Hacker News Reader

W2 employees have all kinds of protections that 1099 contractors don't. Paid sick time, FMLA leave, retirement plan contributions...A big difference is that 1099 contractors must pay their own self-employment taxes (15%) to cover Social Security and Medicare whereas W2 employees have half of that paid for by their company. (Economists would say that comes out of wages, but it still means $15/hour W2 is not directly comparable to $15/hour 1099.)

View on HN

>still means $15/hour W2 is not directly comparable to $15/hour 1099

of course not that is why contractors get paid more than salary employees. If contractors dont ask for more money per hour then its their own fault.

Can you show me how "independent contractor" Uber employees can ask more per hour?

Which is, incidentally, one of the points this case will hinge on. Being able to set your own rates is one of the key differentiators between contract and employee labour, and Uber drivers clearly do not have that ability.

They can't (currently) and this is why they are being suckered. 1099 has always been different than being a W2 employee. They should be being paid more to cover the differences of being an independent contractor for the same work, but they choose to forego out of their own volition and are now complaining about it.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com