The freedom of gig work

To put it simply, gig work has changed my life. As a retiree and former business owner, I was looking for a way to get out of the house and make money without having a boss or strict hours. I was immediately attracted to the entrepreneurial spirit of app-based work. DoorDash has allowed me to interact with my community while also giving me the freedom and flexibility to work on my own time.

For many people, myself included, the definition of work is changing. People need additional options for making money that extend beyond 9-5 desk jobs. After a pandemic where so many lives and livelihoods were risked, our policymakers should be advocating for more economic opportunities for Illinoisans.

It concerns me that some of our policymakers are pushing for app-based workers to be classified as full-time employees. By categorizing people like myself this way, they're only putting limitations and restrictions on the people who rely on gig work for a second source of income or the flexibility to live the lifestyle they want. I am urging our policymakers to listen to the stories of gig workers like myself to understand who this really affects, and what is truly at stake.

Ron Eggert

North Aurora

Race theory nothing new

Critical Race Theory has nothing to do with Marxism and is not being taught in our public schools, as has been suggested on these pages. Critical Race Theory is taught in law schools and has been for about 40 years. The phony hysteria surrounding the issue is just a lot of noise from the MAGA Right and sounds like nothing more than a distraction.

Dean Geroulis

Des Plaines