Ruben J. Garcia is a professor of law at the William S. Boyd School of Law.Ars Technica recently interviewed Professor Garcia for a March 26 article titled “Startup workers sue to be recognized as employees, not mere contractors.”
The article, which talked about labor disputes between start-up service companies and workers, includes comments from Professor Garcia.
The article reads, “Similarly, Ruben Garcia, a labor law professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told Ars that someone like a plumber who is employed on a one-off basis by customers is an obvious independent contractor, but someone who is consistently spending long hours working for the same company is more likely to be considered as an employee under the law. ‘Are these workers subject to the control of an employer?’ he asked. ‘It doesn't matter if the employer is on site, is in your home, is telling you how to do every part of your job. If they exert sufficient control or the right to control they can be considered as employees. The problem or the issue with these companies is that they want to exert a certain amount of control and yet the more they do, the more they look like employers that have to pay benefits and all the things that come with being an employer.’”
Founded in 1998, Ars Technica is a source for technology news, tech policy analysis, and breakdowns of the latest scientific advancements, gadget reviews, software, hardware, and related topics.
A recognized expert in the field of labor and employment law, Professor Garcia teaches Labor Law, Employment Law, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility at the Boyd School of Law. He has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, among others, and has appeared on national and local radio and television programs.
