Ross Evans is a student at Harvard Law School and a member of the Labor and Employment Lab.
In yesterday’s Dynamex Operations West v. Superior Court ruling, the California Supreme Court unanimously adopted a more worker-friendly standard for distinguishing between employees and independent contractors. Specifically, the Court adopted the “ABC” test which “presumptively considers all workers to be employees, and permits workers to be classified as independent contractors only if the hiring business demonstrates that the worker in question satisfies each of three conditions: (a) that the worker is free from the control and direction of the hirer in connection with the performance of the work, both under the contract for the performance of the work and in fact; and (b) that the worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business; and (c) that the worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.” Attorney Michael Rubin, who represented the workers in the case, stated that “[t]he result [of the new standard] will be sweeping reclassification of workers throughout the state, including in the gig economy.” The ABC test has previously been adopted in other jurisdictions such as Massachusetts and New Jersey.
The Union for Research and Teaching Assistants at Columbia University–GWC-UAW Local 2110–ended its week-long strike today. During the strike, over 1,500 graduate workers marched on the picket lines. Yesterday, Barnard College alumna and New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon joined the picket line in support for the union. The Columbia graduate students were striking because the University has refused to bargain with their union.
50,000 teachers in Arizona rallied at the Capitol yesterday as part of the #RedforEd movement. The teachers are striking for a 20% pay raise. Many school districts are closed again today as the strike, which began on Thursday of last week, continues for its fourth day.
Meanwhile, in Colorado, State Senator Bob Gardner (R-Colorado Springs) has pulled his proposed Senate Bill 264, which would have made teacher strikes illegal, punishable by up to six months in jail. When asked if he would attempt to re-propose the unpopular bill next year, Gardner replied, “If we have a teacher strike, I probably will.”
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July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.