This recent article by Stuff highlighted Airtasker the Uber of business and home tasking, as another business falls outside our employment laws.
The latest initiative Australian multi – national Airtasker exemplifies the imperative changes to our employment law.
The current legislative employment framework is outdated. It fails to appreciate the proliferation of “gig” economy organisations fueled now by Covid-19.
Such business models do not fit easily with the change in the way work and businesses operate.
Organisations such as uber and now Airtasker blur the boundaries between employees and contractors.
Without legislative protection the new “gig’ business model allows for potential exploitation and creates a new class of vulnerable workers. These workers ( those who do the work) have no rights to minimum wage ( payments) no sick leave and they cannot bring a claim for personal grievance.
With the growth in “gig” economy the current legislative framework excludes all relationships other than pure employment ones.
Current legal tests for determining the true nature of a relationship contractor or employment are artificial and rely upon a fictional assessment of the facts to squeeze the realty. Law that cannot be respected is bad law.
Hybrid gig arrangements ought to have legal recognition for what they are. Workers engaged in the gig economy ought to have the same rights and protections as those employed.
In 2018 the labour government promised protection. Currently there is a bill before the house ( third reading ) for minimum wage protection. For dependent contractors Why has this dragged on and why so limited.
The current framework excludes all relationships that are predicated on the old Victorian master /servant type arrangements that grew out of the arbitration and conciliation act of 1894.
Control and rigidity is a for example a key determinant of what is an employee. Such traditional concepts are denying the modern reality of flexible working arrangements and business initiatives.
Time for a change. Time to level the playing fields and recognise the digital revolution and definition of “work” and the fact that there is now a new class of workers evolving that are neither employees or independent contractors but a hybrid of the two who need to have protection and rights..
Uber is currently before the employment court for a determination of the status of its drivers, employers, or independent contractors. That decision whichever way it goes will depend on a distorted interpretation of the facts to fit the law according to the court.
The Uber case cannot remedy the anomaly but give either joy or grief to one of the parties. Time for a reality check and a law change to avoid power imbalance and exploitation.
If you feel your rights are being impinged, get in touch with Buckett Law today.
