On 27 October, elected representatives in New York City approved a new law entitled “Freelance Isn’t Free” which introduces the first basic rights for freelance workers, governing their relationship with the companies they do work for. The law is set to be signed by New York's Democrat mayor Bill de Blasio and will come into force 180 days later. Under the new arrangement, there will be a written contract between freelance workers and companies as well as a doubling of fines for when an unpaid invoice is brought before a court.
The Freelance Isn’t Free Act is the first of its kind in the country at a time where the situation of freelance workers is a hot topic. The law marks the end of a year-long campaign led by the Freelancers Union, which was created by Sara Horowitz in New York. Other more traditional trade unions also supported the campaign, such as the American Federation of Teachers, the United Federation of Teachers, the Service Employees International Union, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the National Writers Union.
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