🚨 Freelancers take note
Significant headlines for independent contractors
I hope you all had a nice weekend and that you’re staying safe and dry. And if you’re not totally OK, that’s totally OK too. Let’s all give ourselves plenty of grace as 2021 is shaping up to be just 2020 with bangs (which is a thing I stole from a meme that I promise I would attribute if I could remember where I saw it).
I’ll start the week with two snippets of news related specifically to California-based freelancers, but certainly worth watching for independent contractors in any field, and for people who work with them, all across the country.
To rewind for a sec: Right before COVID upended life as we know it, another thing was upending work as freelancers knew it in California: AB5, a piece of legislation that was nominally meant to protect independent contractors (“““““ all the quote fingers “““““) but ended up royally screwing many of us in fields like journalism — and far beyond — by limiting our freedom to work.
We ultimately won a formal exemption (due in large part to the organizing work of my colleagues at California Freelance Writers United) and were at last free to get back to our work as independent business owners.
Later in the year, the likes of Uber, Lyft, Instacart, and Doordash put up a ballot proposition — Prop. 22 — that allowed these app-based businesses to classify their workers as independent contractors. These companies put up 887698 zillion dollars (actually: $220 million), making it the most expensive ballot initiative in state history. It passed. Friday afternoon however, it was ruled unconstitutional and unenforcable. Watch this space.
The second bit of freelancer-related news is that the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously last week to have the city explore enacting a local act similar to New York’s “Freelance Isn’t Free Act,” which requires contracts and actual on-time payments. And which, you know, is only freaking fair.
Open Press Opportunities
For Allrecipes, I write a regular column about creative budget cooking and grocery shopping. I’m always seeking interesting new subjects to feature. Here’s what that looks like (many of you will recognize this subject!).
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Et Cetera
If you live in California, please remember to vote in the recall election!
Woo, FDA!! Now let’s get this jab ready for the 5 to 11 set. Mommy’s over here waiting to exhale like fellow Berkeley alumna Terri McMillan. (Go Bears!)
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