Republicans Seek to Shield Employers on Contractor Benefits (3)

Republicans on a key House committee are proposing that Congress implement a statutory “safe harbor” that would allow businesses to offer benefits to gig workers and other contractors without fear of being sued for not classifying them as employees.

Such a provision in the next large-scale stimulus package would help protect the health and safety of workers and the public while allowing an important piece of the economy to continue operating during the Covid-19 crisis, House Education and Labor Committee Republicans said in a blog post Friday.

“Businesses should be allowed to assist independent contractors without risking the independent status ...