What You Need To Know About California's New Law AB-5 Affects on Writers - Writer Beware

Today as our fastidious Panzer was washing the outside of the Panzermobile, he heard crying and shouting coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, he followed all the noise to the Writer Beware site. With no digging at all he found the source of all the angst. A new law in California has major problems for freelance writers in the state.

It's hard enough being a writer. Now this.

According to site owner Victoria Strauss, California has passed a new law aimed at helping 'freelance' workers. The AB-5 law gives freelance workers the benefits of regular employees after certain criteria are met. Because the law includes a limit of 35 'sales' to one company after that limit the freelancer becomes an employee under the law. This is one of the criteria of the law causing freelance writers a problem. Some freelance writers (and illustrators) can satisfy this criteria in six months, if not weeks. The post includes an article published by the Authors Guild explaining the law and its effects on writers.

Panzer says, "If you read all the way to the end of the post in the Update section, you'll see they want to do the same law here where I live in Washington state."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to California AB5 Law

Publishers Brace for California Labor Law Changes - Publishers Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard shouting and crying outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise, took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There with a little digging in the posts he found one about a new labor law going into effect in California.

It's giving me a headache already.

According to the post by Jason Boog, California has a new labor law going into effect on January 1, 2020. The new law will re-classify many independent workers as employees. Included in the current independent workers categories are authors, editors and illustrators. If these workers are changed to employee status, publishers will be required to pay for unemployment coverage, minimum wages and other benefits. How to determine if an independent contractor will be re-classified and the new rules and exemptions appear to be confusing to some publishers.

Panzer says. "Hmm ... If publishers aren't very, very careful, this could turn into a big pile of kitty do-do for them."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring two cups of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection..

To read the post tootle over to California labor law