Dem wants better data about ‘on-demand economy’

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is calling for the federal government to hone its data collection efforts to gather more information about how on-demand economy companies like Uber and TaskRabbit are affecting the way Americans work.

“Unfortunately, our definitions, data collection, and policies are still based on 20th century perceptions about work and income,” he said in a statement on Tuesday accompanying letters to the heads of several federal agencies inquiring about their data-collection practices.

{mosads}The requests are part of a larger push by Warner to examine how policy might be changed to accommodate the rise of the on-demand economy.

“In a 21st century economy, we need new and better information so we can understand the potential policy ramifications when more people, whether by personal choice or economic necessity, are making a living with no connection to a single employer — and without access to the safety net benefits and worker protections typically provided through traditional full-time employment,” he said in the statement.

Warner produced three letters, in total, to six different agency leaders. In one, he asked the secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioner to dive into the IRS’s data to answer questions about the character and scope of the on-demand economy.

He made similar requests of the Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau and the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Virginia senator, who made a fortune in technology investments, has been a leading voice in Congress for reforming the social safety net to accommodate workers in the on-demand economy. Many are considered independent contractors — a classification some dispute — and therefore don’t get the benefits and protections afforded to full-time employees.

Warner has yet to introduce legislation on the topic, but has said that a third party could potentially administer benefits for workers at the company. Uber’s CEO has reportedly called ObamaCare, which helped to separate health insurance from traditional employment, “huge” for the ride-hailing service.

Data about the effect the companies have on the economy remains elusive. A right-leaning think tank said in a study released earlier this summer that the companies had generated $519 million in growth.

Complicating matters further is the status of on-demand economy firms, and Uber in particular, as symbols of innovation that politicians hope to associate with. Many Republicans have advocated for limited regulations on the companies, while some Democrats have been toeing the line between allowing the firms to flourish without sacrificing a progressive approach to helping workers.