Reconceptualising Labour Regulations for Workers in the Gig Economy

This paper examines how the rise of the gig economy challenges traditional labour law classifications that distinguish workers as either employees or independent contractors based on control and supervision. Using Ola and Uber drivers as a case study, it demonstrates how platform-based business models blur these categories and create uncertainty regarding the applicability of labour protections. Drawing on the Labour Market Regulations perspective, the paper argues that existing labour laws are ill-suited to address the realities of gig work and risk undermining worker welfare. It proposes the recognition of a distinct category of “dependent contractors” to better protect gig workers and align labour regulation with contemporary industrial policy in India.