The gig economy: A godsend to me
It’s incredible how much of an impact work flexibility can have on your quality of life, and how drastically things can turn without it. Just a few short years ago, I was homeless, in an unhealthy relationship, caring for twins and pregnant. On top of that, I was working full-time — first as a home care attendant and then in finance.
Shortly after, I left my abusive marriage. While I will always be proud of myself for taking that step, without stable income or housing, my three children and I were quickly forced into poverty and homelessness.
At the age of 33, I was forced to quit that job in finance because the nature of the job did not give me the flexibility I needed as an expectant mother. I had worked tirelessly for years but found myself trapped.
When I was pregnant with my fourth child, I found Lyft and it truly changed my life.
Today, more than three years after finding Lyft, I still drive — but also run a nonprofit called Divine Love Givers Inc., which offers support to pregnant women trying to leave abusers.
I started that organization with money I earned driving. That income gave my children and me the foundation we needed to build new lives for ourselves, with customizable arrangements that permitted me to balance work and family.
Many drivers, myself included, need to be able to set our own schedules. We value the autonomy that comes with that control.
But now our independence is coming under attack as a result of new legislation in Albany that could force many independent contractors to become traditional employees. While they might be well-meaning, these politicians fail to recognize the widespread consequences of this bill — and how it undermines the desires of the workers themselves.
Right now, I can choose to drive when I want, where I want and for however long I want. I can choose whether to accept a ride or not, enjoy upward earning potential, and take time off whenever I want, for however long I want, without needing to ever ask a boss.
That could mean cutting out on a Friday afternoon to pick up my kids from school or taking a few weeks off to focus on the nonprofit.
By contrast, baristas at Starbucks or cashiers at Trader Joe’s don’t get to choose the location they work at, nor are they in control of the workload they get on the schedule the employer demands. They earn a flat wage and have to get permission to take time off. They even risk negative consequences if they take too much time off — a downside I know all too well.
That is what companies like Lyft would have to do if people like me were forced to become employees, with set shifts, flat wages and limits on the number of people who could earn simultaneously on the platform. Supporters claim this legislation is the only way drivers can get benefits from the companies they work for, but in New York, drivers statewide have access to free and discounted benefits through the Black Car Fund, which collects a small passenger surcharge to protect drivers.
These benefits include things like medical, vision, dental, accident support, workers comp and paid safety classes.
Politicians in Albany can just look west, where their counterparts in California are struggling with similar legislation. A recent law there was supposed to help gig economy workers, but is already facing legal challenges just days after going into effect, and many are saying it will ultimately only hurt the very workers it was supposed to protect.
I know Albany lawmakers want to improve the lives of independent contractors. But they should understand the risks that could come from far-reaching legislation like what is being proposed and that anything they do should account for the wide variety of ways New Yorkers like me are benefiting from these arrangements.
If they truly listen to all drivers, they’ll protect our freedom to choose flexible, independent work.
Timothy is a Lyft driver from Brooklyn.