Uber has been taking the world of city transit by storm and has become the poster-child of the modern “gig economy.” At first glance, Uber’s service seems like a universal improvement over traditional taxi services: the app makes hailing a cab convenient for passengers, and the drivers are given complete flexibility to work as little or as much they like.
Working an inflexible nine-to-five schedule is often not conducive to the demands of ordinary life. Parents find themselves missing events at their children’s schools that occur during the day. Cautious workers manage their sick days conservatively, not knowing what health challenges the year might bring. Taking a day to care for personal psychological health strikes many as an impractical luxury.