After working on my Civil Liberties case study all night, I wake up with 2 hours of sleep and grab my phone from the nightstand to check the time. It’s 8:45 AM and I think to myself: “I have 15 minutes to make it to my 9AM shift at Freebirds World Burrito and it’s too late to catch the Metro. Anxiously, I grab whatever pants I find on my bedroom floor, brush my teeth, and order a Lyft. Once I hop in the car, I make quick conversation with my driver and nervously check the traffic, hoping I’ll make it in time. As soon as the driver parks, I quickly thank them and sprint out their car. I check the time and notice that its 8:58. Back then, I felt thankful I decided to save the code for a free ride from Lyft. It saved me the trouble of explaining to my manager why I …show more content…
Although economies will need to adapt to this pace, it is important to recognize the strides sectors of the economy have made to evolve with this environment. Companies like Postmates, Uber, and Favor working to alleviate the obstacles a rapidly growing economy affords. For many workers in this field of service, these short-term engagements provide a amount of income that can help with meeting rent or paying their car note. Additionally, as an independent contractor of a company, workers can design a work schedule that does not intervene with other commitments.
While it is true that workers in the gig economy are provided with numerous benefits, disadvantages emerge when the needs of these workers are not met. These needs could range from racial and gender based discrimination, exhaustive work hours, or unequal pay. Nellie Bowles, a Stockton, CA resident, is one of these workers who has faced unequal pay as an Uber driver. Daily, she drives to San Francisco to work as a driver. In order to earn substantial profit, she’s had to drive more than 14 hours daily and sleep in her