Mason  🏃‍♂️ ✂️

I am not following you. The lack of a third category caused the political dysfunction? Poor enforcement of overtime rules gave workers more control over their hours?

No: the market was created explicitly because it allowed for a kind of regulatory arbitrage. The legal categories *made* the market as it is.

I don't think that's right. Classifying drivers as employees would make it very difficult for Uber to offer the level of autonomy they currently enjoy. They'd have to limit when and where drivers drive in order to ensure they got enough fares to be worth minimum wage.

And I think that would be genuinely worse for a fair number of Uber drivers, especially those who are doing it part time in the down time between other commitments.

I think Uber/Lyft would (mostly) look the same with a 3rd category. There's demand for flexible work + a market maker that can match supply/demand quickly. Those are the fundamentals.

If Uber/Lyft drivers aren't independent contractors, who is? If you're arguing we've overbuilt a rigid healthcare/retirement/etc. infrastructure that's insufficient for this class of worker, I'm with you, but "these people don't belong in the screwed-over class" feels a bit dodgy

A genuine independent contractor is like a plumber who comes to my house once, does a job, and never comes back. If you're working for the same company month after month for years, you're at least close to the employee/contractor line.