California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which went into effect on January 1, 2020, sought to do just that. Requiring Uber and other gig-economy businesses to classify their independent contractor drivers as employees not only would have created liability for Uber for its drivers’ accidents, but would also have required the company to provide other benefits to drivers, including vacation and sick time.
However, in the fall, after a push by businesses, including Uber, California voters approved Proposition 22, which legally designates the drivers of app-based ride-hailing and delivery apps as independent contractors.