Labor7 min read

Gig Economy & Worker Classification

Whether platform workers are employees or contractors — and why the answer matters enormously.

Coming soon

This explainer is planned but not yet fully written. The summary below provides an overview; the full analysis with charts, stakeholder breakdowns, and citations is in progress.

Platforms like Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart classify workers as independent contractors, exempting them from minimum wage laws, benefits requirements, and collective bargaining rights. The economic and legal debate over classification has major implications for worker welfare and government revenue.