Beyond The Algorithm: Qualitative Insights For Gig Work Regulation

237 Pages·2021·1.71 MB·english

by  Deepa Das Acevedo

beyond the algorithm
In Beyond the Algorithm: Qualitative Insights for Gig Work Regulation, Deepa Das
Acevedoandacollectionofscholarsandexpertsshowwhygovernmentactorsmustgo
beyondmasssurveysanddata-scrubbinginordertotrulyunderstandtherealitiesofgig
work. The contributors draw on qualitative empirical research to reveal the narratives
andreal-lifeexperiencesthatdefinegigwork,andtheyconnecttheseinsightstopolicy
debatesbeingfoughtoutincourts,townhalls,andeveninCongressitself.Thebookalso
bridges academic and nonacademic worlds by drawing on the experiences of drivers,
journalists, and workers’ advocates who were among the first people to study gig work
fromthebottomup.Thisbookisamust-readforanyoneinterestedingigwork,thelegal
infrastructuresurroundingit,andhowthatinfrastructurecanandmustbeimproved.
Deepa Das Acevedo is a legal anthropologist and an assistant professor of law at the
UniversityofAlabama.Herscholarshipdrawsonoriginalfieldworkamonggigworkers,
policymakers,andworkers’advocates,andhasbeenpublishedinseverallawreviews.She
cochairstheCollaborative ResearchNetworkonLaborRightsoftheLawandSociety
Association and chairs the Section on Law and Anthropology of the American
AssociationofLawSchools.

Beyond the Algorithm
qualitative insights for gig work regulation
Editedby
DEEPA DAS ACEVEDO
UniversityofAlabamaSchoolofLaw
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Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781108487764
DOI:10.1017/9781108767910
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Firstpublished2021
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
NAMES:Acevedo,Deepadas,1984–editor.
TITLE:Beyondthealgorithm:qualitativeinsightsforgigworkregulation/
editedbyDeepadasAcevedo,UniversityofAlabamaSchoolofLaw.
DESCRIPTION:Cambridge,UnitedKingdom;NewYork,NY:Cambridge
UniversityPress,2020.|Includesindex.
IDENTIFIERS:LCCN2020021128(print)|LCCN2020021129(ebook)|ISBN9781108487764
(hardback)|ISBN9781108767910(ebook)
SUBJECTS:LCSH:Laborlawsandlegislation.|Precariousemployment–Law
andlegislation.|Temporaryemployment–Lawandlegislation.|
Independentcontractors–Legalstatus,laws,etc.|Self-employed–Legal
status,laws,etc.|Sharing–Economicaspects.
CLASSIFICATION:LCCK1816.B492020(print)|LCCK1816(ebook)|DDC
344.01/25729--dc23
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2020021128
LCebookrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2020021129
ISBN978-1-108-48776-4Hardback
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Contents
ListofFigures pagevii
ListofTables viii
Foreword
CatherineL.Fisk ix
Acknowledgments xii
Introduction 1
DeepaDasAcevedo
1 TheRiseandScopeofGigWorkRegulation 15
DeepaDasAcevedo
2 AnUberAmbivalence
EmployeeStatus,WorkerPerspectives,andRegulation
intheGigEconomy 33
V.B.Dubal
3 InvisibleWork,VisibleWorkers
VisibilityRegimesinOnlinePlatformsforDomesticWork 57
AlexandraMateescuandJuliaTicona
4 TheImportanceofQualitativeResearchApproachestoGigEconomy
Taxation 82
Shu-YiOeiandDianeM.Ring
5 JustaGig?
SharingEconomyWorkandtheImplicationsforCareerTrajectory 103
AlexandreaJ.Ravenelle
6 AlgorithmicManagement,Employment,andtheSelfinGigWork 123
JuliaTomassetti
v
vi Contents
7 RegulatingTransportationSystemswithoutAuthority(orData)
PlugginganUber-andLyft-SizedHoleinCityTransportation
PlanningandPolicy 146
ZakAccuardi
8 WordsMatter
HowTechMediaHelpedWriteGigCompaniesintoExistence 169
SamHarnett
9 RewritingtheRules
GigCompanies’DriveforLaborDeregulation 189
RebeccaSmithandMayaPinto
10 WhatRegulatorsCouldGainbyListeningtoRideshareDrivers 208
HarryCampbell
Index 220
Figures
2.1 SFUberdriverstatedpreferenceforworkerstatus,byidentity
variable(2016surveydata) page46
2.2 Explanationforindependentcontractorpreference
(2016surveydata) 47
vii
Tables
9.1 Laborstandardsforemployeesversusindependentcontractors page196
9.2 Threephasesofcarveoutpolicies 196
viii
Foreword
CatherineL.Fisk
“Gigwork”andthe“gigeconomy”areamongthemostoverusedtermsandtheleast
understoodphenomenainthecontemporarypolicylandscape.And,asonechapter
inthisbookastutelyobserves,theyareamongthemosthyped,inwaysthathave
influencedthedevelopmentoftheindustryandpolicymakingaboutit.Beyondthe
well-knownapp-basedorweb-basedmarketsforserviceslikeUber,Lyft,Taskrabbit,
and so forth, there lies a huge, ill-defined, and (to some) confusing welter of
companiesthatprovideservicestoconsumersthroughthelaborofpeoplewho
contractwiththecompanyontermsthathavebecomequitecontroversial.Andeven
astothemostfamiliarofthecompanies–theride-hailinganddeliveryservice
companieslikeUber,Lyft,andPostmates–thereisaninterestingcombinationof
familiarity(manylovetheconvenienceofsummoningarideorfooddeliverywith
afewtapsonasmartphone)andmystery(dothedriversearnafairoradequate
income?Ifnot,whatcanbedone?).Thistimely,creative,andambitiousbookaims
toshedlightontheworkofthegigeconomy,onwhatweknowanddon’tknowabout
thework,andabouthowlawdoesandshouldregulateworkingconditionsinthis
segmentoftheeconomy.
Thequestionofwhetherorwhichminimumlaborstandardslawsshouldgovern
gigeconomyworkhasbeencontroversialforyears,andespeciallysinceCalifornia
adoptedtheso-calledABCtestfordistinguishingemployees,whoareentitledtothe
protections of minimum labor standards laws, from independent contractors, who
1
arenot. Californiacompaniesmustcomplywithallminimumlaborstandardslaws
unlesstheirworkersare(1)freefromthecompany’scontrolinperformingthework;
(2)theworkisoutsidetheusualcourseofthecompany’sbusiness;and(3)theworker
iscustomarilyengagedinanindependentoccupationofthesamenatureasthat
2
involvedintheworkperformed. Litigationandthemediafrenzysurroundingthe
newlawportraysharpdifferencesofopinion–andnoagreementonthefacts–
1 CaliforniafirstadoptedtheABCtestina2018courtdecisionDynamexOperationsWest,Inc.
v.SuperiorCourt,4Cal.5th903(2018),andthencodifiedandextendeditthroughlegislationeffective
January1,2020,Cal.Lab.Code§2750.3.
2 Cal.Lab.Code§2750.3.
ix