外刊閱讀:Could laws designed to protect gig workers actually hurt them?

近年來,互聯網經濟迅猛發展,出現了很多“網約工”,比如外賣小哥、網約車司機等。這類工作往往不籤勞動合同,所以缺乏勞動保障。在美國,一些州通過立法來保護“網約工”,卻引起了爭議。

Could laws designed to protect gig workers actually hurt them?

by Charisse Jones

In an unexpected twist, a spate of new legislation that claims to stop the exploitation(剝削) of freelance workers is causing a backlash(強烈反對) from some of the contractors it's designed to protect.

twist /twɪst/ n. 轉折、變化
a spate /speɪt/ of 一連串的、接二連三的
legislation /ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 法律法規
claim /kleɪm/ v. 聲稱、宣稱
freelance /ˈfriːlɑːns/ adj. 自由職業的
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成、引起
contractor /kənˈtræktə(r)/ n. 指按合同(不是勞動合同)提供勞務的人(由contract加上表示人的後綴-or)

California's AB 5 is among the most controversial. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, spells out standards that must be met to determine if workers are employees entitled to benefits and other protections, or contractors without those safety nets.

California /ˌkælɪˈfɔːniə/ n. 加利福尼亞(美國西部的州)
AB 5 指議會的第5號議案
controversial /ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃ(ə)l/ adj. 有爭議的
go into effect 生效
spell out 詳細說明
standard /ˈstændəd/ n. 標準
meet /miːt/ v. 滿足、達到
determine /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/ v. 確定、決定
entitle /ɪnˈtaɪt(ə)l/ v. 使有資格
benefit /ˈbenɪfɪt/ n. 福利
protection /prəˈtekʃ(ə)n/ n. 保護(由protect加後綴-ion變成名詞)
safety net 安全網、安全保障

The law's arrival comes as the U.S. increasingly relies on a freelance workforce, with businesses able to save up to 30% or more in costs using independent contractors rather than employees, according to the National Employment Law Project.

increasingly /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/ adv. 越來越
rely /rɪˈlaɪ/ on 依靠、依賴
workforce /ˈwɜːkfɔːs/ n. (全體)勞動者
independent /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/ adj. 獨立的
employment law 勞動法
project /ˈprɒdʒekt/ n. 項目

States have long had rules defining who is an employee versus a freelancer, particularly to sort out who qualifies for benefits like unemployment insurance and workers' compensation. Federal laws also contain definitions of who is, and who isn't, an employee.

define /dɪˈfaɪn/ v. 定義、界定
versus /ˈvɜːsəs/ prep. 跟…相對(常常縮寫爲vs)
freelancer /ˈfriːlɑːnsə(r)/ n. 自由職業者
sort out 分類
qualify /ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ/ v. 符合條件、具有資格
unemployment /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ n. 失業
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊər(ə)ns/ n. 保險
compensation /ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 賠償(指裁員時給員工的賠償金)
federal /ˈfed(ə)r(ə)l/ adj. 聯邦的
definition /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 定義(由define加後綴-ition變成名詞)

"It is not new," Rebecca Smith, director of work structures at the National Employment Law Project, said of such laws. "But what is new is the degree of organizing among workers, especially those in the gig economy. Workers across the country are joining together, standing up, and demanding that businesses stop gaming the system. And legislators are listening."

structure /ˈstrʌktʃə(r)/ n. 結構
gig /ɡɪɡ/ economy 網約經濟
game /ɡeɪm/ v. 操縱
legislator /ˈledʒɪsleɪtə(r)/ n. 立法者、議員

Last year, at least 15 states introduced bills related to worker classification, says Josh Cunningham, manager of the employment, labor, and retirement program for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Of those, bills in Delaware, Illinois and Nevada, as well as California, were signed into law.

introduce /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/ v. 引入
bill /bɪl/ n. 議案
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 有關的
classification /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 分類
labor /ˈleɪbə(r)/ n. 勞動、勞動者
retirement /rɪˈtaɪəmənt/ n. 退休(由retire加後綴-ment變成名詞)
program /ˈprəʊɡræm/ n. 計劃、方案
conference /ˈkɒnf(ə)r(ə)ns/ n. 大會
legislature /ˈledʒɪslətʃə(r)/ n. 立法會、議會
Delaware /ˈdeləweə(r)/ n. 特拉華(美國西北部的州)
Illinois /ˌɪlɪˈnɔɪ/ n. 伊利諾伊(美國中部的州)
Nevada /nəˈvɑːdə/ n. 內華達(美國西部的州)
as well as = and also

Those who support the new laws say some are merely cementing(鞏固) or spelling out rules previously established by labor officials or the courts.★ The goal is to prevent employers from misclassifying workers so they can avoid paying payroll taxes and guaranteeing them a minimum wage, workers' compensation and other protections.

merely /ˈmɪəli/ adv. 僅僅(表示強調)
establish /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ v. 建立
official /əˈfɪʃ(ə)l/ n. 官員
court /kɔːt/ n. 法庭
注:這句話裏的labor指政府的勞動部門
misclassify /mɪsˈklæsɪfaɪ/ v. 分錯類(由classify加上表示錯誤的前綴mis-)
payroll /ˈpeɪrəʊl/ tax 薪資稅
guarantee /ˌɡær(ə)nˈtiː/ v. 保證、確保
minimum wage 最低工資

Independent workers may be more vulnerable than employees, not entitled to certain wages, insurance and other benefits. But many freelancers say they prefer the flexibility of not being tied to a single employer, while industries like trucking are built around a network of freestanding subcontractors(分包商).

vulnerable /ˈvʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l/ adj. 易受傷害的
flexibility /ˌfleksəˈbɪləti/ n. 靈活性
single /ˈsɪŋɡ(ə)l/ adj. 單個的
truck /trʌk/ v. 用卡車運貨
network /ˈnetwɜːk/ n. 網絡
freestanding /ˌfriːˈstændɪŋ/ adj. 獨立運作的

In the wake of passage of AB 5, some freelance work is disappearing. Vox Media will create 20 new full-time positions, while eliminating 200 freelance slots that covered California sports teams, saying that sticking to the law's limits on freelance content will be difficult.

in the wake of 在…之後
passage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ n. 通過
full-time 全職的
position /pəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 職位
eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ v. 去掉
slot /slɒt/ n. 一份工作
cover /ˈkʌvə(r)/ v. 報道(新聞)
stick to 嚴格遵守
content /ˈkɒntent/ n. 內容

"They're not going to force any news organization to hire more staff," Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, said of the legislation. "This will just ultimately have the effect of people who were earning an income having their income reduced or eliminated completely."

force /fɔːs/ v. 迫使
general counsel /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/ 總法律顧問
press /pres/ n. 新聞界
association /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 協會、聯合會
ultimately /ˈʌltɪmətli/ adv. 最終、最後
income /ˈɪnkʌm/ n. 收入

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