"On-demand" companies like ride-hailing app Uber are part of a hot trend, but their hiring practices have driven them straight into the political arena. Hillary Clinton slammed such startups during a speech Monday, promising she would "crack down" on companies for "misclassifying workers" as contractors.
"This on-demand or so called 'gig economy' is creating exciting opportunity and unleashing innovation, but it’s also raising hard questions about workplace protections and what a good job will look like in the future," Clinton said.
Clinton didn't name a specific company during her economy-focused speech at the New School in New York City, but Uber is the most high-profile of several startups under fire for hiring workers as independent contractors rather than full employees.
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Companies that misclassify workers as contractors "exploit" them, Clinton said in Monday's remarks.
She commented specifically on the benefits workers lose when they are considered contractors instead of employees: "Fair pay and fair scheduling, paid family leave and earned sick days, childcare are essential to our competitiveness and our growth."
Uber is currently facing a lawsuit filed by three of its drivers, who contend they are employees and therefore are entitled to reimbursement for expenses like gasoline costs.
Uber did not respond to a request for comment about Clinton's remarks. On Tuesday, a Clinton aide denied a journalist's suggestion that Clinton has a "beef" with Uber -- but he reiterated Clinton's point that the company's practices "raise hard questions about workplace protections."