Prop 22 Exemption How It Can Impact the Promotions Industry in San Francisco

 February 2020 the  RSA Conference was  one of the last talk about conferences this year prior to San Francisco's Covid-19 shut down. Till today the entire Brand Ambassador's market is till suffering thanks to the Federal and State funded EDD.  

Notwithstanding, the State and City of the San Francisco has gone a long way in the last 4-5years in supporting this industry in re-classifying independent contractors to employees. We have seen and experienced from unpaid breaks, meals, over time to unpaid sick time and now to to this suffering pandemic.

While, it is very much understood the ride sharing has their own circumstances such as, A YES vote on this measure means: App-based rideshare and delivery companies could hire drivers as independent contractors. Drivers could decide when, where, and how much to work but would not get standard benefits and protections that businesses must provide employees.  This was the same scenarios we had as independent contractors in the promotions industry. The question lies now is that if this Yes vote prevails will it now ignite a series of scenarios to affect the promotions industry? Hopefully, there will be no ignition now from marketing companies hiring promotions brand ambassadors to follow the same path that Uber, Lyft and Door Dash has made?

Nevertheless, A NO vote on this measure means: App-based rideshare and delivery companies would have to hire drivers as employees if the courts say that a recent state law makes drivers employees. Drivers would have less choice about when, where, and how much to work but would get standard benefits and protections that businesses must provide employees. Based on what we have experience on the promotions industry as a reflection just to give an insight, we actually got some protection as we were able to claim when we were not being paid on time in general. Being pad on time a accurately was the biggest challenge you have as an independent contractor as you do not have that protection when your an employee.

I guess will have to watch what happens to this proposition but my only take is that for how this goes on the ballot will be carefully watch as it will affect a lot of what's already in place.

The Needed Future Forward Mindset in the Events and Promotions Industry

Secrets to Successful Events

I recall my personal experiences while working and involvement in the Meetings and Events Industry in San Francisco since 2007. That was the time a Presidential Election was about to happened up to 2008 when the Great Recession downturn and turnaround occurred.

Economic's mostly cause by the housing sector created the problems. Challenges occurred in the areas of unemployment with a not such much effect to the Events Industry.  Come January 2020 start of a health crisis developing affecting fears and concerns in the United States. February 2020, sound the red flag to the Events Industry. 

One the last major conference in San Francisco was the RSA Conference. Measures were being taken though the fear was starting to succumb. Sponsors and Chinese exhibitors started to pull out. The Mayor of San Francisco declared an Emergency while at the same time reassuring the attendees San Francisco was safe with no known cases of the great pandemic for the historians to write, COVID-19, Coronavirus. 

March 2020, the dreaded stop of all events by virtue of health concerns, social distancing and shelter in place programs, As of this writing, the known most infected states as of today on the trajectory most hits, New York, California, and Washington. These states basically has life outside the home has paused and also the time where the events, hospitality and service industries deemed non-essential has stop. The unemployment applications are by millions and adding each day. Added to this knowing a lot of the gig workers in the convention business, a lot of them has not tried or do not know how to apply for unemployment and paid sick leave benefits. 

Once the testings go up to the maximum extent and the disease peaks towards getting control of this pandemic, the nation will heal while suffering from recession and unemployment. The event industry today is totally in darkness but we know we will rise up. These 3 states are the 3 of the biggest player states in the industry having the major convention cities like New York and San Francisco. 

This is now the time for everyone involved in the industry to pull together and brainstorm towards the future, towards helping each other, advocating from the federal, state and local government to help us and support each one.  The challenge now is what can we do as better event planners and managers to create an impact as soon as possible when the time permits to start our work again. 

An article on the Northern Meetings Group  on March 18, 2020, quotes " 

Event Planners

Organizers can help their customer's decision-making by easing timetables for exhibitor, sponsor and attendee reimbursement plans. For better or worse, this might mean allowing full refunds on a case by case basis. If a client has alternate events planned for later in the calendar year, it'd be a good idea to work with exhibitors sponsors and attendees, checking to see who would be willing to switch travel plans to remain loyal and participate in the future event, even if at a reduced cost.

This is one strategy we can salvage the cancelled events on a later date and start the recovery we need.

Realities in the Promotions Industry in San Francisco

It's great busy Bay Area weekend this June 24-26, 2016 with simultaneous promotional events in the San Francisco  Bay Area. 

The big Nascar Race is going on then the Alameda County Fair and nonetheless the big San Francisco Pride Weekend where almost all the promo peeps are working back and forth in the Bay Area.

It's great to see how these events have grown through the years as it's really the excitement in working them that's it's all about.

As I reminisce back while getting all these back and forth messages between promo brand ambassadors and promotional staffing agencies, though the events and staff have grown the same realities prevail.

The facts are:

Promo Agencies:

Head shots, Clients selections, Core Personnel versus glamorous young pretty faces and hot bods.

Brand Ambassadors:

Best pay, best hours, most easiet jobs, perks,travel time, do I work both or which one?

With the given facts the same realities expectations as always.

Promo agencies get as much as many submissions regardless, for hard areas involving travel may or may not use core personnel, for high profile ones and clients pleasure book the pretty and hots.

Brand Ambassadors best pay, best hours, less travel and best perks but can be accommodating depending on the relationships and or who pays first and fast.

Come Dee Day, the barrage of Emergency and Urgent booking emails due to cancellations from promo agencies. What's really funny the not that hot and not that pretty anymore is desperately being requested to possibly work due to this cancellations.

So it's really dependent on the BA's how desperate they need work to reconsider and so and so.

My take on this over the years, it only takes me 3 strikes on my terms when a promo agency discriminates me considering they know I'm really very hardworking and reliable. If you been around in the industry and a good reputation it depends on each person but me "Adios". But when it comes to payment discrepancies and not paying on time it only takes 1 strike and I'm done.

Considering there is no working relationship is most of these jobs are they are 1099's  which hopefully the State are eventually all going to convert to W2's, hey these are the realities and it's up to each one to make to decisions.

Alex Esguerra