with Tonya RileyThe coronavirus pandemic is lending the battle over Uber and Lyft's classification of its drivers fresh urgency. “Uber and Lyft drivers who contract the coronavirus or lose their job quickly realize what they're missing.”The coronavirus crisis has hit gig workers hard. The companies have taken steps to expand sick leave during the pandemic, but drivers have raised concerns that it's difficult to access. Congress ensured that gig workers — such as Uber drivers and Airbnb hosts — were eligible for unemployment benefits under the coronavirus relief package. Until then, many gig laborers weren't eligible because companies don’t remit payroll taxes to the government on behalf of on-demand drivers.

Source: Washington Post May 06, 2020 13:07 UTC