030365 KU Humans as a Service - Labour Law in the Gig Economy (2018S)

The course “Humans as a Service” offers an engaging and critical account of the gig economy. It explores the diverse platforms that comprise it and describes how they operate. Furthermore it demonstrates the importance of language: how claims of 'disruptive innovation' and 'micro-entrepreneurship' often obscure the realities of highly precarious work and the strict algorithmic surveillance and control to which workers are subject. And yet, far from being radically new, the course shows that the gig economy is but the latest (and perhaps most extreme) example of labour market practices that have existed for centuries. Turning to how the law should respond to the on-demand economy, it argues that regulators can and must bring this work within the scope of employment law, adapting existing norms where necessary, in order to protect both customers and workers. Finally, it explores the wider implications of the gig economy for markets and consumers, assessing opportunities and challenges - if this is the future of work, how can it be made sustainable?