A Proposal to Protect Gig Work?

Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at Independent Women's Forum, reports that there are legislative efforts underway to protect gig work, after the last few administrations played ping-pong with labor regulations defining contractor status:

The Left and the ailing labor union movement condemn independent contract work for failing to provide workplace benefits. Yet that should be a workers choice. Not everyone wants or needs benefits as a part of a work arrangement. Additionally, contractors are gaining access to employment based benefits. The good news is that proposed federal legislation and state reforms would allow companies to provide portable benefits to independent contractors without forcing them to be reclassified as employees. Policymakers on the Left should get on board. [links omitted]

My shot from the hip, not being an attorney or even having read the bill: Insofar as such a bill would create certainty for gig workers, this sounds like good news. Laws -- even imperfect ones -- aren't subject to whim like regulations and executive orders are.

The bit about employment benefits strikes me as a mixed bag. While the government has no business meddling in the medical or insurance sectors, I could see this as a legislative band-aid to make that kind of arrangement possible, further entrenchment of government meddling, or both.

On balance, I think this is a good thing, but I am curious to see further commentary.

-- CAV