Uber, Lyft win California vote to treat drivers as contractual workers

Companies like Uber and Lyft got a major relief in California after a ballot measure went in their favour exempting them from a state law to treat drivers as employees.

The supporters of the ballot initiative called California Proposition 22, or Prop 22, spent over $200 million to keep their gig workers classified as independent contractors in California.

The ballot measure was decided on Tuesday with 58 per cent of more than 11 million voters saying yes to Prop 22.

A “yes” vote on this measure means app-based rideshare and delivery companies could hire drivers as independent contractors.

Drivers could decide when, where, and how much to work, But they would not get standard benefits and protections that businesses must provide to employees in the state.