Freelancing and gig work is exploding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding new light on how little protection many gig workers have. In the latest case, Amazon is in the hot seat. As a result of a new ruling against Amazon Flex, federal agencies in the United States are looking to take a more involved stance in how companies treat gig workers.

Amazon Flex, a gig worker delivery arm of Amazon, was recently ordered to pay a $62 million USD fine to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for deceptive tipping practices. The FTC says it will distribute that money out to independent contractor drivers for Amazon Flex.

What signals a potential shift, though, is how the FTC responded to the case.

Acting FTC Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said “We have a long history of bringing cases against bogus business opportunities and phony income claims. This case puts an internet economy spin on that history,” as reported by WIRED.

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