Freelance journalist Michelle Mears says AB 5 has made it harder to find work

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Last year, California passed Assembly Bill 5, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. The new law, known as AB 5, creates a strict test for determining whether an individual who provides services to a company is an independent contractor or an employee.

The new gig law is causing a lot of backlash from ride-hailing drivers, computer coders, freelance writers and other gig workers.

Michelle Mears has been a freelance journalist for 20 years. Working as a freelancer allowed her to continue her career when she was a military wife, mom and student.

She has worked in the past for the Coast News Weekly paper in North San Diego, Fallbrook Village News, Temecula Valley News, CBSLA Online and even dabbled with her own media site in Temecula, printing a magazine and website covering local news in the Inland Empire.

She says that AB 5 has affected her ability to get jobs, and she believes that the bill violates the constitution.

Michelle was in studio to tell us about how the bill is impacting her.