Congress recently introduced the Worker Flexibility and Choice Act (WFCA), which would do quite the opposite of what its name suggests: It would make it so gig workers like me are not protected by federal minimum wage laws and other worker protections–and it would block states from introducing their own regulations to maintain decent standards.
As a full-time Lyft driver working in southern California since 2017, I know the importance of flexibility at work. That’s why I decided to start driving in the first place–the ability to work when and for how long I wanted.
However, the reality of gig work is not so rosy. App-based companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash spend millions to convince lawmakers and the public that they should be exempt from worker protection laws that apply to all other employers. Working through lobbying groups such as Flex and the Coalition for Workforce Innovation (CWI)–the very group behind the WFCA–they pitch policymakers the false premise that drivers like me can’t have employee rights and benefits. They say that I am an independent contractor, even as key aspects of my job–like who I pick up, where I take them, and how much money I make—are set by Lyft.
“Flexibility” and “independence” sound nice, but here’s the truth: When you have to work over 50 hours a week to make ends meet, when you have to weigh every hour that you don’t work against the lost income, when you are one accident or illness away from financial ruin, flexibility and...
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