Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at the Independent Women's Forum, wrote in a USA Today op-ed that New Jersey’s proposed changes to independent contractor rules could have serious negative effects on women workers. She argued that current government data does not accurately reflect how women balance work and motherhood.
“Somewhere between stay-at-home moms and ladder climbers are freelancers,” Onwuka said. “From full-time self-employment to side hustles and gig work, an estimated 73 million people earn incomes outside of traditional work.
“However, U.S. employment data undercounts flexible workers by millions.”
Onwuka emphasized that many women rely on freelance or independent contractor roles to maintain flexible income while raising families. “Nine out of 10 female workers who shifted from full-time employment to independent contract work said they did so to prioritize flexibility over stability,” she said.
The New Jersey Department of Labor is currently reviewing a proposal that would formalize the criteria for classifying independent contractors, which may significantly reduce their numbers in the state. This move has drawn opposition from 22 New Jersey legislators, as well as business organizations like NJBIA and various freelance advocacy groups.
Onwuka compared New Jersey’s plan to California’s AB5 law enacted in 2019, calling it “foolish reclassification.” She referenced data from Freelancers Against AB5 showing that the law resulted in job losses for 10.5% of self-employed Californians and reduced overall employment by 4.4% across more than 600 occupations. According to Onwuka, professions largely made up of women, such as transcribers, were particularly affected: “Entire professions dominated by women, such as transcribers, were wiped out,” she said. “Now, other states like New Jersey are copycatting these policies. This is a disastrous labor policy, especially for women.”
To read Onwuka’s full op-ed click here.
