S01E05: Industry Advocacy: An Update on Employee Classification

In today’s episode of Translation Company Talk we are joined by Dr. Bill Rivers, former Chief of Joint National Committee in Languages. Together we explore the critical shift in labor laws, an topic important for translation companies that harness the scalable and burstable power of freelancers.

In recent years, within a variety of levels of government, the US has been experiencing significant labor law shifts, specifically in regards to the classification of independent contractors as employees. The State of California has recently adopted the Assembly Bill (AB) 5 and AB 2257 which classifies independent contractors, such as freelance translators, writers and other independent knowledge professionals, as employees. 

Today on Translation Company Talk I embark upon deep discussions with Dr. Bill Rivers, PhD, who has been the voice of the translation and interpreting industry in Washington for years. As the former chief of Joint National Committee in Languages (JNCL), Dr. Rivers has extensive and first hand knowledge of policy shifts leading to today’s change in labor laws. 

Significant resistance is mounting to combat these changes from both language service company groups, such as the Association of Language Companies, and from independent contractors. The rate of adoption of these bills remains cause for alarm. The language industry is collateral damage in many ways, and it is unfair to lump all types of independent contractors within one category. 

For today’s episode of Translation Company Talk I exclusively focus on the important and seismic topic surrounding massive shifts in labor laws, and calls LSCs into taking action at local, state and federal level. 

I invite you to listen to my interview with Dr.  Rivers, garner a deeper understanding as to the implications of these changes for your own translation company and take necessary action to avoid being caught by surprise. 

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