RepairSmith, a new at-home car repair and maintenance service that launched this summer, supports a new California law requiring gig economy workers to be reclassified as employees instead of contractors. RepairSmith is a company that has emphasized in the past that its technicians are not gig workers and that they maintain full-time hours.
“Originally, gig work was designed to be a source of supplemental income, which is useful and appropriate to a degree, but not when people are essentially working full-time hours and especially not when dealing with skilled workers,” CEO Joel Milne said in a Sept. 16 statement. “Yet, the success of companies like Uber and DoorDash has created a trend that permeates other industries, including our own. We strongly disagree with this.
“Skilled labor, like automotive repair, requires talented workers who are experts at their craft. They need access to specialized tools and continuing education opportunities. Our mechanics are classified as employees and receive employee benefits, including healthcare and paid vacation. After all, this is not supplemental income for them; it’s their career and livelihood.”
RepairSmith also provides its technicians with tools and company vehicles.
Based in Los Angeles, RepairSmith provides at-home car repair and maintenance services. The company is backed by Daimler AG. RepairSmith is currently available in California, with plans to expand to other major metropolitan areas throughout 2019 and 2020.