A la carte breakfast: a cheaper alternative. But you get what you pay for, and breakfast a la carte lacks the fixings of a traditional meal. A la carte work is no different.

On August 4, a coalition of app-based companies, including Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, proposed a ballot measure in Massachusetts that would classify drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. The proposal ostensibly establishes a system of “portable benefits,” sets a floor for wages, guarantees reimbursements for vehicle upkeep costs, and provides healthcare stipends for drivers.

Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Gig workers for companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, would be entitled to certain portable benefits, yes, but not a traditional employee suite of gains. As the proposal currently stands, certain loopholes make drivers susceptible to exploitative policies.

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