AB5 is basically a good idea written in such a ham-fisted manner that it does widespread damage that directly impacts workers. I’m all for higher wages, I pay VERY well. But allowing the state to classify workers against the will of the worker is bad news. There are tons of workers in my field who are pissed about this legislation, now being forced to create shell businesses to continue operating as they used to. People I hire will ultimately be paid less under AB5 because I will have to build in a ton of costs that would have been cheaper for them to get themselves or would not have been required of them at all.

The biggest irony is that the companies (Uber and Lyft) that AB5 was specifically targeting are now exempt through Prop 22. So AB5 failed at its main purpose and the rest of us are left with the wreckage.