Columbus, Ohio has taken a crucial legislative step towards the protection of gig workers, or freelance workers as they’re widely known, with the introduction of a new code. This marks a significant move given that freelance workers currently comprise almost forty percent of the national workforce. The constant change in the workforce dynamics and the emergence of a new generation of workers with priorities differing from those of their predecessors are the driving forces behind this spike in the gig economy. This update is brought to you via JD Supra and has been contributed by Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP.
The increasing part freelance work plays in the modern American economy is seeing more cities compelled to reconsider their classification and treatment of these workers. This has led to new policies and laws being enacted to provide additional protections to this rapidly growing sector of the economy. The most recent to take action is Columbus, Ohio, which has enacted a new code conferring critical legal rights to this workforce.
The trend towards non-traditional employment is not set to slow down anytime soon. Instead, the increase in freelance and gig work is seen as symptomatic of broader changes within the workforce, driven by a trend towards flexible and remote working. It is expected that this trend will only grow as we see changes in the nature of employment and the priorities of a new generation of workers.
While it may just be one piece of the puzzle, this legislative step can be seen as indicative of a broader shift towards recognizing and codifying the rights of gig economy workers.