Employees or contractors? Gig universe faces a social code dilemma

Globally, there have been public debates on the nature of the job of gig workers and the social security framework they deserve to get.

Uber, along with other top platform companies, recently won a ballot in the state of California in the US that will water down a landmark law meant to recognise gig workers as their employees and give them more social security cover. The move is seen as a big win for gig firms lobbying for a light-touch policy regulation. 

Contrast this to what transpired in India. A new law, the Code on Social Security, 2020, was passed in Parliament recently, bringing gig workers under the social security framework for the first time. The Code recognises gig workers as those who “perform