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Full-Text Articles in Law
Worse Than Pirates Or Prussian Chancellors: A State's Authority To Opt-Out Of The Quid Pro Quo, Michael C. Duff
Worse Than Pirates Or Prussian Chancellors: A State's Authority To Opt-Out Of The Quid Pro Quo, Michael C. Duff
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Privatization of public law dispute resolution in workplaces has been under intense scrutiny in the context of arbitration. Another kind of workplace dispute privatization is presently underway, or under serious consideration, in several states. In connection with state workers’ compensation statutes, one state has implemented, and others are considering, a dispute resolution model in which employers are explicitly authorized to opt out of coverage. “Alternative benefit plans,” created under such statutes, permit employers to, among other things, unilaterally and without limitation designate private fact-finders, whose conclusions are subject to highly deferential judicial review. This model is arbitration on steroids. While …
Legal And Governance Structures Built To Share, Miriam A. Cherry
Legal And Governance Structures Built To Share, Miriam A. Cherry
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This short piece, scheduled to appear in the book "The Rise of Platform Cooperativism" (editors Trebor Scholz & Nathan Schneider), discusses the legal issues around choice of entity and governance for on-demand platforms. While platforms are currently established as for-profit businesses that typically match or hire workers, this is not the only option. Instead, new worker owned platforms are being established that could incorporate heightened labor standards. While there are no existing statues that have been written just for platform cooperatives, existing legal structures such as LLCs or B Corporations could be modified for this purpose. While not a perfect …
Beyond Misclassification: The Digital Transformation Of Work, Miriam A. Cherry
Beyond Misclassification: The Digital Transformation Of Work, Miriam A. Cherry
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The first part of this article provides a brief litigation update on various worker lawsuits within the gig economy. While the O’Connor v. Uber case has received the lion’s share of attention and analysis, similar lawsuits on labor standards have been filed against other on-demand platforms. Analysis of the ongoing litigation reveals several important themes, including an emphasis on the labor law of California. The second part of the article shifts from the doctrinal issues around misclassification to look at broader trends, arguing that we are currently experiencing a far-reaching digital transformation of work. The changes include thegrowth of automatic …
Crowdwork, Corporate Social Responsibility, And Fair Labor Practices, Miriam A. Cherry, Winifred R. Poster
Crowdwork, Corporate Social Responsibility, And Fair Labor Practices, Miriam A. Cherry, Winifred R. Poster
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Crowdwork, in which large numbers of workers find and perform paid tasks through online platforms, is a paradox. It can make job-matching and production processes more efficient, but it can also lead to a decline in labor standards. We seek to link ethical labor practices in virtual work with well-established notions of corporate social responsibility, that include concerns for worker well-being and fair treatment. We present a typology of trends in labour, and argue that the new phase of ‘crowdwork’ is distinct from previous eras of ‘industrial’ and ‘digital’ employment. The chapter then outlines three best practices for crowdwork. First …
Gig Economy: Settlements Leave Labor Issues Unsettled, Miriam A. Cherry
Gig Economy: Settlements Leave Labor Issues Unsettled, Miriam A. Cherry
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This short paper, which appeared on the Law360 blog, is an effort to think through the consequences of the proposed April 2016 settlement of the Uber drivers' lawsuits. This paper makes reference to the special issue of the Journal of Comparative Labor Law & Policy that is dedicated to the legal and economic issuessurrounding crowdwork.
Hidden From View: Disability, Segregation And Work, Elizabeth Pendo
Hidden From View: Disability, Segregation And Work, Elizabeth Pendo
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The employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 were intended to bring working-age people with disabilities into the workplace by providing options for them to seek and gain meaningful, integrated employment. Although the ADA has made significant gains, the rate of progress in employment has been disappointing. While the lack of progress of people with disabilities in the traditional workplace has received attention, the work done by many, especially those with severe disabilities in segregated workplaces, remains hidden in sheltered workshops. This chapter explores the intersection of the concepts of disability, invisibility, and work and identifies the …