Panel Discusses the Many Ramifications of Assembly Bill 5

Date: October 06, 2019

NFIB Policy Director Shawn Lewis presents small businesses’ side

For a decision that was supposed to have been the final word on who may be classified as an independent contractor and who an employee, the California Supreme Court’s Dynamex decision has created more confusion than it could have ever imagined—a confusion only exacerbated by the passage of Assembly Bill 5, which sought to put that decision into code.

In what is certain to be a long-running show with many more appearances by NFIB, California Policy Director Shawn Lewis participated in a panel discussion on the many effects of Assembly Bill 5, what it has done and what remains undone.

Hosted by the Pacific Research Institute, the panel discussion was held in San Francisco, October 1. Joining Lewis were:

  • Carolyn Said, business reporter of the San Francisco Chronicle
  • Vignesh Ganapathy, head of government relations for Postmates
  • Jennifer Barrera, executive vice president of the California Chamber of Commerce

Lewis told the gathering that state lawmakers missed a chance to bring some badly needed calm to troubled California commerce by not making a business-to-business exemption in the Dynamex decision. Instead, it gave safe harbors to some occupations but not to others.

“Let’s be clear—AB 5 picked winners and losers by choosing who was worthy of an exemption from Dynamex, and who was not. There’s undoubtedly much more work to be done in the new year to bring broad relief to our small businesses in California.”

NFIB highly encourages its members to acquaint themselves with AB 5 by starting with this article on the NFIB Small Business Legal Center Blog, Understanding AB 5 – California’s New Independent Contracting Rules.

From left to right: San Francisco Chronicle business reporter Carolyn Said; Vignesh Ganapathy, head of government relations for Postmates; NFIB California Policy Director Shawn Lewis; and Jennifer Barrera, executive vice president of the California Chamber of Commerce.

 

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