Will Uber’s U.K. Loss Jump the Pond? Gig Worker Status Explained

A U.K. Supreme Court ruling against Uber Technologies Inc. likely means fines, back pay, and more legal challenges to app-based companies there, but will the U.S. gig economy face a similar blow?

The answer: Not any time soon.

The ruling last week found that Uber drivers should be entitled to rights such as minimum wage, holiday pay, and rest breaks. A similar case is nowhere near the U.S. Supreme Court, leaving the employment status of gig workers at the mercy of a patchwork of federal and state laws.

California, for example, has been locked in a high-profile battle with gig ...