I have spent more than three decades on the road, with proudly built up my career as an independent contractor in the truck industry. When I was my own boss, I allowed my four daughters to raise, support my family and map my own path as a business owner. But in 2020 that livelihood was thrown into chaos by a law from Sacramento, California, legislators who ignored how real truck drivers work and threatened to put thousands of us bankrupt.
By forcing a one-size-fits-all definition of employment, Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) made it almost impossible for small business truck drivers to operate independently in California. I was confronted with a heartbreaking decision: stay in my home and see my company collapse or abandoned California to retain the freedom I had fought so hard for.
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I chose to leave.
Independent contractor Dee SOVA moved its truck company to Missouri after California had adopted his AB5 law. Now the congress is going on the fight and there is hope on the horizon.
Thousands of independent truck drivers throughout the country watched with fear in California. Many of us are women, veterans, immigrants and entrepreneurs of the first generation. The ability to choose when and how we work is not just an advantage. It is a lifeline.
That is why I am grateful to the Republican representative of the Republican California. Kevin Karey For the emergence for independent employees such as me by the introduction of “Modern Worker Empowerment Act”, which switched from the committee in the House of Representatives adopted at the end of July.
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This account is a big win for independent contractors. It restores a consistent, common sense definition of independent work and ensures that truck drivers such as I can continue to build our companies without being forced into rigid, outdated employment models. After the damage caused by AB 5 in California, it is encouraging to see the congress put in the right direction.
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Kiley understands that protecting independent contractors is not only about economics – it is about dignity, autonomy and fairness. He saw how AB 5 crushed opportunity in California and took action to ensure that those same errors would not be repeated nationally.
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By running my truck like a small business, I was able to take long deposits throughout the country – sometimes bringing my children – while retaining the flexibility and control that was most important for the well -being of my family. And I was proud that I served as a role model: which shows that women can thrive behind the wheel, possess their company and contribute to the supply chain of America.
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Thanks to leaders as rep. Kiley finally acknowledges Washington that independent contractors deserve the same respect and freedom as traditional employees. I hope that the Senate will go soon to take this bill and send it to the president’s office.
Maybe I should have left California to keep my company alive – but with this new legislation I might come back one day.
