The gig economy continues to grow in 2025, presenting unique challenges to traditional labor law. The classification of workers as employees or independent contractors remains a contentious issue, with significant implications for worker rights, benefits, and company obligations.
Many jurisdictions are developing new legal frameworks to address the unique nature of gig work. These often seek to provide some of the protections of traditional employment while maintaining the flexibility that characterizes gig work. Lawyers are at the forefront of interpreting and shaping these new regulations.
Another trend is the rise of platform cooperatives – worker-owned platforms that compete with traditional gig economy companies. These structures present novel legal questions around ownership, governance, and liability.
The globalization of gig work is also creating new legal challenges. With workers and companies often operating across borders, questions of jurisdiction and applicable law are becoming increasingly complex.
As we move into 2025, labor lawyers are increasingly required to understand not just traditional employment law, but also aspects of technology law, international law, and even blockchain technology as it relates to decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) that are entering the gig economy space.