Homework: Legal Liability and the Gig Economy
Ride sharing companies are largely hailed as the advent of the gig economy, which is the idea that people do not work as permanent employees for one employer but instead work in a labor market characterized by short-term contracts or freelance work. While creating a new type of entrepreneurship for individuals, a gig economy raises a host of new legal questions about the law of agency for companies utilizing gig workers.
Widgets operates a ride-sharing business in a small town. Your boss at an investment firm has asked you to evaluate Widget's legal exposure for the conduct of its drivers, given the information below and identify, and to explain the law and legal liability in this vast new gig economy world.
Write a 3 to 4 pages interoffice memo in which you do the following:
a. Summarize the main principles of agency law as they relate to Widgets' relationship with its drivers.
b. Analyze the circumstances under which Widgets might be liable for the conduct of a driver who, while intoxicated, caused an accident involving personal property damage and bodily injury.
c. Identify the steps Widgets can take, if any, to limit its legal exposure due to the conduct of its drivers.
Include at least three quality references. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not count as quality references.
Format your homework according to the give formatting requirements:
a. The answer must be double spaced, typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
b. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the course title, the student's name, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
c. Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
The specific course learning outcome associated with this homework is as follows:
a. Establish what liability concerns exist for a specific business based on agency law.