Will New California Legislation Make Employment More Fair In Silicon Valley?

Governor Gavin Newsom, last week, signed AB5: that’s legislation that transforms the way workers are identified and get paid in California. AB5 came out of a state supreme court ruling concerning a courier company called Dynamex. And it’s largely seen as a response to the gig economy — people driving for companies like Uber, Lyft or DoorDash who have been identified as independent contractors. That means don’t get health benefits and other rights of employment. But the law reaches into pretty much every aspect of the working world — because there are freelancers in so many industries. Johana Bhuiyan covers the tech industry with a focus on accountability for the LA Times. She tells us how AB5 will affect pretty much all of us.