They hope to convince U.S. officials and lawmakers to drop attempts to reclassify gig workers as employees, efforts that have gained urgency with the election of U.S. President Joe Biden, who campaigned on the promise of delivering benefits to gig workers. U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh on Thursday intensified the debate, telling Reuters in an interview that "a lot of gig workers should be classified as employees." Gig Workers Rising, a group of workers that advocates for greater benefits, on Thursday called on regulators to step in and protect working people. But absent from the proposals companies have put forward so far is the provision of unemployment pay, one of the most costly employer benefits. The lack of gig workers' access to unemployment coverage was thrown in the spotlight during the coronavirus pandemic, when an act of Congress saw taxpayers foot the unemployment bill for such workers.

Source: Standard Digital April 30, 2021 06:00 UTC