Should Workers in the App-Based Gig Economy be Regulated as Employees?

Written By: Matthew Azevedo

The number of gig workers in Canada are by no-means negligible. In 2016, the most recent figure available, approximately 1 in 10 Canadians participated in gig work, and recent events related to Covid-19 has likely made this figure even higher (1).

However, the emergence of gig-work reflects a kind of grey area that does not completely fit into the usual notion of freelance work nor traditional employee-based work. To keep the benefits of the freelance aspect of gig-work and provide workers with stability, we need to recognize this new category of work, and regulate accordingly. Nomenclature matters here, because it has major implications for the kinds of wages and benefits gig-workers receive. 

But what is gig-work, and how does it differ from traditional work? Definitions vary because gig-work can entail anything from drivers of rideshare apps to software engineers. Here, I am focusing on gig-workers who are online demand workers, such as rideshare drivers and delivery drivers for food apps, as they have been the major focus of the ongoing debate. This type of gigwork entails flexible hours, high turnover rates, and most notably, low wages: in 2016, the median net income for gig-work was $4,303 (1). 

Typically, freelance workers can set their own hours and take clients as they please, which is generally true for most app-based gig-work. However, aside from flexibility, a key difference is that gig-apps have significantly more control over their workers than a typical “employer” does. For instance, gig-workers have no say in rates earned per task, as it is set by the company. This is an important difference, because gig-workers cannot negotiate what they receive with clients or the online platform that pays their salary (3). If companies are fixing the price of the services their workers provide, then they are indirectly determining their wages. In effect, such companies are exploiting a regulatory loophole under the guise of “freelance” work to avoid paying less than the minimum wage. For these reasons, workers need protections which are not entailed by prexisting regulations on freelance work. 

On the other hand, classifying app-based gig workers as employees is not an entirely accurate representation of the relationship between such workers and the company. There is a great deal of flexibility in work hours, and workers may suddenly leave the app and easily rejoin after a long period of time. A lack of barriers to entry into the gig-economy may be desirable in times of an economic downturn, and to workers who have recently become unemployed and need income. Workers are also under no obligation to accept clients at any given time. If gig workers are enjoying these benefits, then it may not be desirable to fully classify such workers as employees. 

A “one-size-fits-all” regulatory approach will therefore not suffice to help app-based gig workers. This is especially apparent when we consider the heterogeneity of gig workers: approximately half have other sources of income, while the other half rely primarily on gig-work (1). Those who utilize gig-work only to supplement their income be disadvantaged by an “employment” classification, while the those who rely on gig-work as a primary source of income may benefit from the stability of an employer-like relationship. At a minimum, all types of workers would likely benefit from earning at least minimum wage. 

Given the likelihood of gig-work of becoming more predominant into the future, regulating them appropriately to keep the benefits while providing stability is crucial for a healthy labour market. As such, we need to recognize a new category of workers that is not entirely freelancers nor employees. 

 

Works Cited

(1) Sung-Hee Jeon, Huju Liu, and Yuri Ostrovsky. “Measuring the Gig Economy in Canada Using Administrative Data.” Statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. December 16, 2019. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11f0019m/11f0019m2019025-eng.htm. 

(2) Goulart, Ruben. “Opinion | Bill 88 Is a Step Forward for Ontario Gig Workers, but There’s an Opportunity to Go Further.” Thestar.com. March 21, 2022. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/03/21/bill-88-is-a-step-forwardfor-ontario-gig-workers-but-theres-an-opportunity-to-go-further.html. 

(3) Russon, Mary-Ann. “Uber Drivers Are Workers Not Self-Employed, Supreme Court Rules.” BBC News, February 19, 2021, sec. Business. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56123668.

2 Comments on "Should Workers in the App-Based Gig Economy be Regulated as Employees?"

  • Avatar

    glyburide générique en ligne : ce qu’il faut savoir acheter micronase à Genève
    micronase : Ce que les consommateurs doivent savoir avant d’acheter en ligne
    Acheter du glyburide en ligne en toute simplicité
    commander micronase en Belgique en ligne acheter glyburide à Montréal
    où acheter du glyburide sans prescription médicale
    Obtenez votre glyburide en ligne en toute discrétion
    micronase sans ordonnance : Les alternatives légales glyburide pour une utilisation facile
    Acheter glyburide au meilleur prix France Commandez votre glyburide en ligne en toute discrétion
    micronase en ligne livrée en France à votre porte Commander de la glyburide en toute confidentialité
    Meilleurs sites pour acheter glyburide sans ordonnance en France
    Pharmacie en ligne fiable pour acheter de la glyburide en France
    Trouvez la bonne dose de glyburide en ligne glyburide : guide d’achat
    en ligne pour les consommateurs avertis
    glyburide disponible en Allemagne acheter glyburide Maroc avec indication médicale
    Pharmacie en ligne française pour acheter du glyburide micronase : conseils pour acheter en toute sécurité en ligne
    glyburide en pharmacie en ligne française
    glyburide pour une livraison discrète à domicile
    Obtenez des informations sur la posologie de la glyburide en ligne
    Commandez votre glyburide en quelques clics
    achat de glyburide en Allemagne Acheter micronase générique en ligne
    micronase en stock permanent
    glyburide de confiance à acheter Belgique
    Acheter glyburide en ligne au Maroc en toute sécurité Achat en ligne
    de micronase sans tracas
    glyburide vente libre Canada
    Achat de micronase en ligne en France sans risque
    Commander de la glyburide en ligne sans ordonnance en Suisse Pharmacie en ligne française pour acheter
    du glyburide sans tracas
    glyburide : Le point sur les achats en ligne
    Acheter glyburide en ligne : conseils pour une expérience sûre Pharmacie en ligne sûre pour glyburide Belgique
    glyburide en Belgique en pharmacie
    Commander de la glyburide en ligne sans ordonnance en Suisse Achat
    de micronase en ligne avec livraison discrète
    Commandez votre micronase en ligne 24/7
    acheter micronase légalement Belgique Risques associés à l’achat de micronase sans
    ordonnance en Belgique
    pharmacie en ligne en Espagne vendant glyburide
    Comment utiliser micronase en toute sécurité

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *