"Gig" Company Coalition Unites Around Broad Code of Ethical Conduct

Employment Law

This week, twelve companies in the so-called "gig" economy sector have agreed to a "code of conduct" designed to improve working conditions in the on-demand economy.  The National Domestic Workers' Alliance's Good Work Code boasts eight values:

• "Shared prosperity,"
• A "livable wage,"
• "Inclusion,"
• "Input,"
• "Support,"
• "Connection," 
• "Growth," and 
• "Development."

Recognizing the breadth of the terms, Palak Shah, Social Innovations Director at the National Domestic Workers' Alliance, acknowledged, "We are at a starting point.  I don't think starting with enforcement is going to be effective.  We don't have a clear sense on what's the right policy, what are the right regulations.  There's a lot of things to figure out.  But we're not quite there yet.  We're at a stage of agreeing that we all believe in good work, so let's show them examples of how that's happening."  The twelve companies that signed the code are Care.com, LeadGenius, Managed by Q, SamaSchool, VetPronto, Unlimited Labs, SketchDeck, CareLinx, Amara, Peers.org, DoorDash and Workgeni.us.  Absent were more visible gig companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Handy.  The news comes on the heels of the initiation of a lobbying push in Congress by other gig sector companies to gain portable benefits that are not tied to an employment relationship.  According to a statement announcing the lobbying effort, "[O]ur understanding of the relationship between businesses and workers—and the benefits and protections that evolved to support this relationship—have not kept pace with the rapid changes in the economy."