As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes hiring, workplace surveillance, and wages, Connecticut lawmakers are debating whether to impose new safeguards. AI-driven systems are already determining pay rates, particularly in gig-economy jobs like those with Uber and Lyft, in which algorithms set fares and driver earnings without transparency.
At a public hearing Tuesday before the Labor and Public Employees Committee, legislators heard testimony on Senate Bill 1484, which would require employers to disclose use of AI in hiring and performance evaluations, limit electronic monitoring, and allow workers to challenge automated decisions. They also considered Senate Bill 1487, which would require rideshare companies to disclose how fares are calculated, how much drivers receive, and how much the companies take in for commissions.
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Dan Ocampo, an attorney at the National Employment Law Project, testified that Uber and Lyft have steadily increased their commission rates while driver pay has declined.
“When Uber started, they took 10% per ride. Then it was 20%. Now it’s close to 40%, sometimes even 50% or more,” Ocampo said.
Beyond pay transparency, lawmakers raised concerns that Uber and Lyft may be avoiding millions in state taxes by classifying drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. Ocampo estimated that Connecticut loses $60 million per year in unpaid unemployment insurance contributions.
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Read the full article at ctnewsjunkie.com.
