivers and food-delivery couriers to construction workers and franchise owners, who could now all be reclassified as employees.

Proponents of AB5 say the new bill gives gig economy workers more access to basic workplace protections, like a minimum wage and unemployment insurance.

Those against it say it will prevent contract workers from having flexibility and control over their schedules, and it will make running businesses in California even more expensive.

Besides knowing how this may affect your job, you'll also have a better sense about how you may vote on it in 2020 (Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are planning to spend $90 million to support a ballot initiative that would essentially exempt them and their contract workers from AB5).

Join us for a interesting conversation about how this bill could change up jobs, labor unions, the workplace and the economy in California — and the rest of the country.

PANELISTS
* Anthony Giannotti, owner of Anthony's Barber Shop and Bottle & Barlow in Sacramento
* Kimberly Lucia, partner and attorney specializing in employment law at Boutin Jones Inc. in Sacramento
* Khaim Morton, vice president of policy and economic development at Sacramento Metro Chamber
* Jeff Perry, a Sacramento-based Uber driver, and an organizer for Gig Workers Rising
* NOTE: Caitlin Vega, legislative director for the California Labor Federation, had a family emergency and couldn't attend the event

PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY
* O to 7:15 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers, and the focus of this discussion: the contentious Assembly Bill 5 (AB5)
* 7:15 min - Panelists introduce themselves, and share the most interesting "gig job" they've ever had
* 10:50 min - Lucia gives us a primer on AB5 -- the court ruling that got the ball rolling, and a general summary of the bill Governor Newsom signed into law
* 16:20 min - Giannotti describes how that court ruling hit his business hard, and what has happened since
* 20:25 min - Perry explains the current situation for gig workers, and how he sees AB5 improving things for them
* 27:50 min - Morton tells why the Metro Chamber sees AB5 as really bad for its business members
* 30:15 min - Why labor unions and organizers support AB5
* 37:25 min - Why did some types of employees get exemptions under AB5 (e.g., hairdressers and doctors) and some did not (e.g. truck drivers and freelance writers)?
* 43:50 min - How will AB5 impact consumers -- and their wallets?
* 1 hr, 2:25 min - Why Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are spending $90 million to create a ballot initiative in 2020 that shoots down AB5 -- and will they succeed?
* 1 hr, 10:35 - How easy will the independent-contractor-to-employee transition be for workers and businesses?
* 1 hr, 16 min - Panelists' personal thoughts on the current situation of work, the workplace, workers' rights, and employee benefits -- and how it could be changed
* 1 hr, 22:05 min - What's the outlook for the Gig Economy, and how will it affect other industries?