The International Labour Organization reached a historic milestone on Friday by approving the world’s first legally binding employment standards targeting gig economy platforms that provide ride-sharing, food delivery and online commerce services.
The measure received strong support during voting in Geneva, with 406 members backing the proposal while only eight opposed it and 36 chose to abstain. The U.N. agency’s membership includes representatives from governments, employers and workers who work together to advance international labor rights.
The newly adopted ILO convention aims to expand fundamental workplace rights and protections to cover gig economy workers, encompassing areas such as compensation, workplace safety and social benefits.
The protections outlined in the agreement vary depending on how workers are classified, creating distinctions between individuals categorized as independent contractors versus those recognized as formal employees.
Under the new convention, digital platforms will be required to reveal how their automated systems impact workers and must ensure human oversight in critical decisions such as suspending worker accounts.
