Michelle Steel
The Orange County Register
April 14, 2020
“The impact of the coronavirus’ global outbreak changes daily and Californians need help.
“So far it has upended the economy, thrown the stock market in disarray, and severely altered people’s lives across the nation. Unemployment claims have surpassed 10 million, and Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package to keep our economy afloat to monetarily support vulnerable Americans during these tumultuous times.
“One impactful change the state of California can make is suspending Assembly Bill 5.
“Our state attracts freelancers and creatives. Unfortunately, the passage of AB5 last fall is jeopardizing these workers’ livelihoods by making it more difficult to legally define workers as independent contractors…
“This shift has certainly contributed to the unprecedented unemployment numbers as companies lay off workers due to the coronavirus’s effect on the economy and as businesses have to shut down. Now those workers are in desperate need of an income…
“At a time when our communities should rally together as we get through this pandemic, job restrictions should not add to our list of worries.
“I urge Gov. Newsom to suspend AB5 during this period with so many jobs on the line.
“Repealing AB5 will not be the only solution to helping Californians find work as we face this crisis, but it will absolutely help…”
Read the rest here.