For millions of Latinos, independent contracting is a lifeline — let’s keep it that way

Independent contractors are 36% of the entire U.S. workforce. That’s millions of Americans (whether freelancers or in the gig economy) for whom non-traditional work is a form of freedom. But bureaucrats and outdated policies are putting that freedom at risk.

Latinos are very familiar with independent work, with half of all Latinos having done some work as independent contractor at some point in their lives.

But instead of being empowered with the freedom to work on your own terms, Washington is keeping independent contractors from reaching their full potential due to outdated and confusing federal policies and regulations.

This red tape makes life tougher for people like Yasmelin Torres and her daughter Alejandra. For them, independent work offers freedom, flexibility, and opportunity they would never find in a traditional job.

Thankfully, there are some members of Congress working for the millions of freelancers, gig workers, and other independent contractors in America.

Recently, the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing on the obstacles faced by independent contractors. The conversation focused on two promising new bills backed by The LIBRE Initiative that will remove some of these roadblocks.

Unelected bureaucrats shouldn’t decide how you work.

Are you an employee or an independent contractor? This is an obvious question with (very) tricky answers.

To answer it, workers must navigate a complicated and outdated web of laws, court decisions, and regulations that shift depending on who’s in power.

This uncertainty creates real problems. Businesses can be heavily penalized or even risk legal action if the government rules they’ve misclassified their workers.

Moreover, if whoever’s in power makes the rules too strict, workers could be forced to become traditional employees — even if they don’t want to.

H.R. 1319, the Modern Worker Empowerment Act, would fix that by simplifying the classification process and creating a clear and coherent standard for determining who is a contractor and who is not.

This would bring much-needed clarity to Americans who prefer to work as contractors.

Government shouldn’t stand between you and your benefits.

Complicated employment tests aren’t the only barrier independent workers face. Federal regulations punish business clients who want to offer benefits to independent contractors.

If businesses want to contribute to portable health care or other benefits, they might be forced to reclassify them as traditional employees or just not offer any benefits at all.

It’s no surprise that independent contractors are 11% less likely to have health insurance than traditional employees, leaving millions of hardworking Americans without coverage because Washington is getting in the way.

H.R. 1320, the Modern Worker Security Act, would end this double standard and remove government barriers that prevent businesses from offering a range of portable benefits, including health care and retirement savings, to independent contractors.

Your voice matters: Let’s defend independent work together.

America is the land of freedom. Government is there to protect your rights, not tell you what to do. You — not a Washington bureaucrat you’ve never met — should be the one who decides how you make a living.

That’s why The LIBRE Initiative supports policies like the Modern Worker Empowerment Act and the Modern Worker Security Act; we want you to have the freedom to work your way up to the American Dream, not have the government tell you.

And we’re not just stopping at labor reform. At LIBRE, we know freedom is the only way for Americans to prosper. Freedom to choose the best education for your kids, freedom to start a business, and freedom from higher taxes.

If you want to join the grassroots army fighting to keep freedom alive, click here to join the movement.