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'It feels cold and heartless': Hundreds of California freelancers have been fired before the holidays over a state law meant to help Uber and Lyft drivers
Business Insider ^ | December 18, 2019 | Allana Akhtar

Posted on 12/19/2019 10:17:32 AM PST by karpov

Rather than spending the holidays relaxing, Will Griffith needs to decide whether he should immediately leave the freelance gig he's had for the past five years or stick around until his contract is terminated in March.

Griffith was one of 200 Vox Media freelancers in California who lost their job on Monday. The company nixed freelancers because of a new state law that defines some positions previously filled by freelancers or gig workers as full-time roles with benefits. The law takes effect January 1.

California lawmakers meant for the new law, Assembly Bill 5, to help Uber and Lyft drivers get more pay and benefits for working long hours. But instead, to save money, companies responded by slashing jobs for part-time and full-time freelance workers altogether — right before the holidays.

Business Insider spoke with eight current freelancers or former freelancers who said they lost jobs or were affected by AB5 — five worked for Vox's SB Nation sports websites, which employs mostly freelancers, and three worked elsewhere as freelance writers. Vox did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why jobs were cut.

"That website has been a part of my life since I was reading it at 14 years old," Griffith told Business Insider regarding his work on the Vox-owned site Sactown Royalty, which covers the Sacramento Kings basketball team. "Sacramento wouldn't have an NBA team without Sactown Royalty as a rallying point. The community of readers and writers is some of the best in the country, and [Vox] completely stabbed those readers and writers in the back."

After Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB5 in September, many labor experts praised the law for prohibiting companies from using freelance workers without giving them benefits like healthcare. Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: California
KEYWORDS: ab5; california; commiefornia; freelance; gavinnewsom; jerrybrown; vox
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To: Freee-dame

Lots of Indian H1-B programmers get paid much better than Indian programmers in India. Also lots of $100,000 programmers in San Francisco, where a studio apartment runs $3,600 per month. So, it depends on what your definition of well paid “is”.


41 posted on 12/19/2019 11:22:42 AM PST by bIlluminati (Defund the Left. Shrink the U.S. Federal government to 1897 levels.)
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To: all the best; Ancesthntr

Liberals make decisions with their dark, hateful, angry, envious, covetous hearts

That would make a great tagline.

Too bad mine is busy at the moment...


42 posted on 12/19/2019 11:23:43 AM PST by null and void (The government wants to disarm us after 243 yrs 'cuz they plan to do things we would shoot them for!)
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To: null and void

Aren’t you a laugh riot.

Was the dog tasty or did he come back to bite you!


43 posted on 12/19/2019 11:40:04 AM PST by desertfreedom765
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To: Psalm 73

Another unintended consequence of Socialism. Great job California.


44 posted on 12/19/2019 11:40:39 AM PST by JGPhila
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To: karpov; All

Huh? Is this a California thing like crap on the sidewalks of San Francisco? What it a gig worker? Freelance folks are usually writers.


45 posted on 12/19/2019 11:44:37 AM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isnÂ’t common anymore.)
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To: karpov

Unintended Consequences - very prolific legislators, creating all sorts of impacts at every level of government.


46 posted on 12/19/2019 11:46:48 AM PST by jimfree (My19 y/o granddaughter continues to have more quality exec experience than an 8 year Obama.)
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To: karpov

Suck it up buttercups. This is what happens when you’re a sheep and you vote with the wolves.


47 posted on 12/19/2019 11:49:37 AM PST by jmacusa ("If wisdom is not the Lord, what is wisdom?)
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To: karpov

This law was not enacted to “help Uber and Lyft drivers” ... it was passed to drive Uber and Lyft out of business ti protect the interests of big-time Democrat/Left donors.


48 posted on 12/19/2019 11:52:02 AM PST by glennaro
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To: desertfreedom765

*shrug* I carry the story in my car, I’ve gotten out of one ticket showing it to the cop, about a 50% success rate...


49 posted on 12/19/2019 11:53:37 AM PST by null and void (The government wants to disarm us after 243 yrs 'cuz they plan to do things we would shoot them for!)
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To: karpov

i love it when communists eat their own.

schadenfreude indeed

eff em


50 posted on 12/19/2019 11:55:25 AM PST by QualityMan
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To: karpov

Popcorns popping as I’m a watchin
California Dems are a hoppin
Passing laws that stoppin
Ruling in a 3rd world shithole land.

( sung to the the tune of winter wonder land)


51 posted on 12/19/2019 11:59:07 AM PST by Waverunner (I'd like to welcome our new overlords, say hello to my little friend)
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To: BlueLancer

Zorro the Gay Blade.
Love at First Bite.
When it was OK to make funny movies.


52 posted on 12/19/2019 12:00:48 PM PST by Waverunner (I'd like to welcome our new overlords, say hello to my little friend)
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To: null and void

I’ll have to try that next time I am pulled over.

Thanks for the laugh.


53 posted on 12/19/2019 12:01:22 PM PST by desertfreedom765
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To: Waverunner
You should have put the tune note at the top...before that I was only able to rap...watchin...hoppin...stoppin...


54 posted on 12/19/2019 12:02:01 PM PST by Magnum44 (My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them.)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Data Science


55 posted on 12/19/2019 12:07:41 PM PST by cnsmom
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To: desertfreedom765
The time it didn't work there were a half dozen or so of San José's finest pulling over driver after driver after driver who failed to yield. Maybe with a couple dozen motorcycle cops (Hi Harris boys!) they could have ticketed everyone who passed through that intersection.

Maybe not.

56 posted on 12/19/2019 12:08:50 PM PST by null and void (The government wants to disarm us after 243 yrs 'cuz they plan to do things we would shoot them for!)
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To: Freee-dame

It’s in the back story. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/learn-to-code

Go here for the read.


57 posted on 12/19/2019 12:16:42 PM PST by WakeUpAndVote
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To: WakeUpAndVote

If coding is a type of software development, it probably depends on logical thinking. So-called journalists believe in feelings, not facts or logic. They might have a lot of trouble learning to code.


58 posted on 12/19/2019 12:27:34 PM PST by Freee-dame
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To: karpov

Can’t they learn to code??


59 posted on 12/19/2019 12:34:33 PM PST by eyeamok
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To: DoughtyOne

“There is no problem needing to be fixed.”

There never seems to be...but that never stops them! ;)


60 posted on 12/19/2019 3:35:16 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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