🚨 U.S. Department of Labor‘s rule on independent contractors is bad news for workers, especially women. 🚨
At a time when workers and businesses are dealing with ramifications of 2+ years of sporadic government shutdowns and the impact of inflation, we need to make it easier to work—not harder. FLEX Partners President Whitney Munro digs into the devastating impact that this rule could have on entrepreneurs, mothers, and caretakers alike.
The Department of Labor’s recent rule on the classification of independent contractors is a blatant attack on workers and will disproportionately affect women who depend on flexible work arrangements to provide for their families. Last year, 64 million Americans freelanced, and more than half were women.
It is particularly disheartening that the rule was put forward by Labor Secretary Julie Sue, a woman who undoubtedly understands the devastating impact this will have on mothers, caretakers, and women nationwide.
Workers have struggled through two years of sporadic government shutdowns that impacted their businesses and their paychecks and are now dealing with the negative impacts of inflation. For many, the gig economy and independent contracting offers survival. The federal government’s decision is a clear step backward, one that disregards the desires of workers and the reality of a struggling economy.
The government should be removing barriers to meaningful work and thriving businesses, not creating them. Yet this rule does just that by impeding the growth and success of small businesses who rely on contract workers. Many companies—FLEX Partners included—work with strong networks of skill-specific consultants, and this rule greatly impacts that ability.
This decision does not just have ramifications for independent workers—it has devastating impacts on the American economy as a whole.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7155568549913063425
