: E.U. Plan to Boost Gig Economy Workers Is Latest Blow to Apps #WorldNEWS A European Union plan to improve conditions for the growing number of gig economy workers could mean millions more of them are

E.U. Plan to Boost Gig Economy Workers Is Latest Blow to Apps #WorldNEWS
A European Union plan to improve conditions for the growing number of gig economy workers could mean millions more of them are classified as employees entitled to benefits, the latest setback for digital platforms that rely on independent contractors to deliver food and offer rides.
The draft rules outlined Thursday aim to clarify the labor status of people employed by app-based companies like ride-hailing service Uber and food delivery business Deliveroo and would add oversight for the algorithms they use to manage workers.
Gig economy workers and platforms have fallen between the cracks of existing employment legislation, and the measures being considered by the 27-nation bloc, which would take years to come into force, are aimed at clearing up those gray areas.
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App-based gig work platforms have boomed in the digital economy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for food delivery services mushroomed. The apps provide short-term work for millions of people but their rampant growth also has upended traditional labor and business models, resulting in showdowns between companies and regulators worldwide. Gig works flexibility is a selling point for many, but workers also complain that they end up making less than minimum wage after their expenses are accounted for.
Under the E. U. rules, which still need approval by the European Parliament, a platform that meets at least two criteria will be deemed an “employer and people working for that company will be reclassified as “workers with the right to a minimum wage, paid vacation, unemployment and sickness benefits, pensions and other benefits.
The criteria include whether an app decides pay levels; electronically supervises work performance; restricts a workers freedom to choose work hours, accept jobs or use subcontractors; dictates a workers appearance and conduct with customers; or limits the possibility for workers to build their own client bases or work for anyone else.
Uber says its committed to improving work conditions but worries about the EU proposal “putting thousands of jobs at risk, crippling small businesses in the wake of the pandemic and damaging vital services that consumers across Europe rely on.
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“Any E. U. -wide rules should allow drivers and couriers to retain the flexibility we know they value most, while allowing platforms to introduce more protections and benefits,” a statement from the ride-hailing service said.
Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway said it “welcomes and fully supports” the proposals and hopes they will provide companies across Europe with “clarity and a level playing field.

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