The actual product is arguably the "pizza" much more so than the "driving" evidenced by the fact that customers themselves will sometimes drive to Papa John's or Dominoes to pick up their own pizzas. In that framework, the standard would be for the pizza driver to also provide his own pizza dough, pepperoni, and baking ovens. If the pizza companies eventually figure out how to use flying drones to drop off pizzas and eliminate drivers, I'm sure the customers would be fine with it. The customers weren't really "buying the driver"; they were buying the pizza with the convenience of delivery.
With Uber/Lift, the "driving" itself is 100% the product.
And why does the discussion continue to be "one bullet point" at a time instead of a combination of factors?
If parents provide all the equipment & materials for the babysitter (infant formula, diapers, toys, Walt Disney DVDs, etc) along with the premises to do the work (the parents' home), does that make babysitter an employee?
If a dog owner provides the leash, the pet treats, and the back yard for the pet sitter to walk and exercise the dog, should the pet sitter be classified as "employee"?
The job description for a Pizza Hut driver is to drive no different to an Uber driver. Whether they are delivering pizza or people is irrelevant. It's all about the nature of the work.
No, it's not _all_ about the nature of the work. Again, that's just applying one-dimensional criteria. To re-emphasize: is the employee/contractor classification just one factor or a combination of factors?
The concept of "driving" does not automatically mean an "employee" relationship. Many (probably most) 18-wheel truck drivers are independent contractors. Many drivers of tour & charter buses are subcontractors as well. Those charter bus drivers transport people like Uber drivers too.
Likewise, the "nature of photography work" does not instantly categorize it as employee vs freelancer. Sports Illustrated had some staff/employee photographers. But National Geographic has freelance photographers.
Another most obvious example to HN would be the existence of both contract and employee programmers.
It isn't just about the "nature of work".
It isn't just about who provides the equipment.
It isn't just about who decides the hours of when the work is performed.
