The term ‘gig workers’ refers to independent contractors who partake in on-demand jobs for multiple clients. They earn income by providing certain services to companies in need of them.
Unlike standard work, gig work is usually temporary and short-term. Some gig workers often add gigs as side jobs to their traditional ones to earn extra money or experience.
In the world today, the gig economy is getting bigger and bigger. About 36 percent of U.S. workers already make up the gig economy in the country.
Safety Issues Faced by Gig Workers
Several online companies today consider freelancers to help them execute jobs. Indeed, gig work seems rewarding to people seeking to develop their skills. But, there may be a slight concern regarding gig workers’ protection while working.
Statistically, (54 percent) of gig workers do not have access to employer-provided benefits. Keeping this in mind, what happens when a gig worker’s health is threatened? There is always the risk of injury or even death on the job.
Media reports about gig workers being robbed, assaulted, or killed are in circulation. Unlike traditional workers, gig workers do not enjoy protection from their companies. As a result, more than 50 gig workers have been killed on the job since 2017.
According to law expert Catherine Fisk, families of gig workers cannot access the legal system to file lawsuits like a wrongful death suit. In addition, she said such companies are not responsible for injuries that gig-workers sustain while on the job.
Bella Lewis, a former driver for Lyft, was shot and killed by a passenger while on the job. In the end, her family paid for the cost of the funeral and other burial expenses. Although Liberty Mutual, Lyft’s insurance company, was expected to cover the costs, they did not.
Why Gig Workers Are Vulnerable to Harm
Despite their work’s flexibility, gig workers often put themselves at risk. For example, from 2006 to 2016, 1,275 out of the 10,337 fatal occupational injuries nationwide were incurred by independent workers. Eighty-five percent of these were independent contractors. But why is this so?
Out of all the factors responsible, perhaps the fact that most gig workers are self-employed is the most crucial. These workers are not provided benefits like health insurance, accidental death, and injury coverage. These protections increase worker safety.
Only 20 percent of gig workers have access to life insurance, and only five percent have short-term disability insurance. As a result, most gig workers are prone to injury and death because of the risks involved.
The Future of the Gig Economy
The current state of gig workers’ safety is not encouraging, but that might be changing soon. The U.S. Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh, opposes calling gig workers independent contractors. To her, they should be classified as employees instead.
Backing the statement, the Department of Labor plans to implement new rules which would protect workers. This would include protections regarding wage and hour standards, among others. In addition, there will be conversations with gig companies to ensure workers have access to everything an average employee can access.
Conclusion
The popular freelancing site, Upwork, stated that the income generated by the gig economy is nearly $1.2 trillion. If this proves anything, it is the huge impact gig workers make today. “These workers need to be well-protected and treated as regular employees. As the new rules are set to be implemented soon, the reality may not be far off anymore” says Neal A. Goldstein of Goldstein and Bashner.