While freelance work has grown more common with the rise of the gig economy, Democrats in Harrisburg say businesses are taking advantage of that trend by wrongly classifying an increasing number of workers as independent contractors. They have pledged to crack down on such misrepresentations now that they are poised to take control of the state House, pending the results of three special elections Tuesday in Pittsburgh-area districts that lean heavily Democratic.

“This has been a long-simmering issue,” said Democratic state House Rep. Nick Pisciottano, who represents suburbs south and east of Pittsburgh. “I think that there’s a broad consensus across the political spectrum that there needs to be a bill that addresses some of these issues … in the new gig economy … to make Pennsylvania competitive and fair to its workers.”

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