California’s Prop 22 – The Devil is in the Details

As a California voter, I hate the proposition process.  I have always felt it was inappropriate for the masses to legislate, since that is what we elect our state representatives to do. Unfortunately, those representatives don’t always do a good job.  They passed a law in late 2019, AB5, designed to require gig platforms to… Continue reading California’s Prop 22 – The Devil is in the Details

The Gig Economy Deserves Better

The recent passage of #AB2257 shows just how ill-conceived #AB5 was, and how little the lawmakers understood about the gig economy. I may not write laws, but I write books.  When I submit a manuscript to my editor, I am thrilled when the suggested changes  are minor; I know I have done a good job… Continue reading The Gig Economy Deserves Better

“Agency” and the Gig Economy

Deloitte Research and the MIT Sloan Management Review published an interesting report recently entitled “Opportunity Marketplaces.” Their premise is that companies should create internal talent platforms  which are employee directed and enable workers to  develop new skills and investigate new intellectually challenging corporate projects.  By providing such opportunity marketplaces, employees will be able to exercise… Continue reading “Agency” and the Gig Economy

Politics and the #GigEconomy

I suppose I should be happy that the #gigeconomy is at least being mentioned by some of the presidential candidates.  That said, I am disappointed with their frame of reference. Mayor Pete has been the one who has proposed allowing gig workers to unionize.  In so doing, he had made the mistake which many people… Continue reading Politics and the #GigEconomy

#CoolGigCompanies – Gigworker.com, A New Resource for Gig Workers

Brett Helling  wants GigWorker.com to be for independent workers what Ridester has become for drivers in the rideshare business. Ridester is the “got to” resource for rideshare drivers and customers with how to guides, industry news, and specialized promotions for all things related to rideshare apps. And Brett should know how, since he is the… Continue reading #CoolGigCompanies – Gigworker.com, A New Resource for Gig Workers

The Government Shutdown and the #GigEconomy

There have been several articles so far this year about how furloughed federal workers are using the gig economy to make ends meet; A recent Fast Company article indicated that services offered on the digital talent platform, Fiverr, in the Washington DC metro area increased by 41%. That means that the number of people putting… Continue reading The Government Shutdown and the #GigEconomy

Community in the #Gig Economy

A challenge for many workers in the # gig economy is the isolation.  By definition independent workers are working on their own, an island away from the mainland. You do get to mingle with clients now and then, but for many, independent work is remote, and that client connection is via email, phone or maybe… Continue reading Community in the #Gig Economy

Timing and the #GigEconomy

People are often surprised when they discover the millions of people who choose to work independently in the #GigEconomy.  Various studies show that their motivation is the desire for flexibility; some want to be their own boss, or more specifically, avoid having any boss at all.  Others want to make more money. But for many… Continue reading Timing and the #GigEconomy

Mortgages and the #Gig Economy

Getting a mortgage is one of the challenges for independent workers in the #GigEconomy. Lenders typically qualify loan applicants based on employment income as reported on a W2.  There could be significant other income reported on 1099s, but that seldom seemed sufficient for the underwriters. This has been a problem for decades and frankly is… Continue reading Mortgages and the #Gig Economy