New York Partner Richard Reibstein Quoted by Law360 on Future Legislation Affecting Ride Share and Internet Delivery Industries in New York

Richard Reibstein, a New York Partner in Locke Lord's Labor and Employment Practice Group and co-head of the Firm's Independent Contractor Misclassification and Compliance Practice, was quoted by Law360 on the proposed bill affecting independent contractors and technology companies in the ride share and internet delivery industries in New York. The proposed bill planned to create a new “sectoral” bargaining arrangement between gig economy couriers and drivers, the technology companies using their services to transport and deliver goods to their customers and “unions” that wish to represent the workers in this sector of the economy. The article notes that the legislative session is coming to an end prior to the bill being introduced. Reibstein noted he expects a version of the plan to gain more traction in the next legislative session and possibly spread to other states.

Reibstein described the measure as a compromise that "gives some meaningful voice" to workers while largely preserving the covered companies' business models. "There's no panacea, and this is an effort to serve as many of the interests as possible," Reibstein said. The proposed bill was also the subject of a post last month on Locke Lord’s Independent Contractor Misclassification and Compliance Blog.

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