Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.increasingly people are working as independent contractors in the so-called "gig economy"—a system that allows people to pick up steady work by operating as freelancers without the benefits afforded to traditional employees,like Social Security and Medicare.
Workers in the gig economy report their income on federal 1099 forms, not on W-2s, or it's why companies like Uber and TaskRabbit own been thriving. But the "gig" may soon be up.
Jeff Bercovici, San Francisco bureau chief for Inc. Magazine, says the misclassification of workers is prompting a number of class action lawsuits that could threaten the future of the gig economy.
What you'll learn from this segment:How the gig economy fits within current labor law standards in the U.
S.
Why class action lawsuits threaten companies like Uber.
Why some say the on-demand economy currently hangs in the balance.
Source: wnyc.org