Labor & Employment

SB 35 amends Alaska law to explicitly exempt transportation network company drivers (like Uber or Lyft drivers) from being classified as employees under workers' compensation and labor laws. The bill adds a new exemption (section 11) for drivers who provide prearranged rides through digital networks, and defines independent contractor status (section 12) with specific criteria like having an express contract, being free from employer control over work methods, and incurring business expenses. This directly affects ride-share drivers in Alaska, removing them from coverage under certain labor protections. The bill focuses on defining contractor status through clear, operational requirements rather than altering broader employment standards. The legislation is currently pending in committee review.

HB 127 amends Alaska's overtime pay law to exempt employees at smaller newspapers from overtime requirements. Specifically, it adds a new exemption for workers employed by newspapers with a circulation under 4,000 (increasing the previous threshold from 1,000). This change directly affects employees at weekly, semiweekly, or daily newspapers in Alaska that meet this circulation size limit. The bill is currently pending in committee and would alter which newspaper workers are not entitled to overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week.