Uber, Lyft and other gig jobs may face a shakeup under new California work rules

A sweeping California Supreme Court ruling that redefines when employers can classify workers as independent contractors could blow up the business models of Uber, Lyft and dozens of other companies that rely on gig workers. (Mohamed Ahmed Soliman/Dreamstime/TNS)

The rise of independent contracting has delivered benefits for some, such as greater flexibility for workers and lower costs for employers. But it also ensnared some people in low-wage jobs without benefits, working schedules that can change daily. 

Now, following a state Supreme Court ruling on April 30, businesses across California could be forced to reclassify swaths of their workforces as employees, with profound effects on workers and companies.