Save the New Jersey economy: Your freelance job is in jeopardy (Opinion)

Are you a part of the "gig economy"? Not a regular 9 to 5 at a corporate center, just setting your own hours and performing your skills on behalf of clients.

If that's how you make a living, the bureaucrats in Washington are trying to take away your independent status.

Joining me on the show is Kim Kavin, an award-winning freelance writer and editor, and the co-founder of the grassroots nonpartisan group Fight For Freelancers, founded when New Jersey politicians tried to severely restrict the definition of a 1099 worker or freelancer.

She shared a funny story from that fight about former state Sen. Steve Sweeney who lost his seat to Ed the Trucker and is now a Democratic candidate for governor.

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Her group helped kill the bill in NJ then but now it is back on a federal level.

The DOL issued a rule creating a very strict and confusing definition of a 1099 worker which will certainly have a chilling effect on the entrepreneurial environment and the opportunities available to freelancers.

A similar bill was passed in California (AB5) and it devastated small businesses and freelancers.

Pacific Legal Foundation is now representing Kim and other plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the DOL.

I want to thank Congressman Tom Kean Jr. for sponsoring action on behalf of the New Jersey delegation to push back against this intrusive and egregious assault on independent contractors.

This is a critical step toward protecting our small business and freelance economy in the Garden State.

Call your congressman TODAY and tell them to support Tom Kean's effort and stop the DOL from attacking freelancers.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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