CHANGES AFOOT IN GIG ECONOMY LAW

Freelance music professionals in California should have a reason to celebrate once the California Legislature reconvenes. State Assembly Reps. Lorena Gonzalez and Ian C. Calderon plan to amend California Assembly Bill 5 to redefine employment classifications of musicians, producers, engineers and others.

The amendments they will introduce will allow most music professionals to follow the less-strict “Borello test” to determine their employment classification. This will allow independently contracted music professionals to work mostly as they had in the past while also offering AB5 protections to those who work as employees. The Recording Academy, RIAA, A2IM, Music Artists Coalition and other organizations have agreed on the language of the amendments.

"With this exemption, music creators can get back to work on their own terms of collaboration," Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. wrote in a letter to California Record Academy members. "The history of music-making in California has played a vital role in shaping the world’s culture, and we can now continue that for generations to come. These are challenging times for creators but this is good news for those in California."