Biden Gives Thumbs Up To Law That Could Wipe Out 57 Million Jobs
As a result of the pandemic and the digital era gig jobs like driving for Uber or other independent work that over 57 million Americans participate in has grown. those jobs have helped people survive the pandemic now President Biden has given the thumbs up to a law that would put those jobs in jeopardy.
House Democrats have reintroduced the PRO Act, that would reformed the definition of an independent contractor making “freelance” work illegal. The act is based on a California law that was so bad it was forced to be changed.
“The Administration strongly encourages the House to pass [the PRO Act] and looks forward to working with the Congress to enact this critical legislation that safeguards workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively,” the White House said in a statement on Monday. “The PRO Act will strengthen our democracy and advance dignity in the workplace.”
From the Washington Examiner:
It purports to stop workers from being “misclassified” as freelancers in order to force companies to hire them full-time. But the PRO Act’s redefinition of freelance worker is so narrow that a worker can only provide a company with a freelance service that is outside its normal purview. For example, Uber is a driving company. It couldn’t hire drivers as freelancers, but it could potentially hire a janitor as a freelancer.
Essentially, flexible freelance jobs such as Uber drivers or part-time newspaper columnists would be illegal in their current forms.
Some people would get hired part time however many more would lose work. Additionally, a lot of freelancers have no wish to be a full-time employee, they like being their own boss or working a side hustle.
The bill was so devastating in California that the ride service Uber almost completely shut down, hundreds of journalists were laid off, and the bill was reformed.
During a time of high unemployed due to the pandemic Biden has endorsed a bill that could destroy the jobs that have enabled people to survive during the lockdowns.
“Support for labor” by destroying every freelancer’s job https://t.co/Bn5O6TDOzS
— Brad Polumbo 🇺🇸⚽️ 🏳️🌈 (@brad_polumbo) March 8, 2021
