The Weekly Independent: April 25, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

• This op-ed from The Boston Globe has a doom-and-gloom approach to the gig economy, but does highlight a fascinating reality – nearly half of the U.S. workforce will be independent by 2020.
• Airbnb is in the final stages of a deal with a major labor union, which means that many “giggers” who rent out their homes and condos via the service would now be directed to union-approved services (such as housekeepers) who pay employees at least $15 per hour.
• Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak made disparaging remarks about Uber at the recent Future Transport Summit in Australia. He’s only the latest in a long chain to disparage the car service app where drivers are famously contractors, not employees.
• PBS highlights the realities of living as an independent contractor and highlights a study that claims most 1099 workers are part time.
• Freelancers are missing out on a key aspect to building wealth – thinking like a business owner and claiming equity or ownership of your ideas and projects. The concept, dubbed “sweat equity” is a good way to generate income down the road.
• San Francisco is now requiring Uber and Lift drivers to pay a $91 annual business fee if they earn less than $100,000 per year, and to retroactively pay those fees for years they worked but did not register.
• This simple tip to combat stress can help you be better at your job – and more fulfilled in life, too.
• A $27 million lawsuit for misclassification is proceeding against FedEx.

International News:

Did you see the word? MBO has gone global. This new section highlights news of note for international independents and their clients. 

• In news of note for our UK firms, a plan to force contractors and other micro-businesses to file their tax data online “at least quarterly” has failed to receive the backing of an independent body that oversees HMRC.
• There’s a “talent war” in the UK, and gig workers are at the center.

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