Thanks to Prop 22, the gig economy triumphed in California on Election 2020.
Uber's heavy investment in having Prop 22 passed paid off. That exempts ride-hailing services, along with food delivery, from CA AB5. As of January 2020, that law mandates employers reclassify contract workers as employees. That designation brings with it the traditional rights, benefits and protections of being an employee.
But that high-profile win is no longer the story. The New York Times reports that in the process of framing Prop 22, Uber established a hybrid social contract between those hiring and those doing the tasks. Uber calls its the "Third Way." Simultaneously, it provides workers with the flexibility of being a contractor and with some benefits. For those who support the gig economy, that represents the best of two worlds.
Increasingly, it's thinkable that the Third Way model could be the platform on which The Future of Work plays out.
The job as we have known it as well as careers could become anachronisms. For instance, Wallis Towers Watson writes off career paths as yesterday, being replaced by a a portfolio of broad nonlinear experiences. What we pitch to those who can hire us will not align with the tone and content of the typical resume.
That's why it's a big deal how search/executive development firm Heidrick & Struggles approaches its vendor relations. After all, its mission is to recruit and shape the talent who will be the front lines of The Future of Work.
It was pre the passage of CA Prop 22 that I applied to Heidrick & Struggles for a contract assignment in coaching. No, I had no idea about a Third Way. Now I do.
That's why my disturbing experiences with a Heidrick & Struggles partner and a junior lawyer should be factored in to the fresh narratives emerging about the gig economy. Here is my account of that trauma. A documentary on how those in the talent box seem to treat gig economy players is overdue.
The Future of Work is now. Ghostwriting on those issues and coaching for job search, transition, personal branding, re-entry after recovery and reputation restoration. Sliding scale fees. Complimentary consultation (janegenova374@gmail.com)
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