SB Nation, the sports blogging arm of Vox Media, will not renew its contracts with California-based freelance writers because of the state’s new anti-misclassification law, which goes into effect in January.
New Jersey lawmakers are considering a similar measure in New Jersey, S-4204, which has drawn broad opposition from local freelance writers, independent truck drivers and others who work for themselves in the gig economy. NJBIA opposes the measure in its current form.
“That new (California) law makes it impossible for us to continue with our current California team site structure because it restricts contractors from producing more than 35 written content ‘submissions’ per year,” wrote SB Nation’s John Ness on the company’s website.
The company has invited its contractors to apply for new full- and part-time positions in California, but Ness noted that many of them already have full-time jobs.
Freelancers in New Jersey have been vocally opposing S-4204, in part because of what’s happening to their counterparts in California.
Jennifer Miller, a freelance writer from Audubon, said in a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed published in November that she has seen her peers losing work in California and is worried she will face a similar fate if New Jersey enacts its bill.
Gwen Moran, another New Jersey-based business writer, shared similar concerns in another op-ed published on fastcompany.com entitled: “I’m fighting back against laws that could shut down my freelance business.”