The core issue in this case was whether Amazon could be held liable for the negligence of a driver working for a third-party delivery service. Amazon argued that it wasn’t the driver’s employer and should not be responsible for their conduct. However, during the trial, the extent of control Amazon exerted over the driver’s work was revealed. Jurors learned that Amazon, through its app and digital tools, dictated the driver’s routes, schedules and delivery methods. The jury found that this digital ”control” was equivalent to the control typically exerted by employers, making Amazon liable under agency law.

Significantly, the jury also found Amazon responsible for failing to properly train the driver, further compounding their liability. This verdict has profound ramifications for gig-economy businesses that claim workers are independent while simultaneously directing nearly every aspect of their work through technology. Companies cannot rely on the independent contractor label when they exert this level of digital control.

 A New Legal Landscape: Accountability in the Gig Economy