social media, 29–30, 52
social safety net, 94, 177, 180, 187
Social Security/Medicare taxes, 74, 94, 189, 191, 196, 233n52
Spotify, 30
spot market, 37
Sprig, 33
Standing, Guy, 37
Stansell, Christine, 68
start-up expenses, 2, 19, 19–20, 81, 222–23n64
start-ups, tracking of, 76
status: as gig economy worker, 32, 160–61, 180; as temporary workers, 180
Stevenson, Howard, 36
stigma, 32, 160–61
Stone, Pamela, 184
stopgap measures, 10
stratification of labor, 174–75, 186
street meat, defined, 229n27
strikebreakers, 68–69, 70
strikes: deregulation and, 178; during Great Depression, 70; in mining industry, 68–69; sit-down strikes, 70; in textile industry, 67, 224n12; train strikes, 68; Treaty of Detroit and, 177
Strivers: overview, 10–12; age issues, 62; Airbnb hosts, 132; Amy, 12–13; Ashley, 14–15; challenges of, 23, 25; hosts as, 166, 183; portable benefits plan, 202, 203; sharing economy problems and, 192–93; vulnerability of, 195; worker safety and, 100
Strugglers: overview, 10–12, 23; age issues, 62; Airbnb hosts, 132; Ashley, 14–15; challenges of, 23, 25; client response rates and, 84; Donald, 61–64; fear and, 11, 17; gig economy and, 15–18; hosts as, 166; Lyft case study, 2–3; middle-wage workers, 219n12; portable benefits plan, 202, 203; TaskRabbit case study, 1–2, 3–5; TaskRabbit worker, 1–2; Uber case study, 2–3; vulnerability of, 195; worker safety and, 100
student loan debt, 9, 62
StumbleUpon, 223n75
Success Stories: overview, 10–12, 23; age issues, 62; Amy, 12–13; appeal of, 11; challenges of, 23, 25; chefs as, 161–64; criminal activity and, 195; drivers as, 185; hosts as, 164–66, 183; middle-class living and, 39; portable benefits plan, 202; risks for, 18–19; Ryan, 19–21, 39; sharing economy problems and, 192–93; surplus of choices for, 156; Yosef, 131–32. See also dream jobs
Sundararajan, Arun, 32, 183–84
supplemental income, 3–4, 10; durable-assets-sharing sites and, 27; need for, 176; starter salaries and, 62; as subsistence entrepreneurism, 39; as Uber driver, 78
surplus rentals, 9. See also unused assets
Survey of Consumer Finances (2014 Federal Reserve report), 9
swaps, 9
task acceptance, 78–79
Taskers. See TaskRabbit workers
TaskRabbit: 1099 reporting, 205; overview, 7, 21, 22; algorithm-based acceptance and response rates, 2; as app-based service, 17; background on, 54–57; bidding marketplace model, 1, 55, 56, 79, 137, 137–38; business use of, 120, 182; commission structure model, 6; communication issues, 63–64; competitors, 64; corporation-focused branch, 228n14; criminal activity, 135–39; as on-demand economy company, 27; emergency tasks, 141; employee monitoring, 204; escrow services, 229n6; as exchange of services, 27; growth of, 7; Ikea acquisition of, 182; income level, 184; key transfers and, 34; low capital-barrier, 43tab. 1; low skill-barrier, 42, 160; out-of-pocket expense policy of, 140–41; participant recruitment and methodology, 42–43; Peers.com and, 72; pivots, 1, 17, 55–56, 79–80, 138, 203, 222n62; policy changes, 82–83; promises of, 25; Rebecca, 161; reorientations, 86; response rates, 160; response rates and, 82–83; Richard, 161; safety issues, 113–15; Sarah, 88; Strugglers and, 61–64; supplemental income, 3–4; temporary-agency model, 1; term reinvention and, 29; terms of service, 224n2; trust and, 30; value of, 76–77; worker safety, 100; workplace injuries, 97; work stigma and, 160–61
TaskRabbit for Business, 120
TaskRabbit workers: overview, 4; advanced planning and, 97–100; age of, 56; Austin, 116; bathroom use, 88; Brandon, 142; breaks, 90–91; Christina, 82–83, 147–49; Donald, 83, 88–89; educational level of, 56; Emma, 90–92, 95; as employees, 109; food consumption, 91; gender of, 56; identity checks, 113–15; income level, 56, 184–85; as independent contractors, 36; Jamal, 98–99, 99fig. 11, 135–39, 157; Jasmine, 83, 114–16; Michael, 83–84, 141–42, 229n5; Natasha, 79–80, 85, 97–98; race of, 56; Rebecca, 84, 85; research work, 147–49; Richard, 80; Sarah, 1–2, 6, 79, 86–87; sexual harassment, 114–17; Shaun, 3–5, 6, 97, 116–17; small business support for, 56; Will, 85–86; workplace injuries, 90, 91
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 234n95
Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), 143–45, 167
taxi industry: driver requirements, 222n64; nightclub bottle service, 223n75; taxi apps, 32–33; taxicab syndrome, 104
Taylorism, 178
technological issues: advancements, 26; automation, 179; entrepreneurship and, 38; gig economy, 26; job destruction, 186; technology as secondary, 191–92. See also cashless payment systems; customer review sites; smartphones
technology focus: apps, 6; contactless payment systems, 6; review systems, 6; smartphones, 6
TED talk, 30
temporary-agency model: sexual harassment and, 119–21; TaskRabbit as, 1, 55; worker expectations and, 121–24
temporary workers, 179–80
Temp Slave (Kelly), 180
1099/freelance workers, 94–96, 186, 189, 198fig. 14, 205
Teran, Dan, 190
term reinvention, 28–29
term usage: disruption, 30; sharing, 28–29; trust, 29–30
textile industry: cottage industry, 66; in New England, 66; strikes in, 67, 70, 224n12; textile mills, 66
Thumbtack, 64
Tien, Jon, 58
time rule solution, 202–3, 206
time with passenger calculations, 226n47
tips, 77
Title VII protections, 118
Tocqueville, Alexis de, 16, 31
Ton, Zeynep, 190
Tonnie, Ferdinand, 32
tool libraries, 26
Trader Joe’s, 190
Tradesy, 9
traditional employment, 184, 190
Traity, 29
travel time, 15
Treaty of Detroit, 177
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, 92, 93, 226–27n3, 227n8
TripAdvisor, 30
trust: Airbnb and, 30; decreasing rate of, 33; problems and, 46–47; trust-and-safety/support fees, 55–56, 79; trust ratings, 30; verifications and, 29–30, 208
TrustCloud, 29
The Tumbleweed Society (Pugh), 38
twenty-factor test, 197, 199–201box 1
Twitter, 30
Uber, 2; overview, 4, 7, 21, 22, 223n75; African-Americans as users of, 35; background on, 49–54; bathroom use, 88; business use of, 182, 228n14; communication issues, 63; complaints against passengers, 108–9; criminal activity and, 143–47; Driver Injury Protection insurance, 102; driver requirements, 167; employee monitoring, 204; as environmentally friendly, 226n47; financing programs, 3, 73, 226n36; general liability insurance, 110; growth of, 7; high capital-barrier, 43, 43tab. 1, 167; homeless workers and, 42; income level, 184–85; insurance requirements, 145; lawsuits against, 233n54; lawsuits by workers against, 38; legalization strategies of, 145; low skill-barrier, 43tab. 1, 160; 180 Days of Change campaign, 102; participant recruitment and methodology, 42–43; party-line rides, 105–6; payment rate changes, 74–78, 75tab. 2; pivots, 74–79; policies and algorithms of, 6; price-fixing conspiracy lawsuit, 71; promises of, 25, 233n54; recruitment, 73; rental cars, 5; research financed by, 38; response rates, 81, 160; safety issues, 101–4, 113; as sharing economy company, 26; start-up expenses, 145; as supplemental income, 39; tiered commission system, 76; UberPeople.net, 72–73; underpayment by, 76; usage by race, 194; value of, 77; worker-client sexual interactions, 132–33; work stigma and, 161. See also drivers; Uber workers
UberBLACK, 27, 78, 107
UberCab, 49–50
UberPeople, 72–73, 225n34
uberPOOL, 27, 105–6
UberRUSH, 127–28
UberTaxi service, 77
Uber workers: Baran, 2–3, 6; Bryan, 78–79; as independent
contractors, 36
uberX, 27, 75, 75tab. 2, 77, 78, 107
underemployment, 42, 62, 175
underground economy, 186
unemployment: discrimination against long-term unemployed, 62; long-term unemployed, 11; sharing economy and, 61
unemployment benefits: access to, 187; independent contractor status and, 94; unionization and, 177
unemployment insurance, 120, 191
unemployment rate, 10, 175, 176
unexotic underclass, 231n4
unicorns (startups), 2
unionization: overview, 6, 23; deregulation and, 178; early attempts at, 64–65; gig economy workers and, 71–72, 94; Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 and, 227n8; Wagner Act of 1935, 70; worker benefits and, 71, 177–78
United Mine Workers Union, 69
unpaid work: overview, 2, 6; on-call time, 83; start-up time, 19; travel time, 15
unused assets, 26. See also surplus rentals
Upwork (oDesk/Elance-oDesk), 204, 206
urban culture: economies of scale and, 33; Jefferson on, 31; Tocqueville on, 31
urination issues, 106–9. See also bathroom access
used-goods-sale sites, 29
user names, discrimination and, 35
user profiles: community ratings and, 29; discrimination and, 35; social media footprints and, 29
user trails, 30
utopian view, 5
vacations, 168
van de Glind, Pieter, 28fig. 2
Venkatesh, Sudhir, 140
Via, 101–4
videogame credits, 38, 73
W2 workers, 120, 188, 189–90
wage stagnation, 8, 37, 39, 182, 196
Wagner Act of 1935, 70, 71, 89
Walker, Edward, 52
Wall Street Journal, 37–38, 74, 76
Warner, Mark, 201–2
Welch, Jack, 178
Western Electric studies, 178, 232n24
WhatsApp, 17
When Work Disappears (Wilson), 140
“Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? (Autor), 181
Wilson, William Julius, 140
work-at-home arrangements, 66
worker categories, 59, 109–11; Strivers, 10–15; Strugglers, 10–12, 14–18; Success Stories, 10–13, 18–21. See also independent contractors; striving workers; struggling workers; successful workers
worker classification: overview, 11–12; employer-employee relationship factors, 199–201box 1; FLSA and, 196; independent worker category, 201, 202; risk and, 36; tax revenues and, 205–6; time rule solution, 202–3. See also independent contractor status
worker safety: overview, 6, 22; advanced planning and, 97–100; dangers of driving for hire, 101–4; health issues of driving, 104–6; in the sharing economy, 109–11; urination issues, 106–9. See also workerplace injuries
workers’ compensation: overview, 22; access to, 187, 189; avoidance of, 36; costs of, 191; independent contractor status and, 91–92, 94–95, 96–97, 196; short history of, 92–94
work hours: on-call time, 81–84; erratic nature of, 74; 54-hour bill, 93; 40-hour work week, 71; income volatility and, 176, 182; Kitchensurfing Tonight, 164; of store managers, 230n11; in textile industry, 225n15; Uber, 81; vacation time, 177
Work in Progress (blog), 56
work-life balance: Hello Alfred and, 187–88; lack of, 16; promise of, 6; social class and, 38; striving workers and, 14–15
workplace injuries: overview, 4–5, 6, 22; financial aspects of, 74; independent contractor status and, 95–97; lack of protective regulations on, 90–92. See also workplace protections
workplace issues: overview, 2, 22, 90–92; advanced planning and, 97–100; bathroom access, 87–89, 106–9, 228n30; urination issues, 106–9; worker layoffs, 8, 178–79, 180, 207. See also worker safety; workers’ compensation; workplace protections
workplace protections: overview, 6, 22, 23; case studies and, 172; discrimination, 6; guilds and, 71–72; lack of, 94–97; redress options, 6; sexual harassment and, 6, 133–34; for sharing economy workers, 206–7; unionization, 6; worker insecurity/hardship and, 187
workplace risks. See risk shifts
Xchange Leasing, LLC, 73
Young, Maggie, 103
YourMechanic, 72
Zaarly, 27, 221n9
Zaleski, Olivia, 73
Zappos, 190
Zawada, Artur, 103
Zimbardo, Philip, 151, 230n18
Zimmer, John, 32–33
Zinn, Howard, 93
Zipcar, 26, 33, 221n4
Zipsters, 33
Zuberi, Dan, 187
Zukin, Sharon, 47
Zynga, 58
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