California changing rules of gig economy, ghosting on the first day of work, and holiday hiring has begun
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Independent contractors might be slowly going the way of the buffalo, thanks to a new law in California. Meanwhile, that girl who you went out on, like, five dates with before she disappeared? She might not have showed up for her first day of work, either. (No, you don’t need to file a missing person’s report). Plus, hiring for the holiday! Ho! Ho! Ho!
California governor signs legislation changing employment landscape
After months of debate, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that limits the ability of California businesses to use contract workers. Aimed at decreasing employee misclassification and bolstering work protections, the hotly-debated bill faces opposition from business owners and the app-based technology sector, who will seek exemption status.
The law goes into effect next year.
The Number: $90 million. Lyft, Doordash and Uber have raised $90 million to support their efforts to get the issue on a referendum ballot in 2020.
The Quote: “As one of the strongest economies in the world, California is now setting the global standard for worker protections for other states and countries to follow.”
Labor shortage sets stage for new-hire no shows
They don’t call, they don’t write, they don’t show up for work! The number of would-be employees “ghosting” on the first day of work is surging — and experts are pointing to the low unemployment rate and labor shortage as the culprits. Some employers are combatting the trend by ramping up employee engagement prior to the start date in an attempt to connect with new employees.
The Number: 43%. Gen Z employees are the biggest offenders, with 43% admitting to ghosting an employer on their first day.
The Quote: “Own your decision. Most prudent people will understand. I may be disappointed as an employer that you initially accepted my job and are turning me away, but I respect the call.”
Navigating the holiday hiring spree
Labor Day has come and gone, which means that most retailers are already neck-deep in holiday preparations. While big companies have already started advertising for holiday help, there are a few things that can SBOs should consider when hiring seasonal workers.
Pro tip: reach out to former employees to see if they’re interested in lending a hand through the holidays.
The Number: 55,000. FedEx announced that it plans to hire 55,000 additional workers for the holiday season.
The Quote: “Most small businesses, of course, won’t be able to hire hundreds of thousands of employees for the holidays. They can still bring on and train hires to meet customer needs during the busy shopping season, but the rules of the road are a little different.”
