Presidents Joe Biden of the U.S. and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched an unprecedented U.S.-Brazil partnership focused on workers’ rights on September 20, during the week of the UN General Assembly. Though aimed at all workers, the initiative has a specific focus on so-called “gig workers,” and calls attention to regulatory actions taken by each country’s governments.
In the U.S., regulation of the gig economy is an ongoing discussion at both state and federal levels. A number of new rules have been proposed by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, during the Joe Biden administration, to address demands by advocacy groups and workers unions. Most notably, in October 2022, the Department of Labor spearheaded a landmark proposal to change the relationship between employers and independent contractors.
If adopted, gig economy workers using apps such as DoorDash, TaskRabbit, Uber, or Instacart would have bolstered protections for federal matters such as federal minimum wage and potential collective bargaining rights.
While the rulemaking process in the U.S. can take years, some states have taken action in the meantime, creating legislation to address the gig economy debate head-on. Proposition 22, a contentious ballot initiative in California aimed at addressing whether gig workers should be considered employees or independent contractors, has been at the core of an ongoing legal battle since its initial passage in 2020.
Similarly, New York City’s recently passed minimum wage protections for delivery workers have been
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