Not Like the Others: Applying the Fair Labor Standards Act to the Sharing Economy

Society’s transition away from the 20th Century Industrial Era is largely represented by the mass digitization of our daily lives. As we modernize, so too has our method of consumption. Today, equipped only with a smartphone, modern consumers can access a wide variety of goods and services. With the click of a button, consumers can catch a ride home using Uber, Turo, or Lyft; book a swanky loft in Brazil using Airbnb or VRBO; rent designer clothes from Rent the Runway; or have dry-cleaning picked up with TaskRabbit. These services all form part of the larger “sharing economy.” Heralded as one of the “10 Ideas That Will Change the World,” the sharing economy comprises one of the fastest growing markets in the United States. In fact, approximately one quarter of the population in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada engages in some form of