GOP Pushback on Gig Worker Status Nears a Win in West Virginia

Employers could more easily treat their staffers as gig workers in West Virginia under a bill advancing through the legislature as part of a conservative counterpoint to Democratic efforts to classify more of them as employees.

West Virginia workers who are classified as independent contractors instead of employees don’t get workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance from their employers. At the federal level and in some states, the independent classification means other workplace protections such as minimum wage, overtime, and the right to unionize don’t apply, and independent workers typically aren’t eligible for an employer’s health-care or retirement benefits.

The West ...