By Chris Morris– From Fortune.com
When California governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 5, the state’s rewritten employment law, much of the focus was on Uber and Lyft drivers. But the law reached well beyond the tentpoles of the gig economy.
Under the law, performers in the adult entertainment industry are entitled to the same benefits as those drivers, specifically being recognized as employees of the companies they work for. That gives them the right to overtime pay, minimum wage protection and workers’ compensation protections.
Health care? That’s a little trickier, since few porn stars work 40 hour weeks.
"As a worker in the adult industry, the moment you walk on to set, your employer is responsible for your safety..Being recognized as an employee will ensure you are protected, paid properly & more prepared for your future." Thank you @APAGunion for your support & advocacy on #AB5 https://t.co/7aC3recC9L
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) September 30, 2019
AB5 lists dozens of occupations that are exempt, including:
- Doctors
- Lawyers
- Architects
- Accountants
- Private investigators
- Commercial fishermen
- Manicurists and estheticians
But porn stars aren’t on that list. Neither are truck drivers, freelance writers and artists, owners of franchise businesses or cleaners.
The law also protects adult film stars against sexual harassment, something the industry has been increasingly concerned about in recent years. (Earlier this year, Gamma Films, one of the largest conglomerates in the porn world, instituted a code of conduct for performers and crew after one of its directors was accused of sexual assault by a performer.)
