Freelance journalists and photographers got no relief in federal court as the court refused to exempt them from California law AB5 that makes them employees rather than contractors. The reclassification makes it more difficult for them to find work. The freelancers claimed the law was arbitrary and irrational and violated freedom of the press. But the judge said there was a legitimate state interest in reclassifying the employees to fight inequality and that there was no violation of press freedom in that AB5 did not pertain to the content of the freelancers’ work. (San Francisco Chronicle, March 23, 2020, by Bob Egelko)
For earlier FAC coverage on this issue, click here.