Largest company providing grocery-shopping service uses "gig workers," breaking Cali law

From: California Department of Labor
To: James ssssssssssss        
     President, Instacart Inc.

Dear Mr. sssssssssss 

It has come to our attention that your company uses roughly 100,000 so-called "gig workers" in California to shop for and deliver groceries as requested by disabled or otherwise home-bound customers.

Surely you are aware that the California Assembly passed a law two years ago forbidding companies from using "gig workers."  Accordingly, you are hereby ordered to pay a fine of $2,000,000 for violating that law.

In addition, you are ordered to stop using "gig workers" immediately.  If you wish to continue using them, your only option is to make them full-time employees, with full medical and retirement benefits.  And of course full state minimum wage, currently $15 per hour.  You will also need to pay monthly withholding on every employee.

We realize this will likely make it impossible to make a profit in California, but of course that's not our problem. However, you may be able to get a special waiver exempting your company from this law, as the Assembly did for realtors and attorneys.  If you'd like to explore that option, you might try making a totally voluntary contribution of $750,000 to the Democrat Party of California.

Sincerely,
California Department of Labor