近年来，互联网经济迅猛发展，出现了很多“网约工”，比如外卖小哥、网约车司机等。这类工作往往不签劳动合同，所以缺乏劳动保障。在美国，一些州通过立法来保护“网约工”，却引起了争议。
Could laws designed to protect gig workers actually hurt them?
by Charisse Jones
In an unexpected twist, a spate of new legislation that claims to stop the exploitation（剥削） of freelance workers is causing a backlash（强烈反对） from some of the contractors it's designed to protect.
twist /twɪst/ n. 转折、变化
a spate /speɪt/ of 一连串的、接二连三的
legislation /ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 法律法规
claim /kleɪm/ v. 声称、宣称
freelance /ˈfriːlɑːns/ adj. 自由职业的
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成、引起
contractor /kənˈtræktə(r)/ n. 指按合同（不是劳动合同）提供劳务的人（由contract加上表示人的后缀-or）
California's AB 5 is among the most controversial. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, spells out standards that must be met to determine if workers are employees entitled to benefits and other protections, or contractors without those safety nets.
California /ˌkælɪˈfɔːniə/ n. 加利福尼亚（美国西部的州）
AB 5 指议会的第5号议案
controversial /ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃ(ə)l/ adj. 有争议的
go into effect 生效
spell out 详细说明
standard /ˈstændəd/ n. 标准
meet /miːt/ v. 满足、达到
determine /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/ v. 确定、决定
entitle /ɪnˈtaɪt(ə)l/ v. 使有资格
benefit /ˈbenɪfɪt/ n. 福利
protection /prəˈtekʃ(ə)n/ n. 保护（由protect加后缀-ion变成名词）
safety net 安全网、安全保障
The law's arrival comes as the U.S. increasingly relies on a freelance workforce, with businesses able to save up to 30% or more in costs using independent contractors rather than employees, according to the National Employment Law Project.
increasingly /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/ adv. 越来越
rely /rɪˈlaɪ/ on 依靠、依赖
workforce /ˈwɜːkfɔːs/ n. （全体）劳动者
independent /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/ adj. 独立的
employment law 劳动法
project /ˈprɒdʒekt/ n. 项目
States have long had rules defining who is an employee versus a freelancer, particularly to sort out who qualifies for benefits like unemployment insurance and workers' compensation. Federal laws also contain definitions of who is, and who isn't, an employee.
define /dɪˈfaɪn/ v. 定义、界定
versus /ˈvɜːsəs/ prep. 跟…相对（常常缩写为vs）
freelancer /ˈfriːlɑːnsə(r)/ n. 自由职业者
sort out 分类
qualify /ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ/ v. 符合条件、具有资格
unemployment /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ n. 失业
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊər(ə)ns/ n. 保险
compensation /ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 赔偿（指裁员时给员工的赔偿金）
federal /ˈfed(ə)r(ə)l/ adj. 联邦的
definition /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 定义（由define加后缀-ition变成名词）
"It is not new," Rebecca Smith, director of work structures at the National Employment Law Project, said of such laws. "But what is new is the degree of organizing among workers, especially those in the gig economy. Workers across the country are joining together, standing up, and demanding that businesses stop gaming the system. And legislators are listening."
structure /ˈstrʌktʃə(r)/ n. 结构
gig /ɡɪɡ/ economy 网约经济
game /ɡeɪm/ v. 操纵
legislator /ˈledʒɪsleɪtə(r)/ n. 立法者、议员
Last year, at least 15 states introduced bills related to worker classification, says Josh Cunningham, manager of the employment, labor, and retirement program for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Of those, bills in Delaware, Illinois and Nevada, as well as California, were signed into law.
introduce /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/ v. 引入
bill /bɪl/ n. 议案
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 有关的
classification /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 分类
labor /ˈleɪbə(r)/ n. 劳动、劳动者
retirement /rɪˈtaɪəmənt/ n. 退休（由retire加后缀-ment变成名词）
program /ˈprəʊɡræm/ n. 计划、方案
conference /ˈkɒnf(ə)r(ə)ns/ n. 大会
legislature /ˈledʒɪslətʃə(r)/ n. 立法会、议会
Delaware /ˈdeləweə(r)/ n. 特拉华（美国西北部的州）
Illinois /ˌɪlɪˈnɔɪ/ n. 伊利诺伊（美国中部的州）
Nevada /nəˈvɑːdə/ n. 内华达（美国西部的州）
as well as = and also
Those who support the new laws say some are merely cementing（巩固） or spelling out rules previously established by labor officials or the courts.★ The goal is to prevent employers from misclassifying workers so they can avoid paying payroll taxes and guaranteeing them a minimum wage, workers' compensation and other protections.
merely /ˈmɪəli/ adv. 仅仅（表示强调）
establish /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ v. 建立
official /əˈfɪʃ(ə)l/ n. 官员
court /kɔːt/ n. 法庭
★ 注：这句话里的labor指政府的劳动部门
misclassify /mɪsˈklæsɪfaɪ/ v. 分错类（由classify加上表示错误的前缀mis-）
payroll /ˈpeɪrəʊl/ tax 薪资税
guarantee /ˌɡær(ə)nˈtiː/ v. 保证、确保
minimum wage 最低工资
Independent workers may be more vulnerable than employees, not entitled to certain wages, insurance and other benefits. But many freelancers say they prefer the flexibility of not being tied to a single employer, while industries like trucking are built around a network of freestanding subcontractors（分包商）.
vulnerable /ˈvʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l/ adj. 易受伤害的
flexibility /ˌfleksəˈbɪləti/ n. 灵活性
single /ˈsɪŋɡ(ə)l/ adj. 单个的
truck /trʌk/ v. 用卡车运货
network /ˈnetwɜːk/ n. 网络
freestanding /ˌfriːˈstændɪŋ/ adj. 独立运作的
In the wake of passage of AB 5, some freelance work is disappearing. Vox Media will create 20 new full-time positions, while eliminating 200 freelance slots that covered California sports teams, saying that sticking to the law's limits on freelance content will be difficult.
in the wake of 在…之后
passage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ n. 通过
full-time 全职的
position /pəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 职位
eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ v. 去掉
slot /slɒt/ n. 一份工作
cover /ˈkʌvə(r)/ v. 报道（新闻）
stick to 严格遵守
content /ˈkɒntent/ n. 内容
"They're not going to force any news organization to hire more staff," Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, said of the legislation. "This will just ultimately have the effect of people who were earning an income having their income reduced or eliminated completely."
force /fɔːs/ v. 迫使
general counsel /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/ 总法律顾问
press /pres/ n. 新闻界
association /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 协会、联合会
ultimately /ˈʌltɪmətli/ adv. 最终、最后
income /ˈɪnkʌm/ n. 收入
（如果您发现某些行的最后一个单词被分成两半了，请把您使用的浏览器升级到最新版本就能正常显示了。）
网友评论