The freedom to work as a freelancer or independent contractor provides flexibility for households and vibrancy to the American economy.
But California’s AB5 law passed in 2019 has destroyed countless lives and driven people out of the Golden State.
Below are 655 testimonials from independent contractors in California describing how AB5 hurt them. If the PRO Act is signed into law, the following sad stories would happen nationwide:
Elizabeth M. Adger: “AB5 is why I had to pack up my very ill husband with stage 4 cancer and autistic son and leave the state. There is no way I can take care of our family and work a “traditional” type job. I have always worked for myself and paid my taxes. I was terrified of becoming homeless.”
Haley Crim: “I have been doing freelance writing since I finished my master’s degree in May of 2018. Since April of 2018, I have been dealing with unexplained health issues, with nausea and vomiting in the morning and a myriad of other symptoms that could be indicative of fibromyalgia. I lost the career and relationship I was building with a content writing company and making far above minimum wage with. Now I am trying to find any job as I only have about $2K in savings and can’t do what I love, which is writing. In addition, it will be difficult to find a job that is flexible enough for my symptoms and doctors appointments. Some days I wake up feeling like I was hit by a truck. The great thing about freelance and contract work is that I can choose how much work I take on, and choose not to work on the days that I don’t feel up to it, and still earn a living.”
E Alan Hyman: “As a personal fitness trainer at a retirement community’s gym facilities that was diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer 10 years ago, 6 months of sever chemotherapy back in 2010-2011 has left me with physical issues that just don’t allow me to work full time. Being an independent contractor gave me the ability to set a work schedule that my body could handle and make enough to support myself by only working a few hours a day. Now I have to change to an hourly employee which is forcing me to raise rates to accommodate all the withholding that is taken out, at the same time, restricting me to less then 30 hours a week so my employer doesn’t have to pay full time benefits. There are a bunch of other ways were AB5 seems to adversely affect my job, but that would take too long to go into.”
